Island Swimming

NRST Spring Sprint Meet Recap

ISC wrapped up a strong weekend of racing in Nanaimo, marking the second competition in back-to-back weekends. The focus for this meet was simple but important: repeat key events and race them better. With an emphasis on the 200 and 400 freestyle, along with the 200 IM, swimmers were challenged to improve not just their times, but their pacing, splitting, and overall race strategy based on post-race discussions last week.

The results were outstanding. Across the board, athletes showed clear progress from the previous weekend — many delivering faster swims with stronger, more controlled splits, while others matched their times but executed much smarter, more consistent races. This kind of growth is exactly what we were aiming for, and it was great to see it come to life in the pool.

A highlight of the meet came from Ryder, who set a new 11–12 club record in the 50 fly (31.25), breaking a 20-year-old mark previously held by Olympian Alex Page. An incredible achievement. Shout out as well to Clara, who won 5 of her 8 events, and Ryder, who claimed 4 wins of his own.

Overall, most swimmers posted best times in nearly every event compared to just the weekend before — a testament to their focus, resilience, and commitment to improving how they race. Well done to the entire team.

Best of the West Fest 2026 Recap

Island Swimming sent a small but competitive group of eight athletes to the inaugural Best of the West Fest, held April 23–26 at the Pan Am Pool in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The team raced against top age group swimmers from across Western Canada over 3.5 days of long course competition.

In a strong field, our swimmers recorded 14 personal best times, along with three podium finishes and one new club record.

Zoe Paterson earned two bronze medals in the 14-year-old girls 50m and 100m butterfly events. Mason D’Entremont added a bronze medal in the 14-year-old boys 100m backstroke and set a new club record in the 13–14 boys 50m backstroke with a time of 29.52, finishing 4th—just 0.08 seconds off another podium.

This meet marked the first national-level competition for many of our athletes. Exposure to this level of racing is an important step in long-term development, helping swimmers gain experience in more competitive and high-pressure environments as they continue progressing in the sport.

Last weekend at Best of the West Fest in Winnipeg, Mason ensured he did not only have the short course club record in the 50 back, but also long course, breaking the previous one set in 2011 by Peter Brothers. Way to go Mason!

This past weekend in Nanaimo Ryder dropped yet another club record in the Boys 11-12 year old 50 fly, this time long course, breaking the one set in 2006 by former Olympian Alec Page. Congratulations Ryder!

Island Swimming Shines at the Canadian Open in Edmonton!

At the beginning of September, 7 Island Swimming athletes traveled to Edmonton to compete at the Canadian Open Swimming Championships — one of the top national meets in the country, raced in long course (50m).

Representing the team were Kaiya Weaver, Lila Koropatniski, Marlee Hourston, Sailor Naus, Chase Saxon, Giulio Gianese, and Noah Weaver.

The goal was simple and true to the sport’s tradition: step up, race the best, and see where we stand.

And this year, the answer was clear.

Progress. Real progress.

Compared to last season, the team delivered a stronger performance, highlighted by an impressive 21 finals out of 30 events entered. At this level, making a final means you belong — and our swimmers proved it again and again throughout the weekend.

Across multiple events, Island swimmers consistently moved through prelims and came back at night to race among the top athletes in the country. That kind of consistency is not luck — it comes from daily work, discipline, and a standard that doesn’t change.

A special highlight came during the provincial relay competition, where the best swimmers from each province team up to race for pride.
Chase Saxon and Noah Weaver were selected to represent Team British Columbia, going head-to-head with the top provinces in Canada — a strong recognition of their level and their impact.

And yes… Edmonton reminded us it’s not summer yet.

In summary: 7 swimmers. 21 finals. Provincial relay selections.

iRace #4 "The Masters"

Our 4th iRace of the season teed off in style with a fun and energetic “The Masters” theme, and it was another fantastic day for our swimmers. We welcomed 83 swimmers to the pool, including many athletes attending their very first iRace. It was especially exciting to see so many new faces step up on the blocks, give their best effort, and experience the thrill of racing for the first time — that confidence and willingness to try something new is exactly what iRace is all about.

One of the most encouraging takeaways from the day was the clear improvement we saw since our February iRace. Swimmers demonstrated stronger technique and greater comfort in a race environment, while the cheering, encouragement, and team spirit on deck made the atmosphere come alive from start to finish.

A special shout-out goes to our Combo 1 swimmers, who successfully completed their first-ever 25m butterfly races — a challenging stroke, and an incredible achievement.

We wrapped up the meet with a creative golf-themed twist on our classic dive-for-distance event called “The Longest Drive.”

Thank you to our swimmers, coaches, and volunteers for making this event such a success. We’re already looking forward to the final iRace of the season on Sunday, June 7 — “World Cup” themed! Wear your favourite soccer swag and get ready for a fun-filled day with lots of prizes to wrap up the season.

What a week.

We wrapped up nine amazing practices at an incredible facility, mixing aerobic work, skills, and high-intensity sets—plus lots of turns and underwater work in short course yards. The group handled the heat, took care of themselves, and showed great consistency all week.

One of the biggest highlights: our early morning hike up Camelback Mountain. Tough climb, steep elevation, and zero shortcuts—but this group pushed through and made it to the top. Seriously proud of the resilience and mindset they showed.

We also squeezed in some fun with a (very competitive) go-kart day—shoutout to Addie for the fastest lap—and wrapped it up with a well-earned team treat.

Like any camp, we faced a bit of adversity with some illness along the way, but the team handled it with maturity and grit. Huge thank you to Caroline and Serge for the care and support they gave everyone throughout the week.

Proud of this group. Back to work soon.

Brad Crocker

We are excited to announce our first Speedo Week of 2026, running March 16th - March 22nd!

We’ve brought in additional inventory for the occasion and added a few extra items to the promotion this year. 😉

One of the new items to be included in the Speedo Week promotion is our Teamster 2.0 backpacks. (Which normally are left off the discount list!)

Your discount code will be sent out on Friday!

I recommend getting your orders ready now, as we expect a lot of stock to fly off the shelves!

🚨Club Record Alert 🚨

Congratulations to Mason D’Entremont for breaking the Boys 13-14 club record in the 50 backstroke at last weekends Provincial Championships! Another example of what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Way to go Mason!

🚨Club Record Alert 🚨

Congratulations to Ryder Chang for breaking his own club records in the boys 11-12 age category for both the 50 fly and 50 breast at last weekends Provincial Championships! Proof that dedication, patience, and relentless effort pays off. Great job Ryder!

🚨Club Record Alert 🚨

Congratulations to Giulio Gianese for breaking the boys 15-17 club record in the 100 and 200 backstroke (again) at last weekends Provincial Championships! It’s a testament to Giulio’s work ethic and determination he shows on a day-to-day basis. Well done!