Santa Clara Wins Overall Title

Santa Clara takes top honors in all events

The Santa Clara Aquamaids (Calif.) swept the field of events and captured the overall junior national title on Saturday at the 2004 SPEEDO Junior National Synchronized Swimming Championships in Clermont, Fla.

The Aquamaids topped California rivals Riverside Aquettes and Walnut Creek Aquanuts earning 52 championship points. Riverside finished a close second with 50 points, followed by Walnut Creek with 48.

Santa Clara's Christina Jones claimed three gold medals in solo, duet and team. Scoring a composite 85.070, she topped Walnut Creek soloist Annebelle Orme who finished at 83.123. Jones later teamed with Jessica McMahon to take top honors in the duet competition with a composite score of 83.732. Elise Marcotte and Sarah Eve Pelletier of Synchro Elite Quebec (Canada) was an honorary second at 82.122. Riverside's Brooke Abel and Caitlin Stewart finished second scoring an 81.523.

The trio competition was a tighter race with Santa Clara's Poppy Carlig, Layla Smith, and Carolyn Watts captured gold with a composite 81.011. Meryl Grandia, Meghan Kinney, and Michelle Theriault of Riverside finished a close second at 80.387, while Riverside's Rachel Sinn, Alandi Stec-Neifert, and Jeannie Wurzel followed with a 78.544.

The evening closed with the team final. Santa Clara A won by more than a point scoring an 83.492. Synchro Elite Quebec (Canada) finished an honorary second at 82.349. Walnut Creek A placed second with a score of 82.298 followed by Riverside A at 82.071. Swimming for Santa Clara A was Carlig, Jones, Hae-Rin Lee, McMahon, Barareh Nikbakht, Lauren Oiye, Smith, and Watts.

Solo Final

1. Christina Jones, Santa Clara (Calif.), 85.070. 2. Annabelle Orme, Walnut Creek (Calif.), 83.123. 3H. Elise Marcotte, Synchro Elite Quebec (Canada), 82.146. 3. Brooke Abel, Riverside (Calif.), 81.726. 4. Caitlin Stewart, Riverside (Calif.), 81.570. 5. Alina Syunkov, Walnut Creek (Calif.), 80.608. 6. Lyssa Wallace, Cygnets of San Antonio (Texas), 80.205. 7. Deborah Shim, Walnut Creek (Calif.), 80.189.

8. Jillian Penner, Seattle Synchro (Wash.), 79.870.

Duet Final

1. Christina Jones, Jessica McMahon, Santa Clara (Calif.), 83.732. 2H. Elise Marcotte, Sarah Eve Pelletier, Synchro Elite Quebec (Canada), 82.122. 2. Brooke Abel, Caitlin Stewart, Riverside (Calif.), 81.523. 3. Poppy Carlig, Layla Smith, Santa Clara (Calif.), 80.758. 4. Erin Bell, Melissa Knight, Walnut Creek (Calif.), 79.729. 5. Sachi Maekawa, Sophie Wilhoit, Seattle Synchro (Wash.), 79.195. 6. Jillian Penner, Rochelle Rock, Seattle Synchro (Wash.), 78.650. 7. Katherine Norris, Chelsey St. Pierre-Bennett, Sacramento (Calif.), 78.468. 8H. Amy Levine, Taylor Durand, Olympium Synchro Club (Canada), 78.203. 7. Elizabeth MacAfee, Carolyn Watts, Santa Clara (Calif.), 78.066.

Trio Final

1. Poppy Carlig, Layla Smith, Carolyn Watts, Santa Clara (Calif.), 81.011. 2. Meryl Grandia, Meghan Kinney, Michelle Theriault, Riverside (Calif.), 80.387. 3. Rachel Sinn, Alandi Stec-Neifert, Jeannie Wurzel, Walnut Creek (Calif.), 78.544. 4. Jackie Mundy, Hannah Frawley, Hannah Shively, Riverside, 78.370. 5. Maria Koroleva, Seyeon Min, Olivia Morgan, Walnut Creek (Calif.), 77.374. 6. Catherine (Michelle) Benzie, Julia Broadfoot, Katie Soloway, San Diego (Calif.), 77.122. 7. Danielle DeCarlo, Jeanine McCullough, Alison Williams, Riverside (Calif.), 77.106. 8. Heide McMahon, Kari Pett, Katie Wenzel, Arizona Aqua Stars, 76.538

Team Final

1, Santa Clara A, 83.492. 2H. Synchro Elite Quebec (Canada), 82.349. 2. Walnut Creek A, 82.298. 3. Riverside A, 82.071. 4. Walnut Creek B, 79.566. 5. Riverside B, 78.919. 6. Seattle Synchro, 78.634. 7. Indy Synchro (Ind.), 77.949. 8. Sacramento (Calif.), 77.189.

Overall Standings

1. Santa Clara Aquamaids, 52. 2. Riverside Aquettes 50. 3. Walnut Creek Aquanuts, 48. 4. Seattle Synchro, 13. 5T. San Diego, 3. 5T. Sacramento, 3. 5T. Indy Synchro, 3. 5T. Cygnets of San Antonio, 3. 9. Arizona Aqua Stars, 1.