Swimming

Selkirks coach Sam Barkwell with swimmers Finn Skofteby, Eric Moore, Tegan Konge, Dane Bach, Clara Tracy and Marrin Harwood at the B.C. Winter North and Interior Divisional meet in Kamloops Feb. 10-12, 2023. (Contributed)

Columbia Shuswap Selkirks making waves in swim competition season

Swimmers win medals and place high at provincials

 

Okanagan Para Swimming members Senna Entner of Vernon (left) and Brea Duncan of Armstrong won silver and gold, respecively, in the S7 100 metre backstroke at the B.C. Winter Provincial Swimming Championships in Victoria. (Facebook photo)

North Okanagan Para swimmers rock B.C. Winter provincials

Brea Duncan, Senna Entner and Jacob Brayshaw return with medals, records, personal best times

 

Penticton swimmer Hannah Rutten after qualifying for the 2023 Junior Nationals in Toronto. (Submitted)

Penticton swimming star collecting cans to help pay for Toronto-bound travel expenses

14-year-old Hannah Rutten is listed as one of Swim BC’s brightest prospects

 

(Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)

Vernon Winter Carnival’s Polar Bear Swim a real splash

Dozens of people jumped into a frigid Okanagan Lake Saturday

(Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)
Canada’s Markus Thormeyer (left) huddles with Brent Hayden, Yuri Kisil and Joshua Liendo following a fourth place finish in the men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay during the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, July 26, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn photo)

B.C. Olympian Markus Thormeyer banned 12 months for doping violation

Sanction stems from unintentionally ingesting a banned agent in his partner’s water bottle last year

Canada’s Markus Thormeyer (left) huddles with Brent Hayden, Yuri Kisil and Joshua Liendo following a fourth place finish in the men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay during the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, July 26, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn photo)
The Shuswap Recreation Society is looking to add a climbing wall to the Salmon Arm pool similar to the one at the Revelstoke Aquatic Centre. (David Gonella/Revelstoke Aquatic Centre/Youtube image)

A pair of play features in the works for Salmon Arm swimming pool

Increased use and need for lifegaurds contributing to capacity issues

The Shuswap Recreation Society is looking to add a climbing wall to the Salmon Arm pool similar to the one at the Revelstoke Aquatic Centre. (David Gonella/Revelstoke Aquatic Centre/Youtube image)
Lifeguard Chantal Wong stands next to the newly installed diving board at the Vernon Aquatic Centre.<ins> The board will be ready for use later in the day Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023.</ins> (City of Vernon photo)

New diving board makes a splash at Vernon pool

The old diving board was decommissioned in November after a deficiency was found

Lifeguard Chantal Wong stands next to the newly installed diving board at the Vernon Aquatic Centre.<ins> The board will be ready for use later in the day Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023.</ins> (City of Vernon photo)
Sarah Tokarek of Shuswap Adventure Girl outdoor adventure and travel blog, along with her adventuring companions, took part in the popular New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim in the North Shuswap. But when most brave souls were back on shore warming up, the Adventure Girls were still enjoying the water because they cold swim nearly every day in the Shuswap. (Photo contributed)

Snapshot: Basking in the chill of Shuswap Lake on New Year’s Day

Shuswap Adventure Girls stay for a soak after Polar Plunge in North Shuswap

Sarah Tokarek of Shuswap Adventure Girl outdoor adventure and travel blog, along with her adventuring companions, took part in the popular New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim in the North Shuswap. But when most brave souls were back on shore warming up, the Adventure Girls were still enjoying the water because they cold swim nearly every day in the Shuswap. (Photo contributed)
Kerry Fortier and Lyle Martin were among about half a dozen people who came to Canoe Beach on Jan. 1, 2023, hoping for a New Year’s Day Polar Bear Dip. However, the water was too low and the ice too thick, so the two hardy individuals tried farther down the lake. There they agreed to humour the photographer and strike a pose as they put their feet into a small pond in icy Shuswap Lake. (Martha Wickett - Salmon Arm Observer)

Low water at Canoe Beach near Salmon Arm denies hardy swimmers a polar plunge

Two residents humour photographer by putting feet in icy pond in Shuswap Lake

Kerry Fortier and Lyle Martin were among about half a dozen people who came to Canoe Beach on Jan. 1, 2023, hoping for a New Year’s Day Polar Bear Dip. However, the water was too low and the ice too thick, so the two hardy individuals tried farther down the lake. There they agreed to humour the photographer and strike a pose as they put their feet into a small pond in icy Shuswap Lake. (Martha Wickett - Salmon Arm Observer)
The Polar Bear Dip at Tugboat Beach to kick off 2023 in Kelowna. (Trudy Jane Janicki/Facebook)

