Touchpad

The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Trials, Presented by Bell, commenced on May 13th at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. Multiple Swim BC athletes delivered standout performances on the opening day of competition.

Congratulations Swim BC swimmers:

A Finals

Men’s 400 Free                Bronze                  Jeremy Bagshaw, ISC (3:52.87)

Women’s 400 Free       Bronze                   Julia Strojnowska, LOSC (4:11.08)

Men’s Para 50 Fly          Silver                      Sebatian Massibie S5, PSW (39.68)

Men’s Para 100 Fly       Silver                      Fernando Lu S10, LOSC (59.35)

Women’s 100 Fly           4th                         Danielle Hanus, RAPID/HPCVN (58.87)

Women’s 100 Fly           6th                         Leilani Fack, LOSC (59.44)

Men’s 100 Breast          6th                         Justice Migneault, HPCVN (1:01.75)

Junior Finals

Men’s 400 Free             Bronze                  Aiden Kirk, KAJ (3:58.18)

Women’s 400 Free       Bronze                   Ashley Ko, LOSC (4:20.97)

Women’s 400 Free        7th                         Michelle Zeng, WVOSC (4:26.99)

Women’s 400 Free        9th                         Maria Saldana Riebeling, CDSC (4:28.58)

Women’s 100 Fly           9th                         Paige Korbely, HYACK (1:02)

Men’s 100 Breast          7th                         Justin Jung, LOSC (1:05.29)

Men’s 100 Breast          9th                         Ivan Sun, VPSC (1:05.90)

Swim BC is immensely proud to rally behind the 143 swimmers representing 27 clubs from across BC and the Yukon, as they gear up for the highly anticipated 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Trials in Toronto, ON, from May 13th to 19th. These Trials serve as a testament to the dedication, talent, and hard work of our athletes, reflecting the depth of excellence within BC's swimming community.

Swim BC sends our sincerest best wishes to each competitor, coach and official, recognizing that they bear the pride of their clubs, communities, and province as they step onto the national stage to showcase their skills at this competition.

Top BC Swimmers to watch:

           Hugh McNeill (UBCT) 200 Back
           Emma O’Croinin (HPCVN) 200 Free
           Collyn Gagne (LOSC) 400 IM & 200 IM
           Jeremy Bagshaw (ISC) 400 Free 
           Danielle Hanus (RAPID) 100 Back
           Sebastian Massibie (PSW) World Record Holder S4 50 Fly

Collection of the latest Membership & Coach Bulletins.

Sebastian Massabie from the Pacific Sea Wolves broke the World Para Swimming World Record today in the S4 50m Butterfly while competing at the 2024 Citi Para Swimming World Series USA in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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.

The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Trials have changed locations from Montreal to Toronto. The competition will run in the same format and dates as originally planned.

Some of the finest young Canadian swimmers took to the Pan Am Pool in Winnipeg March 21 – 24. When the dust settled, LOSC claimed number one status.

“They all work very hard and it’s nice to see their performance come through and come together as a team to win this; it was really fun,” said LOSC head coach Ryan Skomorowski. “We’ve got to get working really hard now and really focus on grinding it out and getting ready for (Olympic & Paralympic) trials (May 13-19 in Montreal).”

LOSC was ably represented by several swimmers, including Julia Strojnowska, Leilani Fack and Ashley Ko. The trio competed in all three women’s relays, winning a pair of golds and a silver. They also, as individuals, copped their fair share of hardware.

“It’s extra special (winning as a team) because we get to see all the work we’ve done together and when you win it feels really good to be there together,” said Strojnowska, who won a gold, silver and bronze on her own. She tied with Rebecca Smith of Cascade for the top performer in the women’s open category.

Being successful as a team is something that Fack says is extra important to her and her mates.

“It definitely is,” she insisted, “because when we train together we see how hard each of us works and to see that pay off, it’s just heart-warming in a different way.”

There were a number of standout performances on the weekend, including that of Aiden Kirk of the Kelowna AquaJets, tops in the junior boys division. The 16-year-old was a gold medalist in the 14-16 age group 1500m free, the 100m free, the 400m IM, as well as the 400m free, in which he went under four minutes for the first time.

“I felt pretty good about that,” Kirk said of that swim. “I honestly didn’t think I was going to go that fast so it’s kind of a shock … and it’s just super exciting to have done that time; I’m super pumped about it.”

He was also thrilled, understandably, with his overall medal haul.

A total of 452 athletes from 67 clubs competed in the four-day meet. The top scoring BC clubs were:

LOSC 1st

KAJ 3rd

WDSC 5th

CDSC 7th

ISC 9th

A total of 22 BC clubs participated in the competition

Get ready for an exhilarating event as Pacific Coast Swimming gears up to host the Provincial Championships from March 7th to the 10th! With an impressive lineup of 630 swimmers from 38 different clubs, this promises to be a thrilling showcase of talent and determination. Join us for four days of intense competition and unforgettable moments in the pool.

2024 Divisionals and Provincial Swim Meets to be live-streamed

We are excited to announce the release of the first edition of our tri-annual Performance Report for the 2023-24 season, covering the period from September 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. This report is a comprehensive overview of the achievements and progress within our swimming community, offering valuable insights into the performances of our athletes at both provincial and national levels.

