Canadian Sport News (CSN)
May 6, 2000

CANADA WINS SILVER AT PANTENE PRO-V COLOR CANADA CUP

MONTREAL--Jose Guerra of Cuba completed a stunning performance, which
included one perfect mark, to win the gold medal in an exciting men's
10-metre tower final Saturday at the 18-country PANTENE PRO-V Canada Cup
diving competition

Megan Farrow of Edmonton and Kari Frank of Calgary earned Canada's second
medal of the competition winning the silver medal on women's synchronized
three-metre.

Guerra scored big points on his final two dives including a perfect 10 on
his twisting 11/2 somersault with 31/2 twists for 661.45 points. World
number-one Tiang Liang of China was solid and took second spot at 660.87
and his compatriot Huang Qiang, the leader heading into the sixth and final
round, blew his last dive and was third at 631.80. Jesus Martinez of Cuba,
also with a perfect 10, was fourth at 628.47.

Canadian and Commonwealth champion Alexandre Despatie of Montreal, second
entering the final, wasn't sharp and placed fifth at 592.65. Despatie
saved his best dive for last scoring 8.0's and 8.5's on his twisting dive.

"I wasn't happy at all with the first couple of dives especially," said
Despatie, 14, who'll vie for a spot on the Olympic team at trials June 9-11
in Montreal. "I was a bit disappointed to get off to such a start at my
home pool and that made it hard to come back. It wasn't the pressure. I
just wasn't on."

Christopher Kalec of Montreal was seventh, Tony Revitt of Delta, B.C.,
eighth and Nicolas Leblanc of Montreal 10th.

On women's synchronized three-metre, Fu Mingxia and Jingjing Guo of China
were the winners with 318.60 points.

Farrow and Frank, informed Saturday morning they were entered in the
competition, put in a superlative effort to claim the silver at 266.76 for
their first international medals. Michelle Rojohn and Kim Berbari of the
U.S., were third out of five entries at 246.36.

"It was a little intimidating for us to go up against the Chinese," said
Farrow. "They are just so amazing. This was actually more stressful than
our individual events for both of us. We were particularly worried about
our reverse dive. There's just so much you have to think about but we
pulled it out. What a relief."

There were only two entries in the men's competition won by Yu Zhuocheng
and Tang Tianling of China. Synchronized diving will be an official
Olympic event for the first time in Sydney.

On women's 10-metre tower after the preliminaries and semifinals, the
Chinese are standing 1-2 with Sang Xue first at 546.75, World Cup and Grand
Prix champion Li Na second at 507.00 while world number-two Anne Montminy
of Pointe-Claire, Que., is third at 492.21.

Three other Canadians qualified for 12-woman final set for Sunday: Myriam
Boileau of Montreal is fourth at 484.05, world junior champion Blythe
Hartley of North Vancouver, B.C., fifth at 471.72 and Caroline Lauzon of
Montreal seventh at 448.62.

Emily Heymans of Montreal, ranked fourth in the world, placed eighth in the
preliminaries but was the fifth best Canadian. Only four Canadians were
allowed to advance.

"My preliminaries were not good at all but thankfully they don't carry over
to the final," said Montminy, 25, looking to qualify for her third Olympics
next month at the team trials. "It's hard to get up for the prelims but
considering the fact the other Canadian girls are so good you can't take
nothing for granted."

Competition ends Sunday with finals on men's three-metre and women's
10-metre.

Saturday's results at the PANTENE PRO-V COLOR Canada Cup diving competition
in Montreal:

MEN

10-metre (final): 1. Jose Guerra, Cuba, 661.45 points; 2. Tiang Liang,
China, 660.87; 3. Huang Qiang, China, 631.80; 4. Jesus Martinez, Cuba,
628.47; 5. Alexandre Despatie, Montreal, 592.65; 6. Rio Ramirez, U.S.,
591.03; 7. Christopher Kalec, Montreal, 572.73; 8. Tony Revitt, Delta,
B.C., 543.93; 9. Brent Roberts, U.S., 541.86; 10. Nicolas Leblanc,
Montreal, 533.43.

WOMEN

Synchronized three-metre (final): 1. Fu Mingxia and Jingjing Guo, China,
318.60; 2. Megan Farrow, Edmonton and Kari Frank, Calgary 266.76; 3.
Michelle Rojohn and Kim Berbari, U.S., 246.36; 4. Azul Almazan and Jashia
Luna, Mexico, 245.76; 5. Jane Woodard and Tandi Gerrard, South Africa,
225.21.

10-metre (after semifinals):1. Sang Xue, China, 546.75; 2. Li Na, China,
507.00; 3. Anne Montminy, Pointe-Claire, Que., 492.21; 4. Myriam Boileau,
Montreal, 484.05; 5. Blythe Hartley, North Vancouver, B.C., 471.72; 6.
Svetlana Timoshinina, Russia, 460.65; 7. Caroline Lauzon, Montreal, 448.62;
8. Kim Berbari, U.S., 432.51; 9. Eugenia Olshevskaya, Russia, 426.99; 10.
Kathy Pesek, U.S., 426.84.