Wavemaker Invitational Recap

The good vibes were flowing all weekend at the 13^th Annual Wavemaker Invitational.  One hundred and twenty one Pacific Coast Swimming athlete’s hit the water for one of the first long course meets of the year at Saanich Commonwealth Place.  Fifteen teams were represented over the course of the three-day meet, including the Yellowknife Polar Bears from the Northwest Territories, and the Sylvan Lake Nautical Swim Team from Alberta. 

The Sylvan Lake team brought twenty-two swimmers to Victoria for the meet. Their local pool has been shut down since September, so they have been training out of a number of pools in neighboring communities.  The team rewarded swimmers that stayed with the club trough the twelve-month pool closure by covering the costs of the trip out to the Wavemaker Invitational.  Pacific Coast Swimming would like to wish them good luck moving forward as they finish off this difficult season. 

The weekend was highlighted by a number of new club records in the 10 & Under category, as the boys 4X100 freestyle team of Griffin Arnatt, Atanas Tchaouchev, Bill Dongfong and Nolan Crisp raced to a new record of 5:29.78.  In the Boys 10 & Under 800 free Griffin Arnatt touched the wall in 12:45.90, setting a new club record by one minute and forty-nine seconds.  Teammate Nolan Crisp set a new club records in the Boys 10 & Under 100 back, 100 fly and 50 back in times of 1:20.78, 1:21.42 and 37.08 respectively.  

A number of swimmers recorded new National Age Group Standards including Tom Chapman in 200 and 400 IM, Michael Schmidt and Keir Ogilvie with their 800 free and 400 IM performances, Grace MacDonald in 50 fly, Lily Chen in 100 back, and Dylan Kormendy in 200 breast. 

In addition to these, there were a number of swimmers meet AAA, AA, and Vancouver Island Regional standards over the course of the three-day meet.  Next up for the Bolts is the 10 & Under Jamboree Championships May 7^th and 8^th in Comox, and the Sunday Race Series #4 on May 15^th at Mckinnon Pool.