Women’s Prospects Camp Recap

Apr 11, 2024

**Prospects Women’s Camp: A Resounding Success in Victoria, BC**

Our recent Prospects Women’s Camp held in Victoria, BC, brought together 29 of the top athletes from 12 clubs across the province for a weekend of training and learning. The camp aimed to provide a safe and enjoyable environment while fostering collaboration among swimmers and coaches from diverse backgrounds.

One of the core objectives of the camp was to recognize that excellence is built upon mastering fundamentals. Participants focused on core skills such as push-offs, streamlines, underwaters, kicking to the walls, splitting, and time tracking, and how these skills play a role in successful racing.  Cory Beatt, Technical Director at Swim BC, summarized the camp learning with this quote: “Excellence is the accumulation of the seemingly insignificant.”

The success of the Prospects Women’s Camp would not have been possible without the support and expertise of organizations like 94 Forward, CSI Pacific, and Head to Head, whose contributed to the overall experience for all the participants. Special thank you is extended to Kasia Gruchalle-Wesierski, Olympic gold medalist from the 2020 Tokyo Games in the women’s eights boat (rowing), who shared her insights on perseverance and resilience with the swimmers, leaving a lasting impact.

Huge thank you to the dedicated coaches who played a pivotal role in the camp’s success: Tina Hoeben (KISU), Roberta Roos (NRST), Grace MacDonald (UVPCS), Stefan Pripoae (KAJ), and Andrew Woinoski (LOSC). Their time and talents contributed to the positive experience for all participants.

The Prospects Women’s Camp not only provided a platform for skill development but also fostered camaraderie and a sense of community among female athletes and coaches. Thank you to all who made this weekend a success!

PAN PROVINCIAL OPEN WATER SWIM CAMP

Apr 17, 2023

Swim BC would like to congratulate the following swimmers and coach on their selection to the Pan Provincial Open Water Swim Camp and Best Fest Open Water Competition in Mallorca, Spain:  Women 
  • Maria Saldana Riebeling (CDSC) 
  • Valeria Tonix (ISC)                                                                         
Men 
  • Aidan Erickson (LOSC) 
  • Yannick Morgans (LOSC) 
Coach 
  • Cole Bergan (ISC) 
 The trip will be from May 26 through June 3, 2023.   More Information 

World Junior Championships & Pan American Games

Apr 17, 2023

World Junior Championships  Congratulations to the following swimmers and staff who have been nominated to the 2023 World Junior Championships in Netanya, Israel from September 4 – 9, 2023.  
  • Sienna Angove (KCS) 
  • Bill Dongfang (ISC) 
  • Alexanne LePage (VKSC) 
  • Julia Strojnowska (LOSC) 
  • Mandy Bell (Coach) 
Pan American Games  Congratulations to the following swimmers and staff who have been nominated to the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile from October 20 – November 5, 2023.  
  • Jeremy Bagshaw (ISC) 
  • James Dergousoff (HPC-VAN) 
  • Raben Dommann (HPC-VAN) 
  • Collyn Gagne (SFA) 
  • Danielle Hanus (RAPID) 
  • Hugh McNeill (UBCT) 
  • Emma O’Croinin (HPC-VAN) 
  • Keir Ogilvie (HPC-VAN) 
  • Blake Tierney (HPC-VAN) 
  • Adam Wu (SKSC) 
  • Janice Hanan (Team Manager) 
  • Scott Talbot (Head Coach) 
  • Sierra Moores (Coach) 
  • Liam Donnelly (Coach) 
  • Dr. Sara Forsyth (Physician)
  • Tom Vandenbogaerde (Performance Scientist)
  • Graham Olson (Race Analysis) 
The Story of BC’s Wooden Blocks

