Seattle duet, Buffalo, MAC all winners at Esynchro Age Groups

Cincinnati needed an extra 0.411 to overcome its figures deficit to Seattle, and earned just that plus a fraction more to edge the host team for the 18-19 team gold during the final day of the 2002 Esynchro Age Group Synchronized Swimming Championships in Federal Way, Wash.

Cincinnati’s “Rhythm” routine, which finished seventh at the Speedo Junior National Championships in April, tallied a final composite mark of 76.998 to Seattle’s 76.867. Swimming for Cincinnati were Ann Donselman, Leslie Edgerton, Katie Finnigan, Christy Henderson, Stephanie Raftery, Erin Schmidt, Aubrey Ford and Sarah Kennedy.

Swimming for Seattle were Rochelle Rock (Spokane), Sophie Wilhoit (Renton), Sachi Maekawa (Seattle), Mari Maekawa (Seattle), Jillian Penner (Seattle), Briana Boskey (Kenmore) and Katie Lorenz (Woodinville).

Seattle’s top pair of Aleksandra Lazovic (Kenmore) and Jillian Penner cruised to the gold in 18-19 duet. Their routine to music from “Planet of the Apes” scored a 76.995. Teammates Natalie Chase and Lacey Brooten moved up from third to take the silver with a mark of 76.334.

Hallie Todd of MAC Synchro (Portland, Ore.) used a nearly 1.3-point figures lead to hang on for gold in 18-19 solo. Santa Clara’s Alicia Rice earned the top final free routine score, but it was Todd taking the gold with a final composite mark of 78.124 to Rice’s 77.077.

A steller final free routine swim lifted Buffalo from third to first in 18-19 trio. The Swimkins trio of Katie Meger, Katie Ulin and Frances Jo Dixon finished with a 74.759 in the closest final of the entire meet, with Riverside second at 74.730 and Tampa Bay at 74.680.

Preliminary scores are weighted to 50 percent and combined with 50 percent of the athlete(s)’s figures score to determine the eight finalists in each event. In the final, the 50 percent free routine prelim score is replaced with 50 of the final routine score.

Nearly 1,000 athletes were competing for national titles in four age divisions: 12-13, 14-15, 16-17 and 18-19. Top routines advance to the United Airlines Open, July 21-27 in Ypsilanti, Mich.

For more information and complete results, log on to www.usasynchro.org, or contact Brian Eaton at 317-414-7962.

18-19 Solo Final

1, Hallie Todd, MAC, 78.124. 2, Alicia Rice, Santa Clara, 77.077. 3, Aleksandra Lazovic, Seattle, 76.740. 4, Heather Freer, Sacramento, 76.625. 5, Kelly Knutsen, MAC (Portland, Ore.), 76.041. 6, Victoria Downey, Kansas City, 75.755. 7, Rebecca Story, Lakeland (Fla.), 75.532. 8, Katie Lorenz, Seattle, 75.161.

18-19 Duet Final

1, Jillian Penner, Aleksandra Lazovic, Seattle, 76.995. 2, Natalie Chase, Lacey Brooten, Seattle, 76.334. 3, Heather Freer, Megan Mikulecky, Sacramento, 76.067. 4, Jenna Defabio, Jaclyn Rosen, San Francisco, 75.103. 5, Rebekah Friedman, Celia Gonzalez, Dade Co. (Miami), 75.023. 6, Jacquelyn Hickman, Laura Davis, Tampa Bay, 74.520. 7, Christina Bourey, Ashly Wenzel, Arizona, 73.716. 8, Marissa Commerford, Christine Urban, Walnut Creek, 73.643.

18-19 Trio Final

1, Katie Meger, Katie Ulin, Frances Dixon, Buffalo, 74.759. 2, Amanda Nelson, An Pham, Beth Richie, Riverside, 74.730. 3, Julie Nieman, Jacquelyn Hickman, Laura Davis, Tampa Bay, 74.680. 4, Ann Donselman, Katie Finnigan, Sarah Kennedy, Cincinnati, 73.947. 5, Julie Emerson, Jessica Faires, Kristin Walton, Sacramento, 73.412. 6, Anni Delvecchio, Jessica Blumert, Thea Bardin, New Canaan, 72.604. 7, Megan Lesko, Rochelle Ross, Becky Zakian, Westfield (N.J.), 78.500. 8, Katie Christiansen, Ami Kidder, Megan Zakerwski, Tucson, 72.448.

18-19 Team Final

1, Cincinnati, 76.998. 2, Seattle, 76.867. 3, Sacramento, 76.375. 4, Buffalo, 76.084. 5, Arizona, 75.486. 6, San Diego, 75.158. 7, MAC (Portland, Ore.), 74.537. 8, Tampa Bay, 74.308.