Duncan Swimming News
BC Summer Games
Leanne Sirup, DST Head Coach
Duncan Swim Team member Natalia Garriock will be racing in Langley at the BC Summer Games this weekend.
The Province is divided into 8 Zones with representatives in 26 Sports totaling more than 3000 athletes. 20 swimmers from the Vancouver Island Central Coast Region were selected to represent Zone 6.
For more information about BC Summer Games please go to BCGames.org and for Real Time Results please visit the link below...
Canadian Age Group Championships
Leanne Sirup, DST Head Coach
2 members of the Duncan Swim Team are racing at the Canadian Age Group Championships: Veronica Reid and Drake McKay.
More than 1300 swimmers from across the Country ages 11 - 18 are competing at the Pan Am Pool in Winnipeg, MB.
For Real Time Results please visit the link below...
Stingrays terrific at provincial AAA meet
Kevin Rothbauer, The Citizen
Conditions were difficult for the approximately 600 swimmers who attended the Team Aquatic Supplies Provincial AAA Championships in Kamloops last weekend -- only one provincial record fell over the course of the meet -- but that didn't stop the Duncan Stingrays from putting together a phenomenal meet, setting a number of club records and bringing home four medals.
Natalia Garriock set five personal bests over six races, achieved her first-ever senior qualifying time in the 100m butterfly, reached the top eight four times and finished fourth in the 200m butterfly and 200m backstroke. Garriock will be racing at the BC Summer Games in Langley later this month.
Garriock finishes her tenure as a Duncan Stingrays swimmer in fine style
Don Bodger, Cowichan News Leader and Pictorial
Tamara Garriock definitely made her final appearance as a member of the Duncan Stingrays’ swim team memorable.
Garriock, pictured, was with her Stingrays’ teammates for the final time in Kamloops at the provincial AAA championships. She finished second in the 400-metre freestyle.
"It went well," she said. "I got five club records and some best times. I was pretty happy."
Ridenour leads Stingrays to solid results at Provincial AA Long Course Championships
Kevin Rothbauer, The Citizen
Ten-year-old swimmer Desirae Ridenour put in a phenomenal performance to lead the Duncan Stingrays at the Provincial AA Long Course Championships in Surrey on June 25-27.
Ridenour recorded personal bests in all of her races, and earned a Provincial "Swim Stars" 10 and under AAA time, qualifying her to attend a meet in Kamloops for B.C.'s best young swimmers. Ridenour also recorded her first-ever Duncan Swim Team record with a time of 3:43.13 in the 10 and under girls 200m breaststroke, taking more than seven seconds off the old mark, set in 2007.
Jeremy Kissack and Haakon Koyote both set personal bests in all but one of their races.
Swimmer lives up to coach's hunch
Kevin Rothbauer, The Citizen
Leanne Sirup had a feeling about Adara Atsma.
After Atsma missed her provincial AA qualifying time in the 50m freestyle by 0.08 seconds at the Comox Valley Invitational earlier this month, the last chance for swimmers to register an AA time, Duncan Stingrays coach Leanne Sirup lobbied Swim BC on her behalf, and persuaded them to allow her to compete at the Vancouver Island Region Long Course Championships in Saanich the following weekend. Sirup's hunch was accurate, and Atsma made her AA qualifying time on lead leg of the 4x50m freestyle relay.
The Stingrays took three swimmers to Comox, with all three hoping to make AA qualifying times in their last chance. No AA times were registered, but all three performed exceptionally. Fraser Fulton had 100 per cent personal bests, and both Atsma and Amber Bell recorded two new PBs.
Swim camp works magic for Garriock
Kevin Rothbauer, The Citizen
It doesn't take much work with national-level coaches before a swimmer notices the difference.
Duncan Stingrays Swimmer Tamara Garriock had the honour of attending a camp with Swimming Canada coaches and trainers last month, and the results are already showing.
"I've been able to apply a lot of what I learned there to my swimming," said Garriock. "It feels like it cleaned up my strokes and turns more."
Celebrating their very best
Kevin Rothbauer, The Citizen
Unlike rugby, basketball and field hockey, swimming isn't often among the most-celebrated sports at Cowichan Secondary School. Many students may not even be aware that the school even has a swimming team.
At least, they may not have been prior to Tuesday night.
Two members of the school's swim team were among the major award winners at Cowichan Secondary's 30th annual Athletic Banquet. Christine Ridenour shared Athlete of the Year honours with basketball star Steve McKinnon, while Veronica Reid received the G.D. Corsan Award, given to the top scholar-athlete.
Stingrays take on Canada, Island
Kevin Rothbauer, The Citizen
The Duncan Stingrays Swim Team finished up the month of May by sending representatives to a pair of very different competitions.
The club sent four swimmers to the Mel Zajac Jr. Invitational, also known as the Canada Cup, where they swam alongside and against some of the country's best, including several Olympians and national record holders, as well as elite swimmers from Australia, the United States and Hong Kong.
"Our swimmers had themselves a strong mid-season meet," coach Leanne Sirup commented. "Of course we were going for personal bests, but more so going for the racing and exposure to higher level swimmers, as our swimmers are in the midst of their highest level of training and intensity this season."
Stingrays at the same meet as high-profile swimmers
Don Bodger, Cowichan News Leader and Pictorial
There’s nothing like some high-profile names in the pool to provide inspiration.
The four Duncan Stingrays (Tamara Garriock, Samantha Jory, Drake McKay and Veronica Reid) who attended the Mel Zajac international invitational — also known as the Canada Cup — could be excused for being awe-struck at the impressive talent in the prestigious senior level competition.
Among them was Ryan Cochrane, who spoke at the News Leader Pictorial’s Youth Athlete of the Year banquet in January. He’s a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist as well as a silver and bronze medalist from the 2009 world championships.
About Us
The purpose of Duncan Stingrays Swim Team is to develop competitive swimmers as athletes and people. We understand that the real meaning of winning is to reach ones own potential, not the place of a swimmers finish. We strive to not only produce swimming champions but champions in life.
Our Mission
The mission of the Duncan Stingrays Swim Team is to embrace all levels of swimmers and provide each swimmer with the tools and opportunity to achieve any goal they may set. Every swimmer will enjoy success with hard work, dedication, and support from teammates, coaches and parents. Our members participate in meets sanctioned by Swim BC and are governed by Swimming/Natation Canada rules and regulations. The Duncan Stingrays Swim Team ascribes to a well-defined program where each swimmer is encouraged to gradually increase their degree of commitment to achieve success at all levels of training. The team provides an environment and an opportunity for young people to learn, to enjoy and to compete with an eye toward long term results.
