Ninety-nine Kelowna AquaJets took to the water last weekend at the H20 Center for the team’s annual Fall Classic which is held each November. The competition, despite being the smaller of the three that the club hosts, saw growth in its numbers with 381 swimmers competing from six teams.
“I feel it was a very successful weekend for our team,” said Jets head coach Peter Wilkins. “We made huge strides towards our goals that we have set.”
Highlighting the weekend were six new AquaJet club records set by Josh Zakala and Molly Hill. Hill, competing in her last meet as a 12-year-old set a new mark in the Girls 11-12 100 Butterfly in a time of 1:11.30, eclipsing the old mark of 1:12.80 swam by Kelly Pachoklzuk that stood since 1975. Zakala, 16, set five records in three swims, his first two coming in the 200 Free (15-17 and Mens Open) in a time of 1:52.78. This bettered the previous marks of 1:53.74 swam by Christian Desjarlais in 2011. Leading off a relay that evening Zakala bettered his own record in the 15-17 50 Back posting a 27.56 for his third. The last two came on Sunday in the 100 Back, lowering the record in both categories in a time of 56.74. The Mens Open record was held by Jos De Graaf since 2010 in a time of 56.79.
Overall, 99 swimmers amassed 402 best times. Reaching the podium on the weekend were: Erin Epp, Molly Hill, Axana Merckx, Clarisse Obedkoff, SKye Kinnear, Tia Itterman, Max McDonald, Josh Zakala, Marius Prietzsch, Ella Rolleston, Lucy Hill, Santiago Sanchez, Taylor Desrosier, Emily Epp, Johnny Ekinci and Brandon Mullin. Achieving 100 per cent best times were: Kitana Bright, Taigan Cunningham, Chloe Dalgarno, Megan Elkin, Sofia Faccini, Paige Foster, Evan Kohnke, Alexandra Kopas, Alexa Kormany, Max McDonald, Maya Singh, Cassidy Urban, Grace Vasko, Maggie Wilson.
