Nouvelles-sport canadien
June 24, 2007
Canada�s Whitney McClintock sweeps all three gold at junior U.S., Open
SANTA ROSA, Florida � Canadian water skiing whiz Whitney McClintock of Cambridge, Ont., swept all three gold on Sunday at the junior U.S., Open championships.
McClintock finished ahead of American Danielle Bennett in slalom and tricks and also took the jump title soaring 151 feet, just a foot off her personal best set in Saturday�s qualifying. At the last three junior U.S. Opens, McClintock has taken eight of a possible nine gold. However this was the first year the 17-year-old world junior champion competed in the under-21 category.
��This is not only a great way to start the season but a great way to start a new age category,�� said McClintock, who�ll competed at the under-21 worlds next January in Chile. ��It�s really good for the confidence.��
McClintock was soaring with confidence in the jump and slalom events after strong qualifying scores. In the jump final she edged out Jenna Mielzinsky of Belfountain, Ont., who took the silver at 147 feet.
The most surprising result for McClintock was her gold in tricks after qualifying fourth.
��I went with a safer routine today in tricks,�� she said. ��I wasn�t quite comfortable with the one I did in qualifying. In the final, I went out before two other girls and I wasn�t sure it would hold. But I managed to edge out Danielle.��
Mielzynski was also competing at her first major event this season and had hoped to fare a little better. Along with her silver in jump she was also fourth in slalom.
��I did a personal best in jump last week (151 feet) at a small meet and I was excited about possibly matching that today,�� said Mielzynski. ��However, there�s more pressure at a meet like this. In tricks, I stood up a couple of passes and lost some time in the middle.��
Amanda Amos of Midland, Ont., was fourth in women�s slalom in the under-17 category.
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