Parksville Qualicum Beach athletes racked up a big medal haul last week as the province’s top mature athletes gathered in Coquitlam for the annual B.C. 55+ Games.
In team play, three local soccer squads took part, accumulating one gold and two bronze medals.
The Parksville Thrifty Orcas slo-pitch team reached the 55+ division final for the seventh straight year and earned its third silver to go with four gold medals during that stretch. Fuelled by a 15-for-15 batting run by Chuck Sardo, the team swept five straight games to earn their way into the final before dropping a 12-8 decision to Port Coquitlam.
The Orcas are made up mostly of players eligible to play in the 65+ division but who elect to compete in the more challenging 55+ class.
Individual medal-winners include:
Gold
Carpet bowling: Glen Howell and Chris Vanderstoep.
Floor curling: Fred and Lorraine Lepper, Pat Baldry and Fran Terry.
Swimming: Russell Sharock, Emmy Matte, Linda McPherson, Brian Curtis and Joan Nielson.
Track & Field: Joe Giegerich, Hildegard Buschhaus and Jess Brewer.
Silver
Cycling: Paul Connor.
Floor curling: Joyce and Bruce McCaig, Wendy Pearce and Gordon Lundine.
Golf: Arlene King.
Swimming: Sharock, Harry Keen, Mary Sluyter and Barbara Kenno.
Track & Field: Jack Laramie and Giegerich.
Bronze
Golf: King.
Swimming: Sharock, Matte and Sluyter.
Track & Field: Giegerich and Buschhaus.
— Submitted by Elden Davis