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Waveriders ride the crest in Kelowna

The Wave Riders will be sending a team to AAA short course provincials after a successful meet in Kelowna.

The Wave Riders will be sending a team to AAA short course provincials after a successful meet in Kelowna.

“There’s a lot of good competition in the Okanagan and it was really nice for Natasha to score that AAA,” coach Jeritt Brink said.

Natasha Hanson made her second AAA time of the season in the 100 free – two AAA times are required to make provincials.

“It feels really great. When we first went to the meet, I didn’t realize I was that close, I knew I was close but when I realized I was just a second and a bit off, I tried to push just that little bit harder,” Hanson said,

The achievement has made her team proud and been a boon to Garnet Currie, who is happy to have another swimmer coming with him to the AAA provincials.

The new time puts her in a new group, which has it’s ups and downs.

“She had the AA and she had a lot of disciplines in the AA, but by not making that AAA she wasn’t being ranked in the top 50 across the province,” Brink said.

“Now that she’s got AAA status in the 50 and 100 m she’s higher ranked – she’s inside the 50 now.”

Hanson also made the top 10 in seven out of eight of her events and came fifth in 100 back and third in 100 free.

Hanson, however, ages up before the long course provincials later this year which means she will have to hit a faster time to make that meet.

Garnet Currie, the other half of the team that will represent the Waveriders, made three new AAA times to bring his total to eight.

He was in the top five in seven of his events.  He came in fourth in 100 Free and 50 Fly, third in 200 Free and first in 50 Breast.  He got six personal best times.

After a few years of making AAAs, Currie is looking towards the national level.

“I want to benchmark 13 year old and under national times,” he said.

Emerie Watson, 12, in the 12-13 age category, was top 10 in 50 Free and 200 Back.  She reached her AA times in 50 free and 100 Back, which means she has qualified to go to AA Short Course provincials.

Brad Swyers, 14, in the 14-15 age category, was in the top ten in 100 and 200 Breast.  He got personal best times in five events that he just recently swam in Prince George.  He has the A time standard in 50 Free for 15 and under already.

Billy Swyers, 10, was in the top 10 in the 11 and under category for six of his events.  He was sixth in 50 Breast and 200 Breast and he reached the A time standard for 11 and under in all of the qualifying events he was in for the weekend.

Next up for the Waveriders is Jan. 31 – Feb. 3 in Kamloops for AAA Short Course Provincials with Natasha Hanson and Garnet Currie.