Ross Places Seventh in 10-m Synchro at FINA Championships
July 25, 2009
Complete Finals Results in PDF Format 
Rome, Italy – University of Miami junior diver Reuben Ross concluded his diving at the FINA World Championships on Saturday, taking a seventh place finish with partner Riley McCormick in the men’s 10-meter synchronized platform with a score of 406.98 at the Stadio del Nuoto in Rome.
Leading throughout the event, China’s Liang Huo and Yue Lin finished atop the pack with a gold finishing score of 482.58, while the United States’ duo of David Boudia and Thomas Finchum claimed silver (456.84). Bronze went to Cuba’s José Antonio Guerra Oliva and Jeinkler Ernesto Aguirre Manso with a score of 456.60.
Saturday’s finals appearance for Ross, a native of Regina Saskatchewan and diving throughout the championships for his home country of Canada, represented his third finals appearance of the biennial event. He claimed his highest finish with a bronze medal in the 3-meter synchronized springboard with partner Alexandre Despatie.
Ross and McCormick (Victoria, British Columbia) started off the finals a bit slow, as they collected back-to-back scores in the 50s, only to jump to a 64.80 judgment on their third dive–a Forward 3 ½ Somersault Pike.
The Canadian duo collected a score of 73.92 on their fourth dive, then advancing to a 78.54 on the fifth attempt as they completed a Reverse 3 ½ Somersault Tuck. The final dive would be the best of the day for Ross and McCormick, completing a Back 2 ½ Somersault 1 ½ Twist Pike for a score of 87.72 from the judges.
On Friday, Ross and McCormick ended their series of six dives in the prelims to claim a sixth place spot with a score of 423.72.
Miami’s representation in the World Championships has been striking thus far with female diver Brittany Viola having served as team captain for the United States, as well as Ross diving for Canada. But the Hurricanes’ will now move over to the swimming lanes as sophomore Annika Saarnak will represent her home country of Estonia in two upcoming events.
Saarnak, a native of Puhaleda, Estonia, will swim in two events–the women’s 100- and 200-meter freestyle. She begins her championships run on Tuesday, July 28 in the 200-meter freestyle. It will be different for Saarnak, as she completed the 2008-09 campaign for UM in “yard” style courses, now making the shift to the international “meter” course.
The FINA World Championships or “World Aquatics Championships” are the World Championships for aquatic sports: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo. The Championships are run by FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation). In the pool, swimming events are contested in a 50-meter, or “long course” pool.
The event was first held in 1973, and is now held every two years. From 1978-1998, the World Championships were held every four years, in the even years between Summer Olympic years. From 2001 on, the World Championships has been held every two years, in the off years.
For more information on the University of Miami Swimming & Diving team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, results and information regarding the Hurricanes Swimming & Diving program.
