GB Synchro set to compete at French Open

The French Open (5 – 7 February) is the next stop for the British Synchronised Swimming Team as they continue their preparation for the Olympic Synchronised Swimming Qualification Tournament and the LEN European Aquatics Championships.

The 11 strong team will compete in the Solo Free, Duet Technical and Free as well as the Team Technical and Free at the three-day competition in Montreuil, France.

Olympians Olivia Federici and Katie Clark will be building on their top ten finish at last week’s German Open by competing both of the Duet routines they debuted at the competition in Bonn.

This is the next step as the GB Duet move closer to the Olympic qualifier in Rio next month.

This will also be the first international competition of the season for the team as they look to polish and perfect their performances ahead of the LEN European Aquatics Championships in London.

City of Bristol pair Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe have been included in the squad for the first time, having been named ASA England Programmes Synchro Athletes of the Year at last year’s ASA Aquatics Awards.

The 14-year old’s won Duet gold at the Primorje Cup in Croatia last year before impressing in the defence of their ASA National Age Group title in December.

The team competing at the French Open includes:

• Phoebe Bradley-Smith (City of Birmingham)
• Jorja Brown (Rushmoor)
• Katie Clark (Reading Royals)
• Danielle Cooper (Rushmoor)
• Emma Critchley (Reading Royals)
• Olivia Federici (Rushmoor)
• Zoe James (Rushmoor)
• Genevieve Randall (Bristol Central)
• Hannah Randall (Rushmoor)
• Kate Shortman (City of Bristol)
• Isabelle Thorpe (City of Bristol)

History of GB Synchro at the French Open:

• The last time GB athletes competed at the French Open was in 2014 when Genevieve Randall and Amy Campbell finished in the Duet Free event.
• In the same year, the GB squad finished eighth in the Team event (Jorja Brown, Amy Campbell, Jodie Cowie, Emma Critchley, Emily Randall, Genevieve Randall, Sophie Randle, Imogen Smith) and fifth in the Free Combination (Genevieve Randall, Amy Campbell, Jodie Cowie, Jorja Brown, Sophie Randle, Imogen Smith, Emily Randall, Emma Critchley, Chloe Shortman, Danielle Cooper).