Photo Courtesy: Action Images \/ Norman Ng<\/p>\n
QUEBEC CITY, Canada, September 19. THE\u00a0FINA Synchronized Swimming World Cup, presented every four years, will be held in Qu\u00e9bec City from October 2 to 5, 2014, at the brand new PEPS aquatic centre at Universit\u00e9 Laval. The very first edition of the event was held in Tokyo, Japan, in 1979, and Qu\u00e9bec City will host the 13th edition. The last edition was held in Changshu, China, in 2010, with Canada taking home one silver and three bronze medals. Organized by Synchro Canada and its producer, Gestev, in conjunction with Ville de Qu\u00e9bec and Universit\u00e9 Laval, the official announcement that the international event would be coming to the Qu\u00e9bec City area was made this afternoon at the new PEPS pool.<\/p>\n
“We look forward to coming to Quebec City for the 2014 FINA Synchronised Swimming World CUP as we are sure that it will be an exciting competition. Synchro is very popular in Canada and this major event will be an additional inspiration for the youth in your country. Great stars of this spectacular discipline will be in Quebec City and will enchant spectators and TV viewers with their superb routines. Synchro Canada and Quebec City will be memorable hosts and they deserve FINA’s gratitude for this organisation”, mention the FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione.<\/p>\n
Recognized as the sport\u2019s fourth biggest international competition after the Olympics Games, the FINA World Aquatic Championships, and the Pan American Games, the FINA Synchronized Swimming World Cup is coming to Canada for the very first time. The last time a competition of this calibre was held in North America was in 1995, when the American city of Atlanta hosted the same event. \u201cWe feel lucky to have been chosen \u00a0to host this event which is a first in Canada, said Sylvain L\u00e9gar\u00e9, member of the executive committee of Qu\u00e9bec City in charge of sports, leisure and community life. It confirms, once again, our excellent reputation on the international sports scene.\u201d<\/p>\n
During the four days of competition in Qu\u00e9bec City, the world\u2019s best swimmers will compete in four events: Duet, Team, Free Combination and Highlight Routine for the very first time in a World Cup. In all, some 100 athletes from up to 20 countries are expected to compete with their teams, making for 250 participants, including trainers and support staff. \u201cSynchro Canada is delighted to host the biggest synchronized swimming event in the country since the 2005 FINA World Aquatic Championships. What\u2019s more, the event will be in Qu\u00e9bec City, a city with a storied history in the sport. We are sure that the people of Qu\u00e9bec City will come out in numbers to support Team Canada as the competition helps our athletes prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games in front of a home crowd,\u201d says Mario Welsh, Synchro Canada president.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new PEPS aquatic centre\u00a0now means Universit\u00e9 Laval can host international competitions like the FINA Synchronized Swimming World Cup 2014. We are immensely proud to host such a prestigious sporting event,\u201d says university rector Denis Bri\u00e8re. Although discussions are still ongoing, the event will be broadcast around the world, providing a global showcase for the new PEPS facilities and once again allowing Qu\u00e9bec City to shine in front of millions of viewers.<\/p>\n