Seymour swim to success at ASA Masters Synchro Champs

Seymour Synchro dominated the ASA Masters Synchro Champs, securing six gold medals at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Centre in Rugby.

Their first came in the 25-29yrs Free Solo event, where Yixin Zeng improved on her Tech routine score to take the top spot. She scored 141.702 overall, taking 71.867 in the Free Solo for her classically-inspired routine.

The next solo gold came at the hands of Natasha Rukazenkova-Cleverly, who won the 30-39yrs age group. Her Free routine was not as strong as her Tech, but her Tango routine brought her score to 128.481.

Also securing gold medals in the solo routines were City of Preston’s Fiona Howarth and City of Leeds’ Jeanne Ansley. Howarth wore a blue swirl patterned costume for the Free routine and caught the judges’ eyes, taking an overall score of 132.715 in the 40-49yrs age group.

“I’ve been swimming since I was 12 and coaching from 15,” said Howarth. “Synchronised swimming to me is absolute variety. It’s creative, it’s competitive, it’s fun, it works strength, flexibility, fitness. It just covers everything.”

Ansley had a home-made costume, and her hat had a lipstick impression sewed onto it in sequins. As ever, she showed excellent fitness and stamina for her age group.

She was awarded 49.584 for her interpretation of Fever When You Kiss Me, taking the 70-79yrs age group with 101.749.

“It feels great to get gold, but you have to be in it to win it,” said Ansley. “Synchronised swimming is my life. I teach three to five-year-old’s how to swim, then as they get a bit older I take the girls over to synchro too. I have friends all over the world, because I’ve been doing Masters for 20 years now.”

Seymour continue form in Free Duet

Rukazenkova-Cleverly and Elizabeth Winter joined forces in the 30-39yrs Duet to claim Seymour’s third gold medal. The pair donned bright orange and showed excellent artistic interpretation to their Prodigy opening song. They scored 128.349 overall.

Giulia Escher and Yixin Zeng took a second gold for the club, their French-themed routine in the Free Duet was awarded 66.633. They finished with 132.803.

Rushmoor pair, Andrea Holland and Carolyn MacDonald, claimed the Duet title in the 50-59yrs age group,  having also won gold at the European Masters Championships 2016.

They showed solid synchronisation and wore bright orange costumes, which were a good representation for their choice of music. They scored 120.732 overall for their up tempo music selection.

Holland said: “It feels great to get gold. We won the European Championships earlier this year, so now to be national champions as well is really exciting. I came back a couple of years ago for charity, and Carolyn was my coach.”

“We’re entering the World Championships next year in Budapest,” added MacDonald. “We’re thinking about redoing the Olympic duet from 1984 in which Britain was fourth. So we’re going to try and actually swim the same routine.”

Rushmoor take two in the Team events

Rushmoor took both the 20-24yrs age group and the 35-49yrs age group in the Team events.

Their team of April Poulter, Debbie Carpenter, Emma Adams, Georgina Gegg, Hayley Cornick, Holly Ramskir, Laura Atkins and Samantha Mattinson took the 20-24yrs with 123.249.

They executed a stylish lift in the middle of the Free Team routine, as the pace changed, highlighting their technical ability.

Andrea Holland, Carla Sanders, Carolyn Macdonald, Grace Reukers, Rachel Davies and Sarah Beasley took the other gold.

Their Burlesque theme in the Free Team routine showed good artistic flair, and they added 62.734 to their Tech routine to take the title with 122.404.

Rugby strike gold in Team Combination event

Rugby Masters took a gold medal in the 40-64yrs age group for their Spice Girls routine. Dawn Broad, Edina Carroll, Joyce Williams, Julie Bowler-Smith, Katie Huett, Kay Ridler and Zoe Medgett swam to ‘Spice up your Life’ and secured a score of 49.949.

Medgett said: “It feels absolutely fantastic, we’ve worked really hard this year. We train two or three times a week, fitting it in around work and family and kids, it can be hard.”

“The team only started doing a Christmas display for fun and then we carried on from there,” added Broad.

City of Preston Aquatics took gold in the 20-24yrs age group. Their medley of show tunes was awarded 57.281. The team was made up of Alex Penney, Eleanor McCabe, Eloise Deady-Aiston and Megan Hughes.

• Click here to download full results from the ASA National Masters Synchronised Swimming Championships 2016.