This inaugural edition highlights key areas such as SCM Top Times, the 10 & Under Pentathlon, and Making Waves, which recognizes remarkable accomplishments of our swimmers. It's designed not only to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of our athletes but also to serve as a tool for continuous development and inspiration for our coaches and swimmers.

Marc Tremblay, head coach of the Kelowna Aquajets, is Swimming Canada’s 2023 junior coach of the year!

Tremblay’s coaching resume includes time on the pool deck with the Vernon Kokanees, Edmonton Keyano and the University of Alberta varsity squads. From 2011-21, he was in charge of Calgary’s Cascade Swim Club age group program and is now calling BC home as he enters in his third season with the Kelowna Aquajets.

Over his almost 40 year tenure Tremblay has coached many provincial, national and international swimmers including being named to the coaching staffcoaching staff at both the 1997 and 2002 Pan Pacific Championships.

Sebastian Massabie of the Pacific Sea Wolves had an outstanding showing at the 2023 Ken Demchuk International Invitational. Massabie broke five Canadian Records!

Congratulations to BC’s Fernando Lu of the Langley Olympians on his performances at the Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

Through early 2023 the Board of Directors of Swim BC has worked diligently with staff and the Sport Law consultant group to develop and approve the new Swim BC Strategic Plan. Announced and introduced at the 2023 BC Swimming Congress, we’re pleased to present to our membership the document that will support the direction of Swim BC through 2028.

The 2023 Pan American Games are currently underway in Santiago, Chile, and are scheduled to take place from October 21 to October 25, 2023. These quadrennial multi-sport games have been a significant sporting event since their inception in 1951, bringing together athletes from 40 nations across the Americas.

Do you know an outstanding Indigenous athlete to nominate?

Call for regional nominations – 2023 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport 

The deadline to submit nominations is extended to Friday, November 24, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (PST).

Swim BC would like to thank all the coaches, officials, club delegates and volunteers who attended the BC Swimming Congress in beautiful Whistler last weekend.  Special thanks to all the presenters who took time to share their expertise and insights with the attendees, and to Team Aquatic Supplies for their support of the incredibly successful Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet. It was a great way to kick off the 2023-2024 swim season! 

The annual BC Swimming Congress is being held at the Westin Hotel in Whistler, Sept 28th - Oct 1st.
We are planning an extensive offering for Club Delegates and Coaches.
The staff and board hope to see you there.

National Coaches week is a week to celebrate and recognize the positive impact coaches have on athletes and communities across BC. Coaches are community leaders, role models and mentors who ignite passion for sport and physical activity.

Thank you Coaches! 

It is with great pride and joy that we celebrate Leanne Sirup's, Duncan Stingrays Swim Team Head Coach, induction into the North American Indigenous Athletic (NAIA) Hall of Fame. Leanne's remarkable achievements in the pool have earned her well-deserved recognition.  Her dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment to excellence have left an indelible mark on the sport of swimming.  As a shining example of what can be achieved through passion and perseverance, Leanne’s induction in to the NAIA Hall of Fame is a testament to her outstanding athletic career and an inspiration to swimmers across BC and beyond. Congratulations Leanne!

Swim BC would like to congratulate Kelowna Aquajets swimmer, Alexanne Lepage on her gold medal performances at the World Junior Swim Championships in Netanya, Israel!  Alexanne won both the 100 Breast and the 200 Breast in personal best times (1:06.58 and 2:24.70) . Congrats Alexanne on this incredible achievement!

The purpose of this 30-day notice is to confirm the date for the Swim BC Annual General Meeting.

Date: September 30th, 2023

Time: 11:00 am

Location: Westin Resort, 4090 Whistler Way, Whistler, BC

Please mark the date and time in your club calendar and plan to attend. The AGM provides membership with a strong voice and clear hand in shaping the direction of Swim BC.

Date:                         September 30th, 2023
Time:                         11:00 am
Location:                 Westin Resort and Spa, Whistler, B.C.

Please mark the date and time in your club calendar and plan to attend.  The AGM provides membership with a strong voice and clear hand in shaping the direction of Swim BC.

PARA SWIMMING WORLDS
Congratulations to Canada’s Para Swim Team, who had its strongest performance at a Para Swimming World Championships in the past 15 years. The competition concluded on Sunday, August 6th in Manchester, England with Canada winning 9 Gold, 4 Silver, and 6 Bronze medals.

Swim BC is proud to be an accredited provincial sport organization with viaSport. Accredited organizations are a sport or sport discipline’s authoritative body, operating in at least five regions in BC, and with responsibility for oversight, growth, and development. We are proud of this designation – we hope you are too!

Good luck to all the swimmers, coaches and officials attending our Summer Provincials!

July 13-16 at UBC Aquatic Centre

Divisional Meets - June 23-25

Good luck to all swimmers!!

Island & Coastal Vancouver - hosted by Richmond Rapids
North & Interior - hosted by Kelowna Aquajets
Vancouver & Fraser - hosted by Langley Olympians

Congratulations to the following swimmers and staff who have been nominated to the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester, England from July 31 – August 6, 2023. 

Swim BC continues to work to ensure that the Divisionals are a viable competition for the host club and the best possible competitive environment. As such we have made the following adjustments for the 2023 Summer Divisional Meets: 

Swim BC is pleased to announce The Club Excellence Program; a new process aimed at elevating the sport administration practices and performance outcomes of member clubs. It is intended to help club leaders embrace the importance of accountability, risk management, and governance - essential for clubs to excel in the modern-day sport environment.