The local swimming championships witnessed a thrilling showdown between the Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club and the Sault Surge Aquatic Team. The defending regional champions, Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club, emerged victorious with an impressive 1,243 points, securing the large-team banner. This achievement was a testament to their dominance in the swimming arena.
However, the real drama unfolded as the host team, Sault Surge Aquatic Team, put up a valiant fight. Their strong performances throughout the weekend were remarkable, but they couldn't bridge the gap, settling for second place with 1119.50 points. The Kirkland Lake Aquatic Club, on the other hand, claimed the small-team banner with 429 points, showcasing their prowess in the pool.
The competition was fierce, with 256 athletes representing 12 clubs across the region. Among them, 49 local athletes from the Sault Surge team made waves, setting an impressive 255 personal best times. The Surge team's collective efforts resulted in a total of 84 medals, including 37 gold, 21 silver, and 26 bronze.
Among the standout performers, Asher Leask, aged 10, and Sophia Li, aged 14, claimed individual high-point trophies for their respective age groups. Li's dominance was evident as she secured gold in all seven of her events, breaking club records in the 400-meter freestyle, 800-meter freestyle, and 400 individual medley. Leask, on the other hand, swam to gold in the boys' 10 and under age group, excelling in the 200 freestyle, 50 and 100 butterfly, and 100 and 200 individual medley events.
Emma Vallee, aged 13, also made her mark, winning six gold medals and a silver medal. She finished just behind teammate Li in the 400 freestyle, setting a club record in the 1,500-meter freestyle event with a time of 18:35.50. This achievement ranked her sixth in Ontario and 16th in the nation for her age group.
The Sault Surge team's dominance extended to the girls' 13-14 age group, where they swept both freestyle and medley relays, along with 13 individual gold, three silver, and five bronze medals. The winning medals in this age group included Li, Vallee, Brooklyn Barber, Maddison Erb, Elsa Mackay, and Jenna Morin.
The 10/under group also shone, winning gold medals in both the boys' medley and freestyle relays, as well as the mixed freestyle relay. Ben Barber, Ryan Dunne, Balin Evans, Blake Krivan, Asher Leask, Bo Mackay, Graham Oak, Piper Scott, and Sofia Naquitquitan contributed to the team's medal count in this age group.
The 11 and 12-year-old swimmers also made their mark, securing two gold, eight silver, and five bronze medals. Judah Erickson, William Paranuik, Finnley Walker, Eva Moreau, Margot Oak, and Angela Thomson were among the contributors in this age group.
However, a word of caution for the team's senior swimmers, Haylen Leonard, Mia Lloyd, Tayte Borrelli, and Bernard Santos. Their exceptional performances and contributions to the medal count will be sorely missed next season, as they graduate from the program.
Other senior swimmers who contributed to the overall medal count included Oliver Bennetto, Lendon Ellis, Andrew Li, Alma Da Silva Castillejo, and Brie Reid. The team's next challenge awaits in Toronto, where they will compete in the Ontario Age Group Championships at the end of February.
For new swimmers eager to join the Sault Surge Aquatic Team, registration is still open. Visit www.saultsurge.com for more information and take the plunge into the exciting world of swimming!
