As the competitive swimming season winds down, the Bulkley Valley Otters appear to be winding up as their meet results seem to be getting better and better. All nine local participants had individual finishes in the top three, with six of the nine scoring at least one individual win.
A pair of 10-year-olds led the charge at the latest meet in Kitimat as they each splashed their way to nothing but first place finishes.
Zachary Durnin took first in no less than seven races as he dominated his age category. Durnin was named top swimmer in the meet after winning the 100 and 200 butterfly, the 200 and 400 freestyle, the 200 and 400 medley, and the 200 breaststroke for good measure.
Kanna Kurihara, also 10, was named the second top swimmer as she won all five races she entered. Kurihara was first in the 200 and 400 freestyle, the 200 breaststroke, and the 200 and 400 medley races. She broke her own club record in the 400 medley.
A pair of swimmers competing in their first out of town competition each notched up a pair of wins.
Jacenta Joseph, 13, took the 25 freestyle and 25 backstroke. She added a pair of second place finishes in the 50 butterfly and the 200 freestyle. Savanna Fenus, 11, took second in the 25 freestyle and the 25 backstroke to go with a second in the 50 backstroke.
Team leader Fergus Hobson, 16, had his most solid performance of the season with a club record in the 200 butterfly in what was probably the most exciting race of the weekend. He added second place finishes in the 200 free, 1,500 free, the 50 and 100 butterfly and a third in the 400 freestyle.
Fifteen-year-old Jean-Luc Belanger topped the 50 breaststroke to go with a second in the 50 backstroke and a pair of thirds in the 100 breast and 200 medley.
Eight-year-old Kaede Kurihara, competing in the 10 and under class, took second place finishes in the 25 freestyle and 25 backstroke and added a third in the 50 butterfly.
Liam Belanger, 12, stroked his way to a second in the 200 free to go with a third in the 200 butterfly. Konrad Thummerer, 16, notched a pair of third places in the 200 and 800 freestyle races.
The team will attend it’s final meet of the season in early June at the regional championship meet in Prince Rupert.
-Tom Best is coach for the Bulkley Valley Otters.