Tritons help Nova Scotia to all-star meet victory

BY JOHN DECOSTE

Six members of the Wolfville Tritons swim club did their part in helping a Nova Scotia all-star team win a tri-meet Nov. 8 in Halifax against New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Team Nova Scotia ended up with 679 points for top placings at the one-day meet held at the Dalplex pool, to New Brunswick’s 554 and 142 for PEI.

Five of the six Tritons that swam at the meet placed first in at least one event, with all six turning in at least one top-three finish. “I’m very pleased with the performances shown both by our Tritons swimmers and by the province as a whole,” Tritons head coach Chris Stone – who is also Team Nova Scotia head coach for the all-star meet -- said Sunday, Nov. 9.

Mary Claire Lynch led the Wolfville swimmers with first-place swims in three of her five events. Swimming in the 15-18 girls’ age group, Lynch, 16, won the 100-metre freestyle, 200-metre breaststroke and 200-metre Individual Medley, and was fourth and fifth in her other two events.

Tanisha Bezanson, 14, won the 100 and 200 butterfly for 13-14 girls, was third in the 200 backstroke and 800 freestyle and fourth in the 400 IM.

Colin Vibert, 14, the only male Wolfville swimmer at the meet, won both the 400 and 800 freestyle for 13-14 boys, was second in the 50 freestyle and third in both the 200 free and 400 IM.

Rebecca MacPherson, 12, also had a strong meet, winning the 200 IM for 11-12 girls, placing second in both the 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke and third in the 200 back.

Stella Champion-Keating, 12, won the 50-metre freestyle for 11-12 girls and was second in the 200 free. Kassandra Parsons, 12, was third in both the 50 butterfly and 50 freestyle in 11-12 girls.

All six Tritons accumulated points toward the team victory, and the five female Tritons led all clubs represented at the meet, on all three provincial teams, in total points scored, accumulating 100 points toward the team total of 679.

Stone pointed out that “all of the swimmers on the team were stepping up to race all day long, with many posting best time performances.”

Bezanson took more than 18 seconds off her time in placing third in the 800 freestyle. Lynch and MacPherson both shaved more than 11 seconds off their times in winning the 200 IM, and Champion-Keating took almost 10 seconds off her PB in the 200 free.

Next action for the Tritons will be a meet at the Dartmouth Sportsplex Nov. 21-23.