Karen Cockburn and Rosannagh MacLennan

Cockburn, MacLennan upset Chinese world champions at Canada Cup trampoline meet
Posted Friday, July 16, 2010

MISSISSAUGA -- Karen Cockburn and Rosannagh MacLennan, both of Toronto, turned the tables on China’s world champions on Friday to win gold in women’s synchro trampoline at the 2010 Canada Cup.

At last year’s world championships in St. Petersburg, Russia, Li Dan and Zhong Xingping edged the Canadian duo for top spot in the event but this time around it was a different story.

Cockburn, who has won a medal at the last three Olympic Games, and MacLennan finished with a total score of 132.90, well ahead of the Chinese pair at 129.5.

Mariah Madigan and Samantha Smith of Toronto  were third with a score of 128.2.

“We haven’t been training a lot in synchro this season but our compulsory routine was good and the optional was clean,” said Cockburn.

To prepare for the stiff competition they were expecting from the top-ranked Chinese, Cockburn and MacLennan added a triple tuck at the beginning of their optional routine to boost their points for difficulty.

“We were very comfortable adding the move and we were very strong in our synchronization,” said MacLennan. “It pushed us a little harder knowing the Chinese were competing here against us and it was a good opportunity for the younger competitors to go up against them too.”

In the women’s prelims for women’s individual trampoline, Cockburn and MacLennan, were third and fourth with their Chinese rivals ranked first and second.

In the men’s synchro final, China and Japan finished 1-2 and Sebastien St-German of Montreal and Keegan Soehn of Red Deer, Alta.., were third despite not completing their final routine.

In the men’s prelims for the individual competition, the top Canadian was Marty Myers of Toronto in eighth-place.

World champion Dong Dong of China and teammate Tu Xiao led the field by a wide margin with James Higgins of Great Britain in third spot.

Olympic silver medalist Jason Burnett of Toronto was expected to challenge the Chinese in the individual event but is out of action with an injury sustained last week.

The Canada Cup also includes events in double mini trampoline and tumbling in different age groups.

Competition concludes on Saturday.

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