Eliza McGuire/Revelstoke Aquaducks
The Revelstoke Aquaducks competed this weekend in Penticton, where they had a spectacular three-quarters of their swimmers in attendance at the championships qualify for the provincial championship meet to be held in Coquitlam from August 16–18.
Eleven relays qualified as a team and eleven individual Ducks were chosen to represent the Okanagan region on the regional relay, which takes the fastest in each stroke to create a medley relay.
Those Ducks are: Division two boys Alex Jay (freestyle) and Tye Hoshizaki (breaststroke), division two girl Hunter Stewardson (breaststroke), division three girl Brynn Hoshizaki (freestyle), Division Three boys James LeBuke (backstroke) and Nolan Gale (freestyle), division four girl Beth Granstrom (backstroke), division four boy Jackson Litke (backstroke), division five boy Bryce Molder (butterfly), division six girl Gina Cinelli (freestyle) and division six boy Josh Rota (backstroke). Division six boy Liam McCabe was selected to swim the freestyle on the division seven regional relay. The two Aquaducks to break regional records at the meet were James LeBuke in the 50-metre breaststroke (38.48) and Bryce Molder in the 200-metre individual medley (2:27.57).
Both were new club records, LeBuke's being a 27-year-old record set by Angus Staniforth in 1986. However, those were not the only club records to fall at this meet.
Beth Granstrom broke her own 200-metre IM record by seven seconds going a region-winning 2:42.68 as well as breaking the 100-metre backstroke record in a time of 1:16.26. James LeBuke broke his own 50-metre backstroke record in a time of 36.60 as well as the 100-metre freestyle record, previously held by Graham Gale for 30 years, in a time of 1:09.89. Brynn Hoshizaki broke Beth Granstrom's 50-metre freestyle record in a time of 31.02.
Many other Aquaducks had breakthrough meets, such as Jordan Cwikula, Alyssa and Stefan Spataro, Kayln Gale, Kale Jay and Ryder Litke, who will be attending their first-ever provincial championships.
Others who have qualified for the meet are Jaclyn and Elizabeth Elliot, Devyn Gale, Megan Hoshizaki, Claudia Cinelli, Kate Granstrom, Stefanie Wallach, Cam Molder and Rosemary Kellsal.
While not every Duck qualified for provincials, at least one best time was achieved by every swimmer in an effort that vaulted the Ducks to second in the girls category, second in the boys for a second overall finish in the Okanagan region.