The Story of BC’s Wooden Blocks

Nov 1, 2022

The British Columbia tree growing in the forest symbolizes the beauty and strength of our community and those who contribute to it. Each set of wooden blocks are unique and cut from the same tree as we are unique and parts of the whole. Beautiful British Columbia We are a province of diversity. BC has Canada’s third largest population, with over 5 million people, and is the most ethnically diverse province in Canada.  Almost 30 percent of British Columbians have immigrated to BC from another country.  Our Indigenous peoples, with 198 distinct First Nations – 30 languages, and almost 60 dialects, have lived and cared for the lands and all its beings for over 10,000 years. British Columbia is the third largest province in size. It is huge! BC is 1,200 kilometres from north to south and 1,000 kilometres from east to west – the size of France, Germany and the Netherlands – COMBINED. To drive from the southern-most point of BC to the Yukon boarder would take 24 hours – non-stop. The province is known throughout the world for its beauty, its climate, and its people. Our cities are consistently ranked among the most liveable on the planet. People travel to BC from around the world to visit our sites, to recreate (golfing, skiing, sailing, cycling, hiking, and fishing), to eat our fresh foods, for the diverse cuisine, and drink our wines. When people think of British Columbia, they think about our beauty – the rocky coastline, sandy beaches, islands, lakes, rugged mountains, and our vast forests. Over seventy-five percent of BC is covered in mountains and the province has over 149 million acres of forest. Our Forests British Columbia has a higher degree of ecosystem diversity in our forests than in any other Province or Territory in Canada and is among the most diverse in the world. A forest ecosystem is made of fertile soil, plants, animals, decomposers, and fungi. A tree will grow, die, fall to the forest floor, decompose, and nurture the plants and fungi around it. A single tree will not thrive without that ecosystem. And yet, life is still difficult for a tree in the forest. A tree is exposed to the elements, including rains and flooding, droughts and fire, extreme heat, extreme cold, and wind. Every tree in the forest is unique. It will shape itself to and by its surroundings. The roots of the tree will reach across rocks, intertwine with the roots of other trees, and reach deep into the soil for nourishment. The branches will reach out to drink from the rain and feel the warmth of the sun. The Team Our Swim Team is a tree in the forest. We are shaped by the beauty of our landscape and diversity of our ecosystem. We have been nurtured and are strong. We have endured and persevered through hardship. Individuals Each wooden block has been cut from a single BC tree and the rough edges have been carefully smoothed. On at a time, please pick two wooden blocks from the centre of the circle. One block represents your mind and the other your body. No two blocks are the same – each having their own patterns and knots each are perfectly imperfect. Your blocks reflect you – unique, beautiful, and part of the bigger tree. Contribution You contribute to this team by displaying your recognition of support, community, diversity, uniqueness, beauty, strength, and perseverance. We do this by clapping the blocks together. It is the commitment of your mind and body to the team.
FINA Open Water Junior Championships

FINA Open Water Junior Championships

Sep 19, 2022

Three BC athletes joined the Canadian Junior Open Water Team at the FINA Open Water Junior Championships in Mahe, Seychelles. Swim BC would like to recognize the following swimmers who attended the competition:
  • Aidan Erickson (LOSC)
  • Zach McLeod (WDSC)
  • Julia Strojnowska (CDSC)
More than 150 athletes from over 50 countries are competing at this year’s premiere event. Races are organized on a 2,500-m lap course in the Beau Vallon region of Seychelles, on the northwestern coast of Mahé. The same course was used during both the 2018 and 2019 FINA Marathon Swim World Series in Seychelles. Julia Strojnowska competed in the Women’s 7.5km finishing in 21st with a time of 1:30:13.20. Aidan Erickson competed in the Men’s 7.5km placing in 23rd with a time of 1:22:33.20. Zach McLeod competed in the Men’s 5km placing in 17th with a time of 51:55.40. In the relay event, Julia Strojnowska & Zach McLeod represented Canada on the 14-15 4x1500m Mixed Relay. The relay finished in 8th place, the highest Canadian finish of the weekend. Congrats swimmers!

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