The Prince George Barracuda Swim Club usually trumps their rivals from Northwest B.C., Points North, the team comprised of swimmers from Prince Rupert, Kitimat, Smithers and Terrace.
But at the 2014 Barracuda Dental Moose Meet, it was Points North that got the last laugh.
Beating their rivals by 397 points from April 12-13 was the group from the Northwest and more than a few Rupertites shared in the points.
“We sent 23 swimmers,” explained Prince Rupert Amateur Swim Club head coach Chris Street.
“Prince George often beats us so to beat them by that much was pretty significant.”
Points North won the meet with 1,604 points while Prince George followed in second with 1,207. Kamloops rounded out the top-three with 1,053 points. Williams Lake, Fort St. John, Grand Prairie, Quesnel, Chetwynd and Salmon Arm also participated to bring the total number of swimmers at the meet to close to 300, with age categories ranging from 10-and-under to 16-and-over, the provincial categories.
The Rapids’ Isaac Mastroianni (10) took home quite the haul with a gold medal in 10-and-under 200 freestyle and a silver in the 10-and-under 200 IM. Along with the hardware, Mastroianni took first in 50 butterfly, 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, second in 50 freestyle and third in 50 and 100 backstroke.
Not to be outdone, teammate Emma Movold (10) won gold for 10-and-under 200 freestyle and silver for 10-and-under 200 IM.
“The kids really like when they get to compete as Points North. We’re very close with our friends in Kitimat, Smithers and Terrace, said Street.”
Avery Movold (14) won silver aggregate (total points scored) in the 14-15 girls’ age group for the Rapids while taking first in 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 200 backstroke along with second in 50 butterfly, 100 butterfly, 50 freestyle and third in 50 backstroke.
Kai Leighton (11) also won silver aggregate in 11-and-under boys, taking first in 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 50 backstroke and 100 breaststroke. He took second in 50 butterfly and 100 backstroke and third in 200 backstroke to complete the aggregate.
Other fine performances came from Warren Barton (11) who came in first in 50 butterfly, third in 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly and grabbed new swim BC “AA” times in 100 butterfly (1:35.68) and 50 freestyle (36.31). Isaac Dolan (10) also had a new Swim BC “A” time in 50 freestyle (40.06) while Zach Dolan (12) came in third place in 50 and 100 breaststroke and swam a new “AA” time in 200 IM (2:52.8) and 50 freestyle (32.06).
Veteran Branden Hagen (16) claimed first in 50 breaststroke and second in the 100 and 200. He also took second in 100 freestyle and third in 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke.
Amy Leighton (12) took home first in 50 breaststroke, second in 100 IM, 100 butterfly and third in 200 breaststroke and 400 freestyle.
Hannah Toye (11) grabbed first in 50 backstroke and third in 50 butterfly. Swim-mate Robert Warren (14) had new “A” times in 100 backstroke (1:19.06), 100 freestyle (1:08.26), and 50 freestyle (30.99).
The Rapids next take to the pool in Kitimat on the first weekend in May for the Kitimat Spring Invitational.
