“Astonishing” is how coaches Nick Welychko and Michaella Yang described their Castlegar Aquanauts’ efforts this past weekend at the Kootenay Okanagan Regional Championships in Trail. There were 32 swimmers who raced, many of whom qualified for provincials.
“This was the meet the swimmers had been training for, other than provincials,” commented Yang. “It really went to show that with hard work and dedication would come success. I was so proud to be a coach of such an amazing team, and cannot wait to see how the provincial qualifiers do at provincials in two weeks.”
The team placed top three with every relay swim, and 24 of the 32 swimmers will be heading to provincials in the next two weeks.
“With this being the last swim meet of the season for many of the aquanauts, I was expecting some great swims and that’s exactly what happened. Everyone performed to their full potential and achieved all new best times,” Welychko enthused. “All of their determination and hard work has paid off at the right time. As for the swimmers who are competing at Provincials, this meet was their chance to have good qualifying times. Michaella and I are very excited to see what these swimmers can achieve on the big stage,” he concluded.
Both coaches look forward to the training leading to the final meet of the season, the 2014 BCSSA Provincial Championships to be held in Kamloops.
Excellence in the pool was recognized and honoured Thursday, August 7 at the Castlegar and District Recreation Department. Every year, the head coach and assistant must choose candidates they feel meet and exceed the criteria of 16 separate awards.
“It is always difficult choosing the candidates for each award, said head coach Nick Welychko, “because every swimmer aspires to be the very best they can and works very hard throughout the season.”
The night started with a potluck dinner followed by a 25 minute video showcasing pictures taken throughout the season. Some were from each of the seven swim meets, to pictures taken at the junior and senior Hell Week boot camps.
“It’s amazing to see what we have accomplished within such a sort amount of time,” said assistant coach Michaella Yang. “Nick and I are very proud of what each swimmer is now capable of. This awards night is a testament to each swimmer’s dedication and hard work and it is only fitting that they are awarded accordingly.”
For some of the Aquanauts the season isn’t quite over yet. Twenty four will compete in Kamloops at the annual BCSSA Provincials August 15 to 17. This will be the ultimate test of hard work and dedication throughout the season as they will compete against swimmers from across the province.
As mentioned, the coaching staff must choose 16 candidates they feel meet and exceed each awards criterion. Here is the list of awards and their recipients:
Most Outstanding Swimmer:
Emma Lawczynski;
Best Junior Swimmer, Female:
Claire Cartwight;
Best Junior Swimmer, Male:
Carson Ogloff;
Best Senior Swimmer, Female:
Sierra Buchanan;
Best Senior Swimmer, Male:
Jeffrey Ashton;
Swimmers Choice, Junior:
Simon Larocque;
Swimmers Choice, Senior:
Jeffrey Ashton;
Most Points Earned:
Emma Lawczynski;
Coaches award “Unsung Hero”:
Corbin Anderson;
Best First Year Swimmer:
Allynna Lipinski;
Most Dedicated Swimmer:
Carson Ogloff and Reid Quintanilha;
Perseverance Award: Ethan Marshall;
Sportsmanship and Ethics Awards:
Emily Ashton;
Most Personal Bests: Reid Quintanilha;
Volunteer Coach of the Year:
Emma Lawczynski;
Best I.M., Female: Sierra Buchanan;
Best I.M., Male: Lynden Hanvold;
Best Backstroke, Female:
Kennedy Cartwright;
Best Backstroke, Male:
Ethan Lawczynski;
Best Breaststroke, Female:
Wren Shaman;
Best Breaststroke, Male:
Bryce Anderson;
Best Butterfly, Female: Avery Cooke;
Best Butterfly, Male: Cayden Cooke;
Best Freestyle, Female:
Claire Cartwright;
Best Freestyle, Male: Torrin Wilson;
Most Improved I.M.: Simon Larocque;
Most Improved Freestyle:
Marlo DeRosa;
Most Improved Butterfly:
Inga Sithembu;
Most Improved Backstroke:
Noah Larocque
Most Improved Breaststroke:
Sydney Furman and Ashlee Martini.
