The Williams Lake Blue Fins finished off the season during the weekend with two swimmers representing the club at the Swim BC AAA Open Championships.
Cristelle Panida and Abby Webb competed in five races during the five-day competition in Victoria, which features the fastest swimmers in the province.
“Although the girls did not get second swims by placing in the top eight, this was their first time at the meet and they gained some valuable experience to allow them to come back even better,” Blue Fins head coach Chad Webb said.
Abby finished 11th in the 200-metre backstroke, 18th in the 100-metre backstroke, 24th in the 200-metre butterfly, 28th in the 200-metre individual medley and 32nd in the 100-metre butterfly.
Cristelle, meanwhile, was 16th in the 50-metre backstroke, 18th in the 50-metre butterfly, 21st in the 100-metre backstroke and 30th in the 50- and 100-metre freestyle.
“Cristelle will still qualify for the same age group next season in March and will take this experience back with her to try to break the top eight spots next season,” Chad said. “Abby will need to re-qualify next year in the next age group up but is well on her way as she already has some AAs in the next age group.
“Three weeks ago we had no swimmers qualified to go [to AAAs] until Abby and Cristelle had breakout swims just two weeks ago. The girls had such a great meet at AAs it was tough for them to turn around two short weeks later and produce yet another great meet.”
Also an experience to remember, the girls got a chance to see some of the best swimmers in the world as a few Olympians were at the meet getting a bit of racing in before they head off to Rio, Brazil in a few weeks.
The Blue Fins now wind down for the season with one more week of summer camps and will return to the water Sept. 12.
