By Dan Marshall

Nanaimo White Rapids Swim Club host 51st annual meet this long weekend

Jun 29, 2017 | 10:22 AM

NANAIMO – A group of 700 swimmers will descend on the harbour city this long weekend.
 
The Nanaimo White Rapids Swim Club is hosting their 51st annual invitational meet.

The three day meet at the Kin Pool in Bowen Park will feature 160 athletes from Nanaimo.

Swimmers in the six and under age group all the way to 20 plus will be competing.

Swim coach Baylee Munro is expecting big things from some of the local senior swimmers.

“Rising star Nick Tonella is making his way into the competition scene as well as Finn Bodnar who is an up and comer looking to transition into university swimming,” said Munro.

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The competition will start at noon on Friday and then 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

With Saturday being our country’s 150th Birthday, Munro says they will be incorporating a Canada Day theme.

“Everyone’s going to be wearing red and white,” said Munro. “We’ve assembled a choir of swimmers to sing the national anthem, and I think that’s going to raise the stakes of the event a little bit.”

July and August are the prime months for the 200 member Nanaimo White Rapids Swim Club with meets in Campbell River, Salt Spring, and Sidney in July, and then the two biggest events of the season in August.

The Vancouver Island Regional Meet is August 4-6 with the BCSSA Provincial Championships going August 18-20.

Munro says there’s been alot of hard work by the volunteers and board members to prep for the event and that includes the possibility of food trucks in Bowen Park during the weekend.

For event times and other information you can go to the club website. 

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77