Fourth bronze for Gervais wraps up positive weekend for Vikes at Canada West championship

VICTORIA, B.C. - Second-year Vike Kaitlin Gervais earned her fourth bronze medal of the weekend in the women's 400-metre freestyle while third-year Evan Letkeman qualified for the CIS Championships in the 100-metre backstroke on the final day of competition at the Canada West Swimming Championships in Vancouver, B.C. on Nov. 29.
 
[RESULTS – DAY THREE]
 
Gervais' final time of 4:21.02 edged out Regina Cougar Lexy King in fourth place by almost 1.5 seconds to help earn Gervais her fourth medal in three days of competition. On the men's side, Letkeman booked himself a spot at the CIS Nationals in Quebec City, Que. at Laval University Feb. 25-27 in the 100-metre backstroke with a time of 56.01 – good enough for seventh and the final qualifying spot.
 
Despite being without third-year Vike Jon McKay after the first day of competition and Letkeman in the 200-metre butterfly due to a disqualification, the Vikes men managed to pass Lethbridge for fourth place in the standings with 282 points. Fourth-year Vike Aidan Thirkell finished seventh for the men in the 200-metre breaststroke with a time of 2:20.21, while the 400-metre medley relay team of Garett Mallender, Richard Bourgeois, Letkeman and Brett Zollen finished fifth at 3:49.25.
 
The Vikes women did much the same as the men by passing Lethbridge to finish fourth with 315 points. Sarah Galbraith finished fifth in the women's 200-metre individual medley with a time of 2:45.26 while the team of Taylor Snowden-Richardson, Kara Wilson, Lauren McMillian and Galbrath finished sixth in the 400-metre medley relay at 4:29.18.
 
The Vikes now look to build off their strong performance at the Canada West championships at Victoria's annual Pacific Coast Xmas Cracker on Dec. 4-5.

Vikes Swimming Results – Day Three:

Women
400-m Freestyle: 3^rd, BRONZE – Kaitlin Gervais (4:21.02), 9^th – Victoria Mock (4:24.52), 10^th – Taylor Snowden-Richardson (4:24.54), 11^th - Jessie Ogden (4:29.77)
400-m Medley Relay: 6^th – Taylor Snowden-Richardson, Kara Wilson, Lauren McMillan, Sarah Galbraith (4:29.18)
200-m IM: 5^th – Sarah Galbraith (2:20.40), 12^th – Juliana Bartemucci (2:28.36)
200-m Butterfly: 10^th – Victoria Mock (2:24.49), 11^th – Lauren McMillan (2:24.94)
200-m Breaststroke: 8^th – Saraha Galbraith (2:45.26), 13^th – Kara Wilson (2:41.65)
100-m Freestyle: 13^th – Kaitlin Gervais (1:00.63), 14^th – Juliana Bartemucci (1:00.68), 15^th – Kara Wilson (1:00.93)

Men
400-m Medley Relay: 5^th – Garett Mallender, Richard Bourgeois, Evan Letkeman, Brett Zollen(3:49.25
200-m IM: 8^th – Ryan Howe (2:06.99), 9^th – Sebastien Michaud (2:06.96)
200-m Breaststroke: 7^th – Aidan Thirkell (2:20.21), 9^th – Richard Bourgeois (2:20.21)
100-m Freestyle: 10^th – Brett Zollen (51.90), 12^th - Garett Mallender (52.37)
100-m Backstroke: 7^th - Evan Letkeman (56.01), 10^th – Garett Mallender (56.97), 16^th – Ryan Howe(1:00.93)

Canada West Swimming Championship Standings – Day Three:
 
Women
1. UBC, 832
2. Calgary, 819.5
3. Alberta, 407
4. Victoria, 315
5. Lethbridge, 290.5
6. Regina, 219
7. Manitoba, 206
8. Thompson Rivers, 9
 
Men
1. UBC, 800
2. Calgary, 768
3. Alberta, 607.5
4. Victoria, 282
5. Lethbridge, 273
6. Regina, 177
7. Manitoba, 136.5
8. Thompson Rivers, 11

*Story pulled from govikesgo.com