The Selkirks Swimming Club started the new 2015-16 season in record-breaking form.
The team took a small team of 12 members down to compete in the Triple Pentathlon in Penticton two weeks ago.
A pentathlon is not like a normal swimming event or meet, where swimmers are normally limited to only competing in five to six events of the competition.
In the pentathlon, the swimmers have the choice to compete in some, or all, 15 events over the three day event. It’s a demanding challenge for those who choose to compete in all 15 events.
“The results for the team were nothing short of amazing, having only started training the second week of September. The small group competed with intensity each day and was well-rewarded for the hard work and skills,” said coach Barry Healey.
During the three-day event, members of the team broke 45 club records, and 68 personal best times were set.
Breaking club records were: Thomas Flahr, 17, Molly Fogarty, 13, Lauren Gridley-Haack, 12, Claire Hall, 15, Chantel Jeffrey, 14 and Ethan Skofteby, 12.
Chantel Jeffery and Ethan Skofteby won 20 events between them and with a very impressive overall weekend of swimming, they both came away winning the high point trophies.
To win the high point trophy a swimmer must compete in all 15 events.
The whole team swam very well in this first and very high-standard meet, where more than 250 swimmers from the region participated.
Also producing very fast times and personal best swims were Ty Webster-Locke, 16, Torrey McKee, 16, Ethan Quilty, 16, Olin Mosher, 16 and Matthew Nesdoly, 16.
These athletes contributed valuable points to the club in the team rankings.
Recently, Selkirk team members also competed at the high school level, at a meet in Revelstoke.
At the Regional Championships, Salmon Arm Secondary placed third overall and King’s Christian placed seventh out of 20 high schools taking part.
Selkirk swimmers who qualified for provincials are Webster-Locke, McKee, Quilty, Mosher, Nesdoly, Jeffery, Fogarty, and Hall.
Healey, who filled the new coaching position in September, has been impressed with the swimmers, the club and the support for the program from the community.
“It’s not often you come into a new club and are so warmly welcomed by a new community. It’s made the move to Salmon Arm much easier,” said Healey.
“Every day, the swimmers have been great to coach. The entire team wants to improve, and the athletes work hard each day. I could not ask for any more. Their attitude and effort is super, they raced super well both in Penticton and Revelstoke and the team and the swimmers were very happy with the results.”
The swimmers’ next meet is in Vernon where they will swim some different events, encounter some other challenges and pursue different goals, said Healey.
One of the main goals that Healey is working towards is to grow the membership in both the age-group program and the masters team.