by Angie Abdou
In the last few weeks, the Dolphins have competed in their first three meets of the season, and they’re off to a flying start.
On the weekend of October 21, 20 Dolphins attended a meet in Calgary to earn 65 personal best times. 10-year-old Emilie Harrup made the podium twice, earning bronze medals in both the 50 Backstroke and the 100 Individual Medley. Ten-year-old Sophie Paetzold earned a silver medal in the 50 Breaststroke.
On October 29, Fernie’s high school athletes traveled to Nelson for the Kootenay Zone Championships and dominated the field. The top two spots in each event qualified for Highschool Provincial Championships. Jackson Radkie, Adam Hayden, Katherine Hafke, Ethan Sauve, and Josie Howse earned that honour. Grade 12 Jackson Radkie won first place in all four of his events: 50 Free, 100 Back, 100 Breast, 100 Free, and 200 Individual Medley. Grade 10 Adam Hayden placed 2nd in his 100 free, as well as getting a top 3 finish in the 50 Free and 100 Breast. Grade 9 Katherine Hafke won the 100 Back and placed 2nd in the 200 Individual Medley to qualify for provincials, and earned a bronze in the 100 Free. The youngest qualifiers were grade 8 swimmers Josie Howse and Ethan Sauve. Howse earned her provincial championship spot with a 2nd place finish in the 100 Free. Howse also placed top 3 in the 50 Free and 200 IM. Ethan Sauve finished 2nd in the 100 IM and 3rd in the 100 free. Abbi Wannamaker also earned a top 3 finish with bronze in the 100 Butterfly.
This past weekend, November 3rd to the 6th, the Dolphins hosted their first hometown meet, the Evolution Fernie Fall Blast. Nearly 80 Dolphins competed. The swimmers had personal best times in every heat. “It’s really exciting to see athletes compete so well this early in the season and at a home meet,” said Coach Aidan Chudleigh. “Our results bode very well for the rest of our season.”
Top 3 finishers include: Mathew Cassidy (1st in the 400 Free, 100 Breast, 50 Fly, 100 Free, 100 IM, 50 Breast; 2nd in the 50 Free; and 3rd in the 50 Back), Maeve Clark (1st in the 100 Back; 3rd in the 100 Free and 50 Back), Zander Coultry (2nd in the 100 IM, 50 Back, and 25 Free), Sage Demers (2nd in the 50 Back, 100 Back and 200 Back; 3rd in the 50 Free and 50 Breast), Nate Dodds (2nd in the 50 Fly and 3rd in the 50 Free), Noah Dodds (1st in the 200 Breast, 50 Free, 100 Back, 200 Back, 100 Free, 100 IM, and 25 Free; 2nd in the 100 Free), Brody Dube (1st in the 50 Back and 100 IM; 2nd in the 50 Free 200 Back, and 100 Free; 3rd in 200 IM), TJ Dube (1st in the 200 IM, 200 Free, and 50 Back; 2nd in the 400 Free, 50 Free, 100 Back, and 100 Free), Lazlo Gyorki (1st in the 400 Free and 2nd in the 50 Breast), Katherine Hafke (1st in the 50 Back; 2nd in the 100 Fly; and 3rd in the 400 Free, 200 IM, 200 Back, and 50 Fly), Emilie Harrup (1st in the 400 Free, 200 IM, 50 Free, 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Free, and 50 Back), Adam Hayden (3rd in the 100 IM), Grace Hayden (2nd in the 50 Back), Josie Howse (1st in the 400 Free; 2nd in the 200 Free; 3rd in the 50 Back), Rachel Lewis (3rd in the 25 Back), Archie Locker (3rd in the 25 Back), Tristan Luna (3rd in the 25 Free), Boden Nelson (2nd in the 50 Breast; 2rd in the 200 free), Annalynn Nguyen (1st in the 100 IM and 50 Breast; 2nd in the 400 Free and 50 Back; 3rd in the 200 IM, 50 Free, 100 Breast), Amelia Powell (2nd in the 50 Fly), Cadence Prefontaine (2nd in the 400 Free; 3rd in the 100 IM and 200 Free), Jackson Radkie (2nd in the 50 Free, 50 Fly, 100 IM, and 50 Back; 3rd in the 200 Back), Layla Rella (1st in the 200 IM, 100 Breast, 100 Fly, and 200 Free; 2nd in the 400 Free; 3rd in the 50 Free and 200 Back), Libby Robbins (2nd in the 25 Back), Tannis Robbins (1st in the 100 Breast; 2nd in the 200 Breast; 3rd in the 100 IM and 50 Breast) Ethan Sauve (1st in the 50 Breast; 2nd in the 100 Breast, 50 Back, and 100 Free; 3rd in the 400 Free and 200 IM), Isla Sauve (3rd in the 100 IM), Jo Schafer (1st in the 25 Back), Abbi Wannamaker (2nd in the 400 Free, 100 Fly, and 100 Back; 3rd in the 50 Back).
The Dolphins’ next meet is in Cochrane on the weekend of November 17.