A group of 99 Saanich athletes and coaches helped the Vancouver Island-Central Coast, Zone 6, to the top of the 2016 B.C. Summer Games medal standings in Abbotsford with 52 gold, 42 silver and 50 bronze medals (Fraser Valley was second with 120 medals).
Saanich was up to its old tricks with medals in softball, volleyball and field lacrosse, as well as rowing, swimming, track and field and triathlon.
Saanich triathlete Danielle Leipoldt won three golds, in the super sprint triathlon, duathlon (run, bike, run) and the aquathlon (swim, run), and a bronze in the (longer-distance) triathlon.
St. Margaret’s School student Colette Reimer, 15, finished the Games with a silver in the girls super sprint triathlon, silver in the duathlon (run, bike, run) and a bronze in the aquathlon (swim and run). Saanich’s Ian Aitken won bronze in the duathlon.
Reimer was also one of 16 B.C. Games athletes to win the Coast Capital Leadership Bursary for outstanding dedication to sports academics and community leadership.
This year Reimer raised $3,000 for the Triathlon of Compassion’s benefactor, the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre, and has now raised $10,000 for the Tri of Compassion. She also volunteers with an after school club, the green club, and is a student ambassador for St. Margaret’s.
The B.C. Summer Games ran from July 21 to 24. Here are some of the many Saanich results.
Softball players Rachel Bobroske, Zoe Kinking and Bria Wilson represented Saanich as gold medal winners on the Island Zone 6 team, which defeated Fraser Valley in the final.
On the hard court, a trio of Reynolds secondary students are boasting gold as Abby Willett, Emma Letkeman and Hannah Stonnell were part of the Zone 6 girls volleyball championship team. They beat Fraser River in the final.
Longtime Lansdowne middle school coach Rick Wutzke was at the helm as the Zone 6 volleyball boys team also reached the final, earning a silver medal in a loss to Fraser Valley. Saanich was represented on the on the Zone 6 boys team by Aidan Denny, Luke De Greeff, Reed Smith and Dominic Salvador.
In girls rugby sevens, Claremont secondary students Payton Cochrane and Shaye Tudor helped the Island team to silver. They fell to Fraser Valley in the final.
In towed water sports, Saanich’s Amanda Chambers won silver in water skiing slalom.
Under the water, synchronized swimmer Kaitlin Aylesworth of Saanich won gold in the 13 to 15 age group figures event.
On the water, Saanich sent several swimmers to last week’s B.C. Summer Games, where the meet was held in Abbotsford’s Centennial Pool.
Island Swimming also sent Jennika Efford as the Zone 6 head coach.
Saanich’s Jordan Cowan, 13, picked up two bronze medals, in the 200- and 400-metre freestyle events. Cowan also came close in the 1,500m free, with a fourth place finish, and anchored the boys 200m medley relay that won bronze with Zone 6 teammates Jonathan Drygasuk (Comox), Roman Fedyukov (Gabriola Island) and Elijah Agostinelli-Stull (Victoria).
Ali Rasmussen, 13, claimed silver in 100m butterfly, right behind teammate Mareya Valeva (Oak Bay), dropping two seconds in that event for a personal best.
Alexandra Greenfield, 14, posted her best times in the 50m free and 100m breaststroke. She participated in a 200m free ‘swim off’ where she posted another best time.
Alex Frketic took bronze in the boys 400m individual medley.
Saanich proves to be a field lacrosse hotspot for B.C. as seven Saanich athletes were part of the Zone 6 boys team that won the B.C. Summer Games field lacrosse gold medal under Saanich head coach Brian Spaven. Representing were Reid Matthews, Patick Doods, Keegan Neary, Ryan Sheridan, Patrick Wong, Owen Russell and Denton Macdonald.
In the boat, Saanich rower Spencer Thomas partnered with Benett Layton of Lantzville to win gold medals in the boys 1,000m and 1,500m double. Maddie Holmes won gold medals in the girls double 1,000m and 1,500m with partner Jordyn Sjerven of Saanichton. Holmes and Sjerven also won gold in the girls skills competition.
On the track, Blake Furtado was part of the Zone 6 boys 4x400m relay sprint team that won silver in a time of 3:43.15. Angelina Shandro was silver in the girls 300m dash.
Saanich contributed several players to the Island 3-on-3 basketball teams including coaches. The Zone 6 silver medal winning team included Saanich’s Jenna De Greeff, Payton Henderson, Reese Manns, Charlotte Westhaver and Adaiah Tupas-Singh, with coach Lisa De Greeff and assistant Dana Manns. The bronze medal winning Zone 6 boys 3-on-3 team featured Saanich’s Nate Crust, Benjamin Manns, Cormick Brown, Owen Fisher, Jakob Edgar-Neufeld and coach Jeff Rud with assistant Lana Rud.
For more results please visit bcgames.org.