Premier ASUA Pan American Synchro Championships Head to Orlando
U.S. Junior National Team set to compete

Indianapolis, IN-- The first ASUA Junior Pan American Synchronized Swimming Championships is splashing into Orlando, Fla., August 18-21, at the YMCA Aquatic Center. Hosted by the Central Florida Sports Commission and synchronized swimming Team Orlando Loreleis, the U.S. Junior National team will compete among 12 other countries for the title.

Junior National Teams with birth years 1987-1990 will converge from Argentina, Aruba, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the United States of America from all ASUA (Amateur Swimming Union of the Americas) federations.

The competition will consist of Solo and Duet Preliminaries, Figures competition, followed by Finals in Solo, Duet, Team and Free Routine Combination. Each participating Federation may enter up to two Solos, two Duets, one Team and one Free Routine Combination. Only one Solo and one Duet from each participating Federation will advance to finals.

Competing for the Team at the Pan American Championships will be Brooke Abel (Riverside, Calif.), Erin Bell (Walnut Creek, Calif.), Debbie Chen (Cerritos, Calif.), Meghan Kinney (Mission Viejo, Calif.), Danielle DeCarlo (Riverside, Calif.), Lauren Oiye (San Jose, Calif.), Jillian Penner (Seattle, Wash.), Deborah Shim (Walnut Creek, Calif.), Michelle Theriault (North Hills, Calif.), Carolyn Watts (San Jose, Calif.). The two U.S. Duets are Brooke Abel and Carolyn Watts, and National Team I members Christina Jones and Annabelle Orme. The Soloists are Brooke Abel and Christina Jones.

This is the U.S. Junior National Team's second International competition this year. The Team won a silver medal at the U.S. Open, held in San Diego, July 11-17, with a score of 83.864. The U.S. Duet swimmers, Brooke Abel and Carolyn Watts, also won silver at the U.S. Open, and Soloist, Brooke Abel, won gold for her Solo routine. The U.S. Junior Team won bronze in the combo routine. Team I members, Christina Jones and Annabelle Orme, recently placed fourth in Team at the XI FINA World Championships in Montreal. 17-year-old Jones placed fifth in the Solo competition in Montreal. Orme and Jones took silver for their Duet at the 2004 Junior World Championships in Moscow. Already a top International contender, the U.S. looks forward to competing in this preliminary International event.

Tickets can be purchased at the door for $8 per day or $25 for all four days. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Pete Sherrard at the Central Florida Sports Commission by phone at 407-648-4900 Extension 13 or Email: psherrard@orlandosports.org.

-USA Synchronized Swimming-

USA Synchronized Swimming is the national governing body for the sport of synchronized swimming. Headquartered in Indianapolis, USA Synchronized Swimming offers diversified programs geared toward the broadest number of synchronized swimming enthusiasts, from the novice to the world champion. USA Synchronized Swimming conducts six national championship events annually, sanctions hundreds of events managed by its member clubs and is responsible for training and selecting teams that represent the United States at international events such as the Olympic Games, World Championships, and Pan American Games.

For additional information, please call USA Synchronized Swimming at 317-237-5700 or visit www.usasynchro.org.