Dedication and commitment landed Penticton’s KISU Swim Club in unfamiliar territory at last weekend’s Swim B.C. Tier 2 Winter Championships in Kamloops.
Of the event’s top six individual point-getters, five were from KISU, which became the first team outside the Lower Mainland and Victoria to win the championships according to coach Tina Hoeben.
The 21 Penticton swimmers topped the standings with 1,210 points, finishing ahead of runner-up Island Swimming Club of Victoria (1,165), which had 14 more athletes competing.
“I have an exceptional group of young people in the club right now who are willing to go that extra mile and do whatever it takes in any conditions,” said Hoeben. “And the conditions were difficult in that they had multiple races without much rest in between, and because Victoria had more swimmers, it was a lot easier for them to get points.”
KISU had a 13.5-point lead after the first two days. Vancouver, Simon Fraser and Kelowna rounded out the top five in the final standings. Over 400 swimmers from 30 clubs competed in the event.
Among those leading the charge for KISU was Ashley McMillan in the girls U14 division who swam to 10 first place finishes, three seconds and two thirds for 177 points on her own.
Not far behind her was Justin Fotherby in the boys U15 who chipped in 143 points, winding up with eight firsts, two seconds and three thirds.
Other top point-earners for KISU were Laurenz Weber (132) and Tyler Wall (106).
The club will be hosting its own event starting Friday at the Community Centre pool with the Tier 1 provincials for U13 swimmers.