Vancouver Vikings Aquatics

The latest issue of The Hammer (May 22, 2012) has been posted to the Hammer page.

At the end of the month Vancouver Dolphins will once again be hosting the "Mel Zajac Junior" International swim meet at the University of British Columbia. This year some of our own international swimmers like World Champion, Brent Hayden and World Championship Medalist, Martha McCabe will be joined by some Australian talent like Olympic Gold medalists Stephanie Rice and Bronte Barrett, and Korean Olympic Champion Park Tae-Hwan. The meet will be fast and exciting.

Between the prelims and finals session of the international competition we will be hosting swim clinics for swimmers aged 10 & Over, who have a moderate to strong swimming ability. The clinics will begin with a talk from some of the International Swimmers, followed by a water session coached by myself, Swim BC coach Vince Mikuska, Winskill Dolphin coach Ben Keast as well as other volunteer coaches.

The clinic sessions run on May 26th (Fly/Back) and May 27th (Breast/Free). The swimmers can participate in the clinic, then watch the finals session of the competition. Admission to finals is free.


Saturday's event list is;

• 100 Butterfly (Featuring Vancouver Dolphin & Canadian Record holder Noemie Thomas)
• 50 Backstroke
• 400 Freestyle (Featuring Olympic Champion Park Tae-Hwan)
• 200 IM (Featuring Olympic Champion Stephanie Rice)
• 50 Freestyle (Featuring Vancouver Dolphin & Canadian Record holder Brent Hayden)
• 200 Breaststroke (Featuring Vancouver Dolphin & 2012 Olympian Martha McCabe)

Sunday's event list is;

• 50 Breaststroke (Featuring Vancouver Dolphin & 2004/2012 Olympian Scott Dickens)
• 200 Butterfly (Featuring World Championship Medalist Wu Peng from China)
• 100 Freestyle (Featuring Vancouver Dolphin & 2011 Champhionship Medalist Brent Hayden)
• 100 Backstroke (Featuring Australian 2012 Olympian Meagan Nay) Distance Freestyle (Featuring Vancouver Dolphin & 2008/2012 Olympian Savannah King)

The best part is that the clinics are FREE if parents signup to official and/or time a session of the meet. Space is limited for both the clinics, and the officiating/timing signup so please be quick to sign-up over email specifying both which camp and which session you'd like to time or officiate. (Note that summer club parents cannot officiate at the Swim BC meets, but you can time). The camp(s) are $75 each without volunteering at the meet. Swimmers can do one of both camps - for both camps please sign-up for multiple sessions to volunteer. Volunteer sessions would be Prelims or Finals on Friday, Saturday or Sunday (6 sessions to choose from).

To signup please contact me - Vancouver Dolphins coach, Tom Rushton, at tom@pacificdolphins.com .

Please look at the Junior Leading Page for the schedule from May 7th to June 1st.

Please be aware that the Jewish Community Centre closes promptly at 6:00pm on Fridays for the Sabbath.    Parents arriving before 6:00pm must wait on the pool deck.  Parents arriving after 6:00pm will not be able to access the building and thereby will have to wait for their swimmers to leave the facility through the back doors located at the alley. Swimmers please change and exit the facility as soon as possible.

Swimmer and Parents,

Vancouver Pacific Swim Club is pleased to open up its 2012 Performance Stroke Clinics for our Vikings swimmers.  These clinics will focus on stroke development and racing strategy.  Sessions are run by VPSC's senior coaches, UBC varsity swimmers, and national team members.  Sessions include in-water video analysis.  

1.       Saturday May 5th (Backstroke)
2.       Sunday May 6th (IM turns & tactics)
3.       Saturday May 12th (Freestyle)
4.       Sunday May 27th (Starts & Breakouts)

Clinics are open to all levels of swimmers - from developmental to age group nationals.

Clinics are $35 each.  

All other swimmers can register via email at info@swimcamps.ca.
For more information please email or call the office at 604-736-0411

Swimmer and Parents,

Winskill Dolphins Swim Club is very excited our 2012 Summer Stroke Clinic series, coached by our competitive program staff, and featuring Olympians Jake Tapp and Martha McCabe! These clinics will focus on skills and drills that swimmers can utilize over the summer months to improve relative to their competition.

1. May 5th, 2012 – Ladner Outdoor Pool.  Breaststroke.
2. May 12th, 2012 – Ladner Outdoor Pool.  Backstroke.
3. May 19th, 2012 – Ladner Outdoor Pool.  Butterfly
4. May 26th, 2012 – Ladner Outdoor Pool.  Freestyle.

Each clinic will be split into two age-group sessions, running 9-11 years old 3-4pm and 12-16 years old 4-5pm.

Clinics are $30 each, or $100 for to all four.

Please contact me – ben@winskilldolphins.org – to register or if you have any questions.

See you at the pool,

Ben Keast
Head Coach
Winskill Dolphins Swim Club