Jon McKay, Vicky Mock and coach Ron Jacks heading to Junior Pan Pacific Championships

Vicky Mock and Jon McKay both came up big on the day in the 10km race in the Canadian Jr Pan Pac Selection trials at the Flowers Sea Swim in Grand Cayman.  The race went well for both PCS competitiors.

Jon McKay finished the men's event in second spot overall and as the first Canadian giving him an open water spot on the Jr Pan Pac Team, adding to his pool spot earned in the 1500 Fr.  Jon was unable to hold onto the pace of Poland's Mateusz Sawrymowicz, 2007 world champion in the 1500m Freestyle, but was able to build and maintain a sizeable lead to the rest of the field in order to come second overall, and first Canadian.  Jon finished almost a minute ahead of the third place swimmer.

Vicky Mock was also second overall and first Canadian woman out of the water to make the Jr Pan Pac Team - her first national team spot.  Vicky swam much of the race in a pack that included eventual winner, two-time open water World Champion and Olympic silver medallist Keri-Anne Payne, before she was able to break away with about 2km to go.  Vicky would swim along with the more experienced, and eventual third overall and second canadian Justine Rheaume, and over the last 400m of the race, pass and gain a 10 second lead on Justine by the completion of the race.

Ron Jacks was also named to the Junior Pan Pacific Games coaching staff in order to coach the Open Water team.

Jon and Vicky had never swum a 10km open water race having mostly focussed on pool events,  but decided to shift their focus in training towards the gruelling 10km race for the past couple months in order to put their best foot forward for this race and qualify as top Canadians for the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, taking place August 27 - September 1 in Kihei, Hawaii.  Jon had swum most of the year competing successfully in the pool for coaches Ron Jacks and Peter Vizsolyi, having competed in his first year at UVIC and making the Junior Pan Pacific team in the 1500m Fr at Pan Pacific Trials in April.  Vicky also found much success in the pool this year under coach Rod Barratt, and competed at her first ever National Championships at Pan Pacific Trials in April.

Swimmer Brooke Lamoureux of Comox Valley Aquatic Club, who travelled with our team and trained with Ron, Jon and Vicky a few times leading up to the event, came second overall age 14-17 woman, and second overall Canadian in the 5km race to qualify for Junior World Open Water Championships, which will take place in Eilat, Israel August 28-30.  

Congratulations swimmers and coaches for all your success!