Familiar Faces Return to Masters Event

Individual Technical Routines and Figures on tap for Friday

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The 2003 Masters Synchronized Swimming Championships kicked off Thursday afternoon with the solo competition. Many familiar faces return to the annual event held at the Robert F. Busbey Natatorium on the Cleveland State University campus.

Becky Meitin of the Rocky Mountain Splash (Colo.) leads the 50-59 division after scoring a 68.667. Meitin attended Berea High School here in Cleveland.

Lizzi Jakobsen of the Southern California Unsynchables commands the 70-79 division after scoring a 64.833. Jakobsen finished second last year to Marian Kretschmer of the Dayton Synchronettes, a 27-time consecutive solo champion. Kretschmer passed away earlier this year of cancer.

MAC Synchro Masters' (Ore.) Erin Olson , competing in the 20-29 Grandmasters division, earned the meet's highest solo score of 85.500. Following Olson was Leadel Bean of the Unsynchables (Calif.) who leads the 30-39 Grandmaster at 82.333.

No Masters meet is complete without New England Synchro's Louise Wing of Lynn, Mass. Making her annual appearance Wing, the meet's oldest competitor at 85-years-old, looks to continue her lengthy win-streak. Wing scored a 62.833 to take a one-point lead over the Unsynchables' Miriam Larson at 61.833 heading into Friday's technical routines.

Nearly 250 of the world's top Masters synchronized swimmers, ranging from 20 to 85+ years old, are competing for overall team and individual titles in the solo, duet, trio and team events. The Masters championship began in 1975, making the 2003 event the 29th annual competition.

Competition continues Friday with individual technical routines at 8:30 a.m. followed by figures. Duets and trios begin at 7:50 a.m. on Saturday with teams at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Complete results can be found at www.usasynchro.org.