It was mission accomplished for the RAC Breakers swim team on the weekend, as they did what they set out to do and got off the blocks for a great start to their 2013/14 season.
Held at the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre, The NRST Invitational, hosted by the Riptides, featured 300 swimmers from nine Island clubs.
Breakers’ head coach John Campbell, back for his 14th season, took 32 young swimmers to the all ages short course meet, “and they did extremely well. We probably had about 95 per cent best times.”
“That’s pretty darn good,” he chuckled adding, “the kids are all pretty sharp right now. We’re trying to get a few extra kids to qualify for the Western Canada Championships.”
“One of our goals was to start off the season with a bang,” he said, “basically come out of the gate running, or in our case swimming.”
Highlights of the meet were 10&Unders’ Sophie Lorette and Hana Edwards who finished first and second in all their events.
Jack Confortin had the hot hand for the guys, finishing first or second in all his 11&12 Boys events.
“An amazing group of kids,” said Campbell. “I mean here we are even five members less than last year and we’re beating teams that have 300 members. It’s a real testament to how hard the kids work.”
Though one of the smallest teams in B.C. with 45 swimmers ranging in age from 8-18, the Breakers regularly beat much larger teams.
There were no team scores at the Invitational, “but if they did we would have placed first or second just because we had so many top three places.”
The club has been back in the pool at Ravensong Aquatic Centre since Sept. 16, and in October around a hundred people turned out for the Breakers’ annual awards banquet celebrating their outstanding 2012/13 season.
NEXT UP: The Breakers are gearing for a meet in Langley the second week of November, followed by the yearly favourite Christmas Cracker in Victoria.