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Hedlin swims to silver as Vikes finish in Top 5 at U SPORTS Championship
VICTORIA – The University of Victoria Vikes swimming teams wrapped up the U SPORTS National Championships, hosted Feb. 22-24 in Toronto, Ont., with multiple personal bests as well as one gold and five silver medals. The Vikes women finished fifth in the team standings, while the men were fourth overall.
"It has been a long time since we were fourth and fifth," said Peter Vizsolyi, head coach of the Vikes swimming teams. "The new scoring system was really good and made the meet more exciting and more meaningful for everyone on the team. Everyone was able to contribute and that was definitely very positive."
The first swim of the day for the Vikes was the women's 800-m freestyle. Kaitlin Gervais was 10thoverall in 8:41.45, while Victoria Mock was 19th and Taylor Snowden-Richardson was 21st.
In the 50-m breaststroke Vike Bailey Espersen was 16th in 29.09 in the men's event, while Kara Wilsonwas 18th in 33.20 in the women's race.
Second-year Vike Josh Zakala was fifth overall (1:57.21), while Buzz Mallender (2:02.83) and Ethan Phillips (2:02.25) were both in the Top 20.
The men's 1500-m final heat was packed with Vikes as top-ranked and U SPORTS defending champion Eric Hedlin had the priority central lane. Joining him in the later heat that night was fellow Vikes Josh Zakala, Chris Deegan and Jon McKay.
Hedlin finished second overall in the timed final despite winning his heat with the pressure from UBC's Hau-Li Fan. Hedlin clocked in at 14:59.00, while Fan was 14:59.98. Calgary's Peter Brothers took gold in 14:55.16 but swam in the earlier heat.
"Eric got caught up a little in the race with Hau Li from UBC and was a couple of tenths to slow to come back and beat Peter Brothers who swam earlier in the day," said Vizsolyi. "It was a time swim so that makes it a bit harder but it was probably his best race of the meet."
Fellow Vike Zakala was just shy of the 1500-m podium finishing fourth in 15:10.55. Jon McKay was sixth in 15:14.01.
"The swim of the day for me was really Jon McKay," said Vizsolyi about the fifth year competing in his last event as a Vike. "He has sort of been struggling a bit and when you are in an event like the 1500 and you're falling off and things aren't going the way you want it's really hard. So, for him he really got back on track and it was a break through swim for him. He was just off his lifetime best so that was really good."
The finals swims of the day were the 4x100-m relays. The Vikes women of Danielle Hanus, Victoria Mock and Kaitlin Gervais finished fifth overall in 4:12.80. Hanus broke the UVic record in the lead off 100-m backstroke, previously set by her earlier in the week. The Vikes men finished 4x100-m relay in seventh in 3:43.11.
Day 3 – UVIC Results
W 800m Freestyle – Kaitlin Gervais (10th – 8:51.45), Victoria Mock (19th – 9:02.49), Taylor Snowden-Richardson (21st – 9:04.81)
M 50m Breaststroke – Daniel Greer (13th), Bailey Espersen (16th - 29.09)
W 50m Breaststroke – Kara Wilson (18th – 33.20)
M 200m Backstroke – Josh Zakala (5th – 1:57.21), Buzz Mallender (15th – 2:02.83), Ethan Phillips(17th – 2:02.25)
M 200m Individual Medley – Bailey Espersen (21st – 2:05.98)
M 1500m Freestyle – Eric Hedlin (SILVER – 14:59.00), Josh Zakala (4th – 15:10.55), Jon McKay (6th – 15:14.01), Chris Deegan (11th – 15:36.96), Ethan Phillips (17th – 15;49.64), Zachary Dumas (23rd – 15:56.47), Justin Schramm (27th – 16:02.62)
