Hundreds of swimmers from across the Lower Mainland took over a Maple Ridge pool for the Ridge Meadows Swim Club (RMSC) Spring Invitational last weekend, which saw record-setting performances from some of the competitors.
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RMSC head coach Sarah Rudolf explained that this was only the third competition the swim club has hosted since 2018.
“RMSC is so proud to bring competition back to Maple Ridge, as well as to bring swimmers from outside our community to the pool,” said Rudolf.
Several local swimmers were able to achieve their Swim BC Divisional Standard at the Spring Invitational, which Rudolf said allows them to compete in the upcoming Swim BC Divisional Championships in June.
Noah Leeman, Angelina Kozeratskyi, and Kirin Bullock all managed to achieve their Swim BC Divisional Standard, with the 13-year-old Bullock putting up a time in the 200m freestyle that makes him the 16th-fastest in Canada for his age.
“There were so many other incredible swims from all our swimmers, including results from swimmers that were diving in the pool for the first time at a competition,” said Rudolf.
In addition to applauding the performances of the swimmers, Rudolf was also impressed by the dedication of the many volunteers that she said were vital to the success of the RMSC Spring Invitational.
“There are over 80 volunteer shifts that need to be filled each weekend that the club hosts a competition, as well as countless hours that are put in by our board members and coaching staff for each event,” she said.
“Building a culture where parents and family members are supporting our club’s events by donating their time is incredibly important to the success of the club, and will allow us to look into hosting larger events in the future, especially with the hope of a new facility being built in years to come.”
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The next challenge for many of the RMSC members will be the Jessica Deglau Invitational on April 29 and 30 at the UBC Aquatic Centre, and the West Coast Open from May 5 to 7 in Richmond.
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