Prince Rupert’s contingent that headed off to the BC Seniors’ Games in North Vancouver this August obliterated their past year’s totals in medals won.
While their zone as a whole — comprised of Haida Gwaii, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Kitimat and the Nass Valley — didn’t win as many medals as last year (they gathered 27, compared with 2014’s 28), the Rupertites that were in attendance as competitors blew their opponents out of the water.
Starting with the team categories the North West zone, which finished in ninth out of 13 zones with their 27 medals, won silver in women’s 260 – 299 4 x 25 m freestyle relay and gold in men and women’s 55+ team of four carpet bowling.
A duo of Rupertites, Sharon and Paul Paulson, won silver in men’s and women’s 55+ pairs cribbage – an improvement from the bronze they won a year ago.
The carpet bowling team of Eunice and Frank Jackson, Betty Bishop and Harvey Calder took gold in men and women 55+ carpet bowling and the Basso-Maguire duo won bronze and silver in men and women 55+ pairs whist.
As for the individual medal winners, Prince Rupert cleaned up once again.
Ann Marie Vandermeer claimed a whopping six gold medals in swimming – more than half of all North West athletes’ golds combined in all categories. The zone won 11 gold medals.
During the games, she took first in women’s 55-59 200m individual medley, 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 100m individual medley.
Also in swimming, Dawn Quast took fourth in women’s 65-69 50m backstroke, seventh in 200m freestyle, fifth in 400m freestyle, fourth in 100m breaststroke and bronze in 100m backstroke.
Rupertite Andrea Anderson grabbed silver in women’s 65-69 800m freestyle, sixth in 200m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 25m freestyle, fifth in 50m freestyle and bronze in 400m freestyle.
Jim Morse claimed gold in men’s 55-59 50m butterfly, 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley and silver in 100m freestyle and 100m individual medley.
In archery, four Prince Rupert residents showed well.
Andy Vandermeer took two gold in men’s 55-59 compound bow with sight with release aid – target and 3D, Fred Hutchings won two gold in men’s 60-64 longbow without sight and fingers – target and 3D, Jim Martin won bronze in men’s 60-64 longbow without sight and fingers – target and fifth in 3D and Bob Bennett won two bronze in men’s 65-69 longbow without sight and fingers – target and 3D.
Twenty-eight participants overall made up the contingent from Rupert.
