Skip to content

Nauticals relay teams break club records at Blue Bears meet

Sylvan Lake Nauticals travelled to Edmonton Jan. 9, 10 and 11 to compete at the Blue Bears swim meet, with eight swimmers.
72292sylvanlakeNauticals012215
Sylvan Lake Nauticals enjoyed a successful weekend in Edmonton earlier this month. Back row: Tyler Gauthier

Mike Gauthier

Sylvan Lake Nauticals travelled to Edmonton Jan. 9, 10 and 11 to compete at the Blue Bears swim meet, with eight swimmers.

On Saturday evening, the boys relay team, consisting of Noah Andrews (13), Michael Carson (13), Tyler Gauthier (15) and Matthew Gauthier (15), took to the starting blocks for the 4 x 50m freestyle relay and finished strong with a time of 1:56.08. As they were celebrating their new club record, an announcement over the PA system was heard: “Heat 1, Lane 4, disqualification.” The team was disqualified for an early takeover. No club record on this day for the boys’ team; however, they did achieve a fantastic time.

Up next was the girls relay team, consisting of Elizabeth Moore (13), Ann Duffy (16), Zoe DeJonge (11) and Amber Carson (16). It was their turn at the 4 x 50m freestyle relay. Their time of 2:03.90 was good for a new club record for the 16-year-old girls’ category. On this evening, the girls finished eighth.

Sunday evening was another chance for the two relay teams to break the 4 x 50m medley relay club records, and this time the boys did not disappoint. The team of Noah Andrews, Matthew Gauthier, Tyler Gauthier and Michael Carson were seeded for in event in eighth place and finished sixth. They finished with a time of 2:14.27, and in the process broke the old club record of 2:43.67 for 15-year-old boys.

The pressure was on now for the girls relay team, consisting of Ann Duffy, Elizabeth Moore, Amber Carson and Zoe DeJonge. Once again, the girls delivered, finishing fourth with a time of 2:16.24, and setting a new club record for the 16-year-old girls’ category.

In the individual events over the weekend, the boys did a great job making numerous finals. Matthew Gauthier achieved his 15-year-old A time in an exciting race in the 200m breaststroke final. Matthew also qualified for five other finals: 100m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle.

Tyler Gauthier competed in six events and qualified for the 200m breaststroke final. Noah Andrews swam in six events and made finals in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle and the 100m butterfly. Michael Carson swam in six events and made finals in the 100m butterfly, and earned the 200m breaststroke club record for 13-year-old boys.

The girls also had a great showing as Elizabeth Moore achieved her 13-year-old A time in the 200m freestyle, her 14-year-old national qualifying time in the 100m and 200m butterfly and her 16-year-old-and-over western qualifying time in the 200m butterfly. Elizabeth also broke six club records in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle, the 100m, and 200m butterfly and the 200m individual medley, and qualified for finals in the 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, 50m and 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

Amber Carson broke the 16-year-old girls 50m freestyle club record while swimming in five events and qualifying in two finals: the 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle. Ann Duffy swam in seven events, achieving a club record in the 200m breaststroke for 16-year-old girls and making finals in the 200m breaststroke and 100m backstroke. Zoe DeJonge swam in seven events and qualified for the 100m backstroke and 50m freestyle finals.

The swimmers are now back in the pool practicing hard for upcoming meets in Edmonton and Red Deer.