Sun’s out, buns out: A cool start to 2023 with Kelowna’s annual Polar Bear Dip

Dippers jumped in at 2 p.m. on Jan. 1

  • Jan 2, 2023
The Polar Bear Dip at Tugboat Beach to kick off 2023 in Kelowna. (Trudy Jane Janicki/Facebook)
Members of the Vernon, B.C. Lake Plunge Club start off 2023 with a New Year’s Day dip in Kal Lake. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)

PHOTOS: Coldstream lake dippers plunge into New Year

Eager souls brave ice, frigid waters of Kal Lake Sunday, Jan. 1, to start 2023

Members of the Vernon, B.C. Lake Plunge Club start off 2023 with a New Year’s Day dip in Kal Lake. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)
Canada’s Maggie Mac Neil in action during World Swimming Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 21, 2021. On Dec. 18, 2022, she set a new world record at the FINA World Swimming Championships. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

Canadian swimmer Maggie Mac Neil sets world record at short course worlds

Mac Neil trimmed over a half-second off the previous record

Canada’s Maggie Mac Neil in action during World Swimming Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 21, 2021. On Dec. 18, 2022, she set a new world record at the FINA World Swimming Championships. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
The Selkirks Swim Club will be holding its 2022 Swim-A-Thon on Dec. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. to see how many lengths swimmers can complete in an hour. The public is invited to pledge funds to help support the club. (Selkirks Swim Club photo)

How far?: Selkirks swimmers challenge themselves in 2022 Selkirks Swim-A-Thon

Public invited to pledge swimmers for Dec. 16 event to help raise funds for club expenses

  • Nov 22, 2022
The Selkirks Swim Club will be holding its 2022 Swim-A-Thon on Dec. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. to see how many lengths swimmers can complete in an hour. The public is invited to pledge funds to help support the club. (Selkirks Swim Club photo)
The installation of a new 132-foot dock at Gardom Lake was completed on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. (Fred McAllister photo)

After 26 years, new dock installed for lovers of Gardom Lake near Salmon Arm

Dock nearly three times the length of others Freshwater Fisheries BC put in this year

The installation of a new 132-foot dock at Gardom Lake was completed on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. (Fred McAllister photo)
Columbia Shuswap Selkirks Swim Club member Dane Bach competes in Penticton during the club’s first meet of the season held Oct. 14-16, 2022. (Contributed)

New head coach leads Columbia Shuswap Selkirks in first meet of the season

Swim club finds Sam Barkwell a ‘perfect fit’

  • Oct 21, 2022
Columbia Shuswap Selkirks Swim Club member Dane Bach competes in Penticton during the club’s first meet of the season held Oct. 14-16, 2022. (Contributed)
Recreation services director Doug Ross gives guests at a pop-up information booth the facts about Vernon’s proposed Active Living Centre prior to the referendum. (Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)

UPDATE: Vernon affords city new active living centre, for 2026

Referendum passes for $121 M facility borrowing, total number in favour underreported by 100 votes

Recreation services director Doug Ross gives guests at a pop-up information booth the facts about Vernon’s proposed Active Living Centre prior to the referendum. (Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)
Recreation services director Doug Ross gives guests at a pop-up information booth the facts about Vernon’s proposed Active Living Centre Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. (Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)

Vernon affords city new active living centre

Referendum passes for $121 M facility borrowing

Recreation services director Doug Ross gives guests at a pop-up information booth the facts about Vernon’s proposed Active Living Centre Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. (Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)
Coldstream's Jacob Brayshaw (left) is presented with the Senior Swimmer of the Year award by Swim B.C. technical director Cory Beatt at the recent Team Aquatic Supplies B.C. Swimming Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet in Whistler. (Swim B.C. photo)

Historic honour for North Okanagan swimmer

Jacob Brayshaw becomes first Para swimmer named Swim B.C. Senior Swimmer of the Year

Coldstream's Jacob Brayshaw (left) is presented with the Senior Swimmer of the Year award by Swim B.C. technical director Cory Beatt at the recent Team Aquatic Supplies B.C. Swimming Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet in Whistler. (Swim B.C. photo)
The historic Peanut Pool at Vernon’s Lakeview Park is being deconstructed, to be replaced by new pool in 2023. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)

Historic Vernon pool shelled by machinery

Peanut Pool being demolished this week; new facility at Lakeview Park to open in summer 2023

The historic Peanut Pool at Vernon’s Lakeview Park is being deconstructed, to be replaced by new pool in 2023. (Roger Knox - Morning Star)
Drowning is “not the violent splashing and shouting for help that one sees on TV. There’s no screaming or flailing of arms,” writes reporter Jenna Hauck. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)

COLUMN: Drowning is silent; familiarize yourself with the signs of it

Chilliwack reporter shares what signs of drowning look like after incident with son in pool

Drowning is “not the violent splashing and shouting for help that one sees on TV. There’s no screaming or flailing of arms,” writes reporter Jenna Hauck. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
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