After a season longer than the NHL, three local swimmers from the Bulkley Valley Otters swim club recently wrapped up their season at provincial finals.
Cassie Horning-Wandler competed at the AA Provincials in Kelowna at the end of June, representing the area well. Outgoing coach Ali Howard said she was impressed Horning-Wandler performed as well as she did, since they had made major changes to her stroke only a month before the competition.
“I think she had seven personal best times, and the eighth was still just off of her best time,” said Howard.
Horning-Wandler’s top finish was a fourth place in the 12 Year Old Girls 100m butterfly, although she had several other top 10 finishes.
From July 7 to 11, Brian Dohler and Luke Berarducci travelled to Victoria for the AAA Provincial Championships. Dohler had a number of strong finishes in his 16 and Over races, while Berarducci also swam well, including bringing home a silver medal.
“Luke had a really, really great performance in the 100m breast,” said Howard.
Berarducci also showed major improvements in his 50m freestyle race.
“His 50 free time in long course is now better than his 50 free short course,” she said, explaining that the short course time is usually quicker since swimmers can push off from the wall when they turn around in their lane.
Dohler placed in the top 10 in a number of races, and when the Championship was over, spent the next day swimming in the SwimBC Open Water championships just outside of Victoria. He finished in fifth place in his first ever open water race, finishing the 5 km course in 1:09:97.85.
“I was curious to see how he would do in an open water race,” said Howard. “I think he should do more of them.”