W 4x100m Medley Relay – Danielle Hanus*, Kara Wilson, Victoria Mock, Kaitlin Gervais (5th – 4:12.80)
M 4x100m Medley Relay – Josh Zakala, Bailey Espersen, Ethan Jensen, Buzz Mallender (7th – 3:43.11)
Day 2 – UVIC Results
W 100m Backstroke – Danielle Hanus (SILVER – 58.20)*
M 100m Backstroke – Buzz Mallender (13th – 55.77)
M 50m Butterfly – Ethan Jensen (24th – 25.25)
W 400m Freestyle – Kaitlin Gervais (8th – 4:18.79)
M 400m Freestyle – Eric Hedlin (4th – 3:49.52), Josh Zakala (5th – 3:51.05), Jon McKay (14th - 3:55.90), Ethan Phillips (22nd – 3:59.92)
W 200m Breaststroke – Kara Wilson (14th – 2:34.78), Andrea Farmer (22nd - 2:39.06)
M 200m Breaststroke – Bailey Espersen (10th – 2:14.30), Zachary Dumas (19th – 2:18.32), Daniel Greer (20th – 2:18.92)
W 200m Butterfly – Danielle Hanus (GOLD – 2:08.94), Victoria Mock (20th – 2:23.03)
M 200m Butterfly – Ethan Jensen (20th – 2:04.25)
W 4x200m Relay – Danielle Hanus, Victoria Mock, Taylor Snowden-Richardson, Kaitlin Gervais (8th – 8:20.28)
M 4x200m Relay – Josh Zakala, Eric Hedlin, Jon McKay, Buzz Mallender (6th - 7:26.01)
Day 1 – UVIC Results
W 200m Freestyle – Kaitlin Gervais (19th – 2:03.11)
M 200m Freestyle – Eric Hedlin (10th – 1:49.05), Buzz Mallender (13th – 1:51.18), Justin Schramm(18th – 1:52.17), Jon McKay (23rd – 1:53.24)
W 50m Backstroke – Danielle Hanus (SILVER – 26.85)*
W 100m Breastroke – Kara Wilson (14th - 1:11.10)
M 100m Breastroke – Daniel Greer (18th – 1:03.30)
W 100m Butterfly – Danielle Hanus (SILVER – 58.24)*
M 100m Butterfly – Ethan Jensen (18th – 55.40)
W 400m Individual Medley – Victoria Mock (14th – 4:58.36)
M 400m Individual Medley – Josh Zakala (SILVER – 4:11.79), Zachary Dumas (14th – 4:25.90), Ethan Phillips (15th – 4:26.81)
W 4x100-m Freestyle Relay – Danielle Hanus, Kara Wilson, Taylor Snowden-Richardson, Kaitlin Gervais (9th - 3:52.14)*
M 4x100-m Freestyle Relay – Buzz Mallender, Eric Hedlin, Josh Zakala, Bailey Espersen (9th - 3:24.94)*
*indicates Vikes Record
2018 U SPORTS INDIVIDUAL HONOURS
Men
Swimmer of the Year: Yuri Kisil, UBC
Rookie of the Year: Frederik Kamminga, Calgary
Sprinter's Cup (single winner of both 50 and 100m freestyle): Yuri Kisil, UBC
Co-Coaches of the Year: Steve Price, UBC / Peter Carpenter, McGill
Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Josh Gold, Toronto
Women
Swimmer of the Year: Kylie Masse, Toronto
Rookie of the Year: Emily Overholt, UBC
Sprinter's Cup (single winner of both 50 and 100m freestyle): Sandrine Mainville, Montreal
Coach of the Year: Steve Price, UBC
Student-Athlete Community Service Award: Olivia Feschuk, Mount Alison
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
Women
1. UBC, 1362.5 points
2. Toronto, 997
3. Montreal, 767
4. Calgary, 478
5. Victoria, 291.5
6. McMaster, 279.5
7. Western, 267
8. Regina, 261.5
9. Dalhousie, 256
10. McGill, 246
11. Laval, 217
12. Manitoba, 216
13. Alberta, 210
14. Ottawa, 187
15. Guelph, 185
16. Waterloo, 119
17. Memorial, 112
18. Lethbridge, 107
19. York, 64
20. Acadia, 56
20. Laurier, 56
22. Laurentian, 32
23. Sherbrooke, 26
24. UQTR, 19
25. Mount Allison, 8
Men (Nelson C. Hart trophy)
1. UBC, 1151.5 points
2. Calgary, 939.5
3. Toronto, 887
4. Victoria, 485.5
5. Montreal, 443
6. Western, 439.5
7. McGill, 423
8. Regina, 396
9. Laval, 341
10. Ottawa, 262
11. Alberta, 251
12. Dalhousie, 113
13. Manitoba, 102
14. Sherbrooke, 101.5
15. Waterloo, 48
16. Lethbridge, 46
17. Laurentian, 42
18. Guelph, 41.5
19. Acadia, 41
20. Mount Allison, 19
21. Brock, 11
22. Queen's, 2
23. Memorial, 1