Individual Results from Regionals:
Bryce Anderson
1st: 100 IM
1st: 50 Free
1st: 50 Fly
1st: 50 Breast
Corbin Anderson
7th: 50 Free
6th: 100 Back
7th: 100 Breast
6th: 100 Free
Ron Anderson
2nd: 50 Free
2nd: 100 Breast
3rd: 100 Free
Emily Ashton
5th: 200 IM
4h: 50 Fly
3rd: 100 Back
4th: 100 Breast
Jeffrey Ashton
1st: 200 IM
1st: 100 Fly
1st: 50 Fly
1st: 100 Free
Sierra Buchanan
4th: 50 Free
1st: 100 Back
2nd: 100 Breast
Claire Cartwright
1st: 50 Free
1st: 50 Back
1st: 100 Free
Kennedy Cartwright
3rd: 100 IM
2nd: 50 Free
3rd: 50 Back
3rd: 50 Breast
Avery Cooke
2nd: 100 IM
3rd: 50 Fly
3rd: 50 Breast
2nd: 100 Free
Cayden Cooke
1st: 100 IM
1st: 50 Fly
3rd: 50 Back
3rd: 50 Breast
Marlo DeRosa
7th: 100 IM
5th: 50 Free
7th: 100 Free
Hunter Hansen:
2nd: 50 Free
6th: 50 Fly
3rd: 50 Breast
2nd: 100 Free
Gabrielle Hanvold
1st: 200 IM
1st: 100 Fly
1st: 100 Back
1st: 100 Free
Lynden Hanvold
2nd: 100 IM
2nd: 50 Fly
1st: 50 Back
1st: 100 Free
Sophie Jansen
4th: 50 Free
1st: 100 Back
3rd: 50 Fly
4th: 100 Free
Madison Kehoe
3rd: 100 IM
4th: 50 Free
4th: 50 Back
3rd: 100 Free
McKenna Kehoe
7th: 50 Free
8th: 50 Fly
7th: 50 Back
8th: 100 Free
Noah Larocque
4th: 50 Free
6th: 100 Fly
3rd: 50 Fly
4th: 100 Breast
Simon Larocque
3rd: 100 IM
2nd: 50 Free
4th: 50 Back
1st: 50 Breast
Emma Lawczynski
1st: 200 IM
1st: 50 Free
1st: 100 Back
1st: 100 Free
Ethan Lawczynski
2nd: 100 IM
1st: 50 Free
2nd: 50 Back
2nd: 50 Breast
Allynna Lipinski
6th: 100 IM
5th: 50 Free
5th: 50 Breast
5th: 100 Free
Ethan Marshall
4th: 100 IM
2nd: 50 Fly
5th: 50 Back
5th: 100 Free
James Marshall
4th: 100 IM
3rd: 50 Free
3rd: 50 Fly
1st: 100 Free
Ashlee Martini
2nd: 50 Free
3rd: 50 Fly
1st: 100 Breast
2nd: 100 Free
Carson Ogloff
1st: 50 Free
1st: 50 Fly
1st: 50 Back
1st: 100 Free
Logan Ogloff
4th: 50 Free
5th: 50 Fly
3rd: 50 Back
4th: 100 Free
Ayden Quintanilha
5th: 50 Free
4th: 50 Breast
4th: 100 Free
Reid Quintanilha
1st: 100 IM
2nd: 50 Free
1st: 50 Breast
1st: 100 Free
Harper Shaman
2nd: 50 Fly
2nd: 100 Breast
2nd: 100 Free
Wren Shaman
2nd: 50 Free
4th: 50 Fly
2nd: 100 Breast
3rd: 100 Free
Nick Welychko
1st: 200 IM
1st: 100 Fly
1st: 100 Breast
1st: 100 Free
Torrin Wilson
1st: 50 Free
1st: 100 Back
3rd: 100 Free
Michaella Yang
4th: 40 Free
3rd: 50 Fly
2nd: 100 Breast
4th: 100 Free
Relays:
1st: Div 2 Girls Medley Relay:
McKenna Kehoe, Kennedy Cartwright, Madison Kehoe, Allynna Lipinski;
1st: Div 2 Boys Medley Relay: Ayden Quintanilha, Bryce Anderson, Lynden Hanvold, Hunter Hansen;
1st: Div 4 Girls Medley Relay: Emma Lawczynski, Emily Ashton, Avery Cooke, Claire Cartwright;
1st: Div 4 Boys Medley Relay: Corbin Anderson, Ethan Lawczynski, Cayden Cooke, James Marshall;
1st: Div 8 Girls Medley Relay: Sierra Buchanan, Michaella Yang, Gabrielle Hanvold, Ashlee Martini;
1st: Div 8 Boys Medley Relay (A): Carson Ogloff, Nick Welychko, Jeff Ashton, Torrin Wilson;
2nd: Div 8 Boys Medley Relay (B): Simon Larocque, Ron Anderson, Noah Larocque, Harper Shaman;
1st: Div 1 Boys Freestyle Relay: Logan Ogloff, Ethan Marshall, Marlo DeRosa, Reid Quintanilha;
1st: Div 2 Girls Freestyle Relay: Madison Kehoe, McKenna Kehoe, Kennedy Cartwright, Allynna Lipinksi;
1st: Div 2 Boys Freestyle Relay: Bryce Anderson, Ayden Quintanilha, Hunter Hansen, Lynden Hanvold;
1st: Div 4 Girls Freestyle Relay: Claire Cartwright, Avery Cooke, Emily Ashton, Emma Lawczynski;
1st: Div 4 Boys Freestyle Relay: Ethan Lawcyznski, Corbin Anderson, Cayden Cooke, James Marshall;
1st: Div 8 Girls Freestyle Relay: Michaella Yang, Ashlee Martini, Sierra Buchanan, Gabrielle Hanvold;
1st: Div 8 Boys Freestyle Relay (A): Jeff Ashton, Carson Ogloff, Torrin Wilson, Nick Welychko;
3rd: Div 8 Boys Freestyle Relay (B): Harper Shaman, Ron Anderson, Simon Larocque, Noah Larocque;
Team Results:
7th: Kimberley
Seahorses – 978
6th: Colville Valley
Sharks – 1056
5th: Creston Waves
– 1134
4th: Trail Stingrays
– 1296
3rd: Grand Forks
Piranhas
– 1759.50
2nd: Nelson Neptunes
– 1796.50
1st: Castlegar
Aquanauts – 2756
