Final Day of Western Canadian Nationals

The final day of Western Canadian Nationals has come and gone and what a day it was. Andrea started us off with a best time in the 200 Freestyle with a very gutsy 2:14.2. She has been sick all weekend and swam a very tough race, taking it out in 1:02.8 at the 100. Brock and Kirsten were up next with their 100 breaststrokes and Kirsten was able to qualify 10th with a 1:16.6, just over her best time. Brock delivered with a 1:09.50 and was 8th. That is...tied for 8th! A SWIM OFF!!! I'll get to that later.

Brock still had some unfinished business in the boys 400 IM and, in true Brock fashion, took the race out hard and finished just as hard, demolishing his best time with a 4:57.35 for his first time under 5:00. An hour after that...it was swim off time. Brock raced Michael Lai from Hyack and it was a dog fight all the way. Tied at each wall, it came down to the touch and in the end, it was Lai with the touch, 1:09.03 to 1:09.04!!! Brock would have to settle for 9th and a spot in the B final.

In the finals, Kirsten was up first and what a swim! Out in 35.63, she held on for a hard fought win in the B final with a 1:15.98. A gutsy performance on the National stage. And...on her birthday!!! Congratulations and Happy Birthday Kirsten!!! Brock was up next and had to try to match his amazing performances so far this weekend. His split time of 32.96 was the same as his swim off split and in the end he would have to settle for 3rd in the B final with a 1:09.07, an amazing feat for having swum the race three times in the same day plus a 400 IM to boot.

All in all, a 30 point performance for our club, putting us in the top 40 teams. We had more finals than ever before. Congratulations to Andrea, Kirsten and Brock for representing CRKW so well in Winnipeg.

Day Three at Western Canadian Nationals

The weather isn't cooperating much in Winnipeg as it's still pretty cold outside - but things are heating up a bit in the pool here at the Western National Championships. Brock Hoyt was the story of the day, swimming a 200 Breast preliminary time of 2:29.78 which was good enough for 7th place overall and earned him a spot in the A Final of the event. In finals, he was able to knock another 2+ seconds from his time and finish with a time of 2:27.51, placing 7th overall for the team's best result of the championships so far.

In preliminary action, Kirsten Rowbotham was a little off form and placed 19th in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:47.07. Sbe was, however, able to bounce back with a very strong 100 freestyle in 1:03.07. Andrea Gilbert swam her best time this season in the 100 freestyle with a time of 1:02.23.

The meet concludes tomorrow with Brock swimming 100 Breast and 400 IM, Kirsten swimming 100 Breast and Andrea swimming 200 Freestyle.

Western Canadian National Championships

You know how sometimes you go outside and you say, "wow, it sure is cold?" Well, I don't know if any of the swimmers here at Canadian Nationals in Winnipeg will be saying that in Campbell River any time soon. Last night...-45 with the windchill. Enough said!

After two days here in Winnipeg, Andrea, Kirsten and Brock are swimming GREAT!!! Brock was 32.5 in the 50 breaststroke and 2:19.1 in the 200 IM. His 50 breaststroke was good enough for 14th and his 200 IM was 20th overall, excellent results for his first ever National Competition. Kirsten had a best time in the 50 breaststroke on Thursday (35.92), good enough for 17th and her second best time ever in the 50 freestyle (29.06). Andrea has had three excellent swims, scoring our first points of the meet with a 31.5 in the 50 backstroke on Thursday and then following that up with best times in the 50 freestyle (27.41) and 100 Backstroke (1:07.82). All three swims, along with Kirsten's 50 breaststroke make four new Club Records for the swimmers already, with two days of competition to go.

Andrea will compete in the 100 freestyle tomorrow while Kirsten will swim the 200 Breast and the 100 free. Brock will be looking to crack the top 16 in the boys 200 Breaststroke. Live results can be found by going to www.crkw.ca and following the links.