On Sunday, Nov. 17, the Whistler Swim Club Sea Wolves hosted the Squamish Pirates Swim Club for a meet at Meadow Park Sports Centre. Participating swimmers were as young as five and as old as 17, and raced in 25 and 50 metre freestyle, breast stroke and back stroke categories.
For the majority of the Whistler swimmers, it was their opportunity to swim competitively against another club.
"Not long ago most of these kids were really just learning to swim, but now we’re doing timing, and introducing them to competitive swimming," said Doris Ellis, one of the many volunteer parents with the club. "Most of the kids are not used to competitions, and we hope that some of them will like it enough to keep it up."
Squamish usually hosts Whistler at its annual meet in the New Year, and Whistler plans on hosting a meet in the spring to get swimmers into the summer program.
Of the 32 Whistler swimmers who participated, only Samatha Ellis and Kerry-Anne Hamilton have racing experience – both compete as members the Squamish Pirates in the provincial Summer Swim Association meets.
The Squamish club, which brought 30 swimmers to Whistler for the meet, has more than 40 youths in its competitive program.
Although they were inexperienced, the Sea Wolves performed well at the meet, netting a number of medals and personal bests.
Madison McLeish, Kylie Sjolie, Tabitha Akama, Jessica Ellis and Sandra Bayliss each recorded personal best times in all of the three racing categories. Stephanie McColm, Paige Sjolie, Kerry-Anne Hamilton, Remi Vernon-Jarvis, Jessica Buchholz, Alexandra Craveiro, Cele Smith, Rhiannon Flann, Megan Lamming and Abigail Cameron set two personal best times.
Nicholas Wetaski, Mackenzie Patterson, Sierra Manuel, Laura McColm, Kristi Hemingson, Sterling Vernon-Jarvis, Samantha Ellis, Toria Whitney and Shawn Clarke each posted one personal best.
In competition against Squamish, Whistler swimmers posted top results in almost every category.
Group 1
25M Freestyle
1. Jessica Johnstone, Squamish
2. Ebony Grant, Squamish
3. Paige Sjolie, Whistler
4. Stephanie McColm, Whistler
5. Morgan McGaw, Whistler
25M Breast Stroke
1. Remi Vernon-Jarvis, Whistler
2. Jessica Johnstone, Squamish
3. Ebony Grant, Squamish
4. Stephanie McColm, Whistler
5. Paige Sjolie, Whistler
25M Back Stroke
1. Jessica Johnstone, Squamish
2. Ebony Grant, Squamish
3. Paige Sjolie, Whistler
4. Stephanie McColm, Whistler
5. Anita Facundo, Whistler
Group 2
50M Freestyle
1. Mackenzie Patterson, Whistler
2. Kerry-Anne Hamilton, Whistler
3. Hayley Auld, Squamish
4. Kayley Verbeek, Squamish
5. Amber Grant, Squamish
50M Breast Stroke
1. Kerry-Anne Hamilton, Whistler
2. Mackenzie Patterson, Whistler
3. Hayley Auld, Squamish
4. Kayley Verbeek, Squamish
5. Amber Grant, Squamish
50M Back Stroke
1. Mackenzie Patterson, Whistler
2. Kerry-Anne Hamilton, Whistler
3. Kayley Verbeek, Squamish
4. Hayley Auld, Squamish
5. Amber Grant, Squamish
Group 3
50M Freestyle
1. Cele Smith, Whistler
2. Hana Vatanis, Squamish
3. Theresa Erickson, Squamish
4. Amy O’Brien, Squamish
5. Laura McColm, Whistler
50M Breast Stroke
1. Theresa Erickson, Squamish
2. Hana Vatanis, Squamish
3. Cele Smith, Whistler
4. Kristi Hemingson, Whistler
5. Laura McColm, Whistler
50M Back Stroke
1. Cele Smith, Whistler
2. Hana Vatanis, Squamish
3. Theresa Erickson, Squamish
4. Amy O’Brien, Squamish
5. Kylie Sjolie, Whistler
Group 4
50M Freestyle
1. Samantha Ellis, Whistler
2. Claire Oruorn, Squamish
3. Abigail Cameron, Whistler
4. Victor Minichiello, Squamish
5. Toria Whitney, Whistler
50M Breast Stroke
1. Samantha Ellis, Whistler
2. Claire Oruorn, Squamish
3. Abigail Cameron, Whistler
4. Toria Whitney, Whistler
5. Rhiannon Flann, Whistler
50M Back Stroke
1. Claire Oruorn, Squamish
2. Samantha Ellis, Whistler
3. Abigail Cameron, Whistler
4. Victor Minichiello, Squamish
5. Toria Whitney, Whistler
Group 5
50M Freestyle
1. Shawna Erickson, Squamish
2. Sandra Bayliss, Whistler
3. Jessica Ellis, Whistler
4. Deanna Erickson, Squamish
5. Stephanie Caron, Squamish
50M Breast Stroke
1. Jessica Ellis, Whistler
2. Deanna Erickson, Squamish
3. Shawna Erickson, Squamish
4. Sandra Bayliss, Whistler
5. Stephanie Caron, Squamish
50M Back Stroke
1. Jessica Ellis, Whistler
2. Shawna Erickson, Squamish
3. Sandra Bayliss, Whistler
4. Deanna Erickson, Squamish
5. Stephanie Caron, Squamish
