NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA CHANNEL CATS SWIM CLUB
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The Orillia Channel Cats Swim Club recently competed at Huronia Short Course Regional Championships held in Barrie.
Ten clubs from around the region were in attendance.
The local club had a very successful competition, placing third overall in the region.
“Last year we placed fifth overall. Going into the competition we were hoping to improve our standing. However, we weren’t sure where we would end up,” says head coach Meredith Thompson-Edwards.
This year the club had 43 swimmers qualify for regionals, which is one of the largest groups the club has had at regionals.
A few swimmers also qualified for provincial-level meets over the weekend. Sam Pecorella qualified for Ontario Swimming Championships in the 100-metre backstroke, Taryn Fenton (13-and-over swimmers) made ontario Youth Junior Championships in the 100-metre butterfly, Mila Sekleski qualified for Ontario Winter Festivals (12-and-under swimmers) in the 100-metre breaststroke, as well as teammates Riley Shore in the 50-metre freestyle, Rydaar Watt in the 200- and 400-metre freestyle and Anna Crawley-Blauel in the 50-metre freestyle.
Other swimmers who qualified for Ontario Winter Festivals include Jace Black, who qualified in the 100- and 200-metre freestyle, Brady Bell, who qualified in the 400-metre freestyle and 100-metre backstroke, and Harrison Levene, who qualified in the 400-metre freestyle.
“We have 10 swimmers attending Ontario Winter Festivals, which is the most our club has ever seen,” says coach Tatum Haslem.
Swimmers who contributed to the overall success at regionals include Anna Crawley-Blauel, Sophie Shivers, Hayden Nie, Grace Hunter, Riley Shore, Anna Holton, Mila Sekleski, Everett Dorevich, Christopher Dorevich, Cohen Greer, Brady Bell, Emony Fisher, Caden Stuart, Dario Rotar, Fedor Radzievski, Hartley Russell, Kajun Butler, Kinsley Dreidger, Harrison Levene, Ava Fairgrieve, Kael Cresanto, Maelle Mooney, Rydaar Watt, Cheyenne Hawrysio, Jackson Denne, Emma Edgerton, Evangeline Cooke, Indiana Abram, Niko Plett, Nadine Ackert, Sam Pecorella, Jace Black, Maelle Bouchard, Kaitlyn Allin, Katie Heckendorn, Sophia Brown, Isabella Brown, Adair Wieclawek, Georgia Cameron, Harper McGill,Trenton Shepherd and Taryn Fenton.
Up next for the local club is the Muskats Splash Meet in Bracebridge, followed by Ontario Winter Festivals, where Isabella Brown, Sophie Shivers, Harrison Levene, Rydaar Watt, Riley Shore, Nicolas Willis, Jace Black, Brady Bell, Mila Sekleski and Anna Crawley-Blauel will be competing. Ontario Youth Junior Championships is Feb. 15 to 18, where Taryn Fenton, Adair Wieclawek and Kael Cresanto will be competing.
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