World’s top divers ready to compete in Windsor
Competition is last event before world championships in July in Budapest
Some of the world’s best divers are in Windsor for the final leg of the FINA Diving World Series.
The action begins at 11:45 a.m. Friday with the 10-metre synchronized diving finals at the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre. The three-metre synchronized final begins at 5:20 p.m. Events Saturday and Sunday begin at 10 a.m.
The competition began with events in China and Russia. The overall winners will be crowned here in Windsor. For the 73 divers from 13 nations, Windsor is the last chance for the divers to hone their technique in international competition before the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest in July.
“They love Windsor,” said Maelle Dancause, spokeswoman for Diving Canada. The Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre is a smaller and “more intimate” venue than some of the other venues where divers compete.
“The divers can feel the energy of the crowd,” Dancause said.
She said the venue offers advantages for the audience as well.
“The crowd is so close to the action,” she said. “They can see the interaction between the divers and the coaches.”
Divers are invited to participate in the world series based on their results at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The top eight divers from the individual events and the topsix teams in the synchronized events earn qualification. Host countries are guaranteed spots.
Canada divers to watch are Jennifer Abel, Meaghan Benfeito, Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu, Phillippe Gagne, François Imbeau-Dulac, Caeli McKay, Vincent Riendeau and Pamela Ware.
Tickets are available at the door. Three-day passes are $50 for adults and $25 for children 12 and younger. Day passes are $20. Each day is divided into two sessions, with breaks between each session. Tickets for each session are $10.
To buy tickets online or for more information, go to www.windsorworldseries.com.