The Waveriders missed the AAA championships this season when AAA swimmer Garnet Currie went in for an appendix operation.
Despite the healing process this persistent swimmer was not about to let this minor set back stop him from participating in one final event of the season but there was a catch. If Currie was well enough to swim Waverrider coach Jerrit Brink was going to as well.
“I saw him out of the hospital with the surgery marks looking great,” said Brink.
“He said to me that if he got healed in time for Kelowna’s Open Water Apple event that I’d have to swim it.”
After a brief healing period Currie and Brink were entered in a 1500m open water swim, Aug. 15.
The event saw 52 swimmers, ranging from 12-years-old to 69-years-old and both Quesnel competitors faced tough challenges for the event, with this being Currie’s first event after his surgery and Brink’s first long distance completive swim in nearly 15 years.
“The kid is inspiring that’s for sure,” Brink said.
“To recover and swim in a month and a bit after an emergency appendix operation is nuts. How could I not keep my end of the deal.”
Swimming ahead of his group was the Waverider coach and despite his long break from competitive swimming Brink placed first in his age group with a time of 29:06.
As Brink had expected Currie performed excellently at the event, taking third place in his age group.
Currie finished the 1.5km swim with a time of 25:24 coming in eighth place overall in the men’s division.
“Out of about 52 total swimmers I was happy that both Garnet and I made the top 25,” Brink said.
“I knew Garnet would do smashing. It was me I was worried about. The other men I beat were way more for and obviously been swimming but it was purely swim technique and my wanting to show Garnet that his coach kinda knows a thing or two.”
Brink may continue to swim and train with the hope of entering an event with a group of Waveriders in the upcoming season.
Preparation for the new season has already begun. Tickets for the Waverider’s fundraiser at the Cariboo Hotel Sept. 6 are nearly sold out and central registration for the upcoming swim season’s will be Sept. 3 6 – 8 p.m. As part of the registration swimmers will have the opportunity to sign up for a swim camp with Brent Hayden.
For information visit www.quesnelwaveriders.ca.