Double Runner-Up Team Finishes at ASSA Provincials

The Orcas closed out a successful season at the 2019 ASSA Provincial Championships in Edmonton. After a fourth-straight undefeated season in Region F competition (region F winning streak = 39 meets), the Orcas looked to be competitive at Provincials. Last season (2018), the Orcas age-group team broke through in a big way, finishing 2nd at Provincials after a 5-year hiatus from the podium. This season, the Orcas proved that they are here to stay as they defended this position from last season. The masters’ team also did very well as their 2nd place team finish secured the 4th-straight year the masters’ team has been in the top-2.
 
Only those who ranked in the top-2 of each event from Regionals qualified to swim at Provincials. This makes this meet highly competitive to compete at. In total, a club record 72 Orcas made the trip to Edmonton to compete in 2019. The Orcas have shown great growth over the past years. In 2016, the Orcas had 35 swimmers compete at Provincials to finish in 7th place. Four years later, the Orcas are more than doubling those numbers and are a very competitive team. 

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Jake Odorski (left) lit up the pool in Edmonton dropping huge best times in all four of his events. Cumulatively Jake dropped over 20 seconds at Provincials, and notably move up from a 5th place ranking to a 3rd place podium finish in two of his events. Jake is only 12, but he has a bright future in the sport. Hannah Lundquist (right) also dropped over 10 seconds in her 400m Free moving her from 13th to 8th, in her 200m Free she also was able to jump from 8th position up to 5th. It is position improvements like these that helped lead the Orcas to a 2nd place podium finish. (Photo credits: Steve Kwan

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​An absurd number of 71 medals were won by Orcas swimmers at the 2019 Provincials, 34 of which were gold. Below is a list of gold medalists from the Championship meet:
 
Josh Adams B18&O 100 Fly
Josh Adams B18&O 100 Free
Kira Armstrong G18&O 200 Free
Kira Armstrong G18&O 200 IM
Kira Armstrong G18&O 400 Free
Maddie Bennett G17&U 100 Back
Morgan Bos G17&U 100 Fly
Tyson Chomiak B17&U 50 Back
Tyson Chomiak B17&U 100 Free
Tyson Chomiak B17&U 50 Free
Tyson Chomiak B17&U 200 Free
Aaron Gamble B18&O 800 Free
Aaron Gamble B18&O 1500 Free
Riley Ginther G 8&U 25 Breast
Taylor Ginther G 10&U 50 Back
Taylor Ginther G 10&U 25 Back
Owen Guyn B18&O 100 IM
Owen Guyn B18&O 50 Free
James Kwan B18&O 200 Free
Zada McLean-Borggard G8&U 50 Breast
Bentley Togo B8&U 50 Breast
Bentley Togo B8&U 25 Breast
Bentley Togo B8&U 50 Free
Bentley Togo B8&U 25 Free
Jens Watt B17&U 50 Breast
T. Ginther, D. Letourneau, E. Pilsner-Roberts, S. Clamp G10&U 100 Medley Relay
M. Bennett, O. Bos, M. Bos, C. Vanden Elzen G17&U 200 Medley Relay
N. Suarez, K. Watt, K. Armstrong, S. Letourneau GOpen 200 Medley Relay
K. Armstrong, N. Suarez, S. Letourneau, K. Watt GOpen 200 Free Relay
D. Sheppard, J. Watt, D. Kindley, T. Chomiak B17&U 200 Medley Relay
J. Adams, J. Odorski, O. Guyn, J. Kwan BOpen 200 Medley Relay
J. Kwan, J. Adams, A. Gamble, O. Guyn BOpen 200 Free Relay
K. Weighill, R. Ginther, C. Pilsner-Roberts, B. Togo X8&U 100 Medley Relay
T. Chomiak, J. Watt, M. Bos, C. Vanden Elzen X17&U 200 Free Relay 

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Our male masters relay teams (left) accumulated some major points in the master’s division. In the Medley and Free Relays. The Orcas relays finished first and third in both relays contributing to the 2nd place overall master title. Walter Figueroa (right) made a last-minute decision to make the trek up to Edmonton, he made a huge jump in his 100m Free dropping 3 seconds and moving from 13th position to an 8th place scoring position. (Photo credits: Shannon Bos)

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In addition to the 71 medals, Orcas swimmers were also able to attain 4 Provincial Records of the course of Regionals and Provincials. Provincial records that were taken down by Orcas swimmers over the championship season were:
 
M. Bennett, O. Bos, M. Bos, C. Vanden Elzen – Girls’ 17&U 200 Medley Relay – 2:06.40
D. Sheppard, J. Watt, D. Kindley, T. Chomiak – Boys’ 17&U 200 Medley Relay – 1:53.78
Owen Guyn – Boys’ Open 50 Free – 22.78
Owen Guyn – Boys’ Open 50 Fly – 25.30
Josh Adams – Boys’ Open 100 Free – 52.14
 
Very notably, an Orcas swimmer also won the ASSA Award of Excellence. This award is presented annually to the 15-17 male who accumulates the most points in his individual events at the ASSA Provincial Championship Meet. Tyson Chomiak earned this Award of Excellence as he won gold in all 4 of his individual races. He was also a member of 2 relay gold medals, one of which broke a provincial record. Tyson’s highlights came in the 50 and 100 freestyle events. He is now ranked 2nd All-Time in both events, with respectable times of 24.17 and 53.44 in those events. Tyson was the first ever male Orcas swimmer to ever win this award at Provincials.

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Tyson Chomiak (left) was the recipient of the ASSA Award of Excellence. Tyson is the fifth Orca to win this prestigious award and the first male Orca to ever do so. The Orcas Boys 17&U medley relay team (right) consisting of Devlan Sheppard, Jens Watt, David Kindley, and Tyson Chomiak brought home the gold for the Orcas and set an ASSA Provincial record, one of the five Provincial records set by the Orcas in Edmonton this season. (Photo credits: Derek Chomiak)

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Others considerably deserving of recognition include Orcas who won the Lethbridge Orcas Top Performance Awards. These awards are given annually to the top female and male Orca in each age group. The individual in each of these categories who earned the greatest amount of points in their individual events at Provincials receive this award. In the case an age group that did not have a swimmer score at Provincials, this award is given to the top scorer from Region F Regionals. This season, the top performers for the Lethbridge Orcas were:
 
G6&U: Kylie Kozub
G7-8: Zada McLean-Borggard
G9-10: Taylor Ginther
G11-12: Hannah Lundquist and Lily Petry
G13-14: Ava Caputo
G15-17: Olivia Bos
G18&O: Kira Armstrong
B6&U: Reid Pinder
B7-8: Bentley Togo
B9-10: Wesley Cummins
B11-12: Jake Odorski
B13-14: Ben Adserballe
B15-17: Tyson Chomiak
B18&O: Owen Guyn

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The Lethbridge Orcas have become one of the strongest summer swim clubs in Alberta. At the 2019 ASSA Provincial Championships, both the age-group and masters’ teams finished 2nd for the second year in a row. (Photo Credit: Derek Chomiak)

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​The 2020 Orcas season will start on May 1st. Registration will be announced later this year and will take place in early April. You don’t want to miss out on what seems to be a tsunami of momentum!