Swim BC Open Recap

A small contingent of Pacific Coast Swimming athletes hit the water this past weekend, March 12th and 13th, at the Swim BC Open at the UBC Aquatic Centre.  The Bolts were lead by Erin Lawrance and Haley Bennett, who both found the podium over the course of the weekend, as they competed against numerous national team members and university swimmers.

The meet finals qualification was structured differently than many other meets, as only the top four times from preliminary heats qualified for the ‘A” final.  The 5^th through 12^th place times for the ‘B’ final, and 13^th through 20^th for the ‘C’ final. 

In the Women’s 800 free, Erin Lawrance took gold in a time of 9:12.54, while Haley Bennett captured the bronze as she hit the wall in 9:27.07.  Anna Letkeman rounded out PCS swimmers’ in the top ten with her 8^th place finish in a time of 9:41.35.

The Women’s 200 free saw Lawrance crack the top four, finishing with a time of 2:09.16, while teammate Rachel Sawchuk raced to a 7^th place finish as she touched the wall in a time 2:13.09. 

Stefan Nasedkin swam to a 4:55.54, to claim 6^th place in the Men’s 400 IM.  On the ladies side, Haley Bennett also touched the wall in 6^th with her time of 5:08.40. Rachel Sawchuk placed 6^th in the Women’s 100 free with a time of 1:00.28.  In the Women’s 200 IM, Bennett swam to a lifetime best of 2:27.79 on her way to a 6^th place finish as well. 

In the stroke 50’s, Allison Ballantyne won the ‘B’ final of the Women’s 50 fly in a time of 29.64, while Allison Hampton touched the wall in 8^th in the Women’s 50 backstroke. Erin Lawrance and Haley Bennett powered PCS in the Women’s 400 free, as Lawrance captured a bronze medal in a time of 4:26.44, and Bennett finished in 6^th with her time of 4:31.81. 

Next up for the Bolts is the Canadian Olympic Trials at the Pan Am Aquatic Centre in Toronto, Ontario, from April 5^th to 10^th.  A number of Pacific Coast athletes and UVic Vikes will be competing for a chance to represent Canada at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. 

Full Pacific Coast Swimming results:

Allison Ballantyne – 5^th 50 fly, 12^th 200 fly, 14^th100 back, 9^th 100 fly, 9^th 200 IM

Haley Bennett – 6^th 400 free, 3^rd 800 free, 6^th 400 IM, 6^th 200 IM

Tabitha Craig – 11^th 50 free, 15^th 200 free, 14^th 100 free, 9^th 50 back

Hana Edwards – 14^th 100 breast, 12^th 100 back, 12^th200 breast, 12^th 200 back

Allison Hampton – 14^th 50 fly, 14^th 50 free, 9^th 200 free, 10^th 100 free, 8^th 50 back

Erin Lawrance – 3^rd 400 free, 3^rd 200 fly, 1^st 800 free, 4^th 200 free

Anna Letkeman – 16^th 400 free, 10^th 200 free, 8^th800 free, 15^th 200 back

Jeremy Lynn – 16^th 50 fly, 16^th 100 free

Baylee Munro – 12^th 200 free, 12^th 50 free, 10^th 100 free

Stefan Nasedkin – 13^th 200 fly, 6^th 400 IM, 11^th 200 breast, 10^th 400 free

Rachel Sawchuk – 14^th 400 free, 7^th 200 free, 6^th100 free

Victoria von Sacken Nash – 13^th 100 breast, 11^th200 breast, 16^th 200 free, 12^th 50 breast