The Bow Valley Riptides, a swim club offering competitive and non-competitive swim programs, made quite a splash at the Summer Provincials held in Calgary from July 27 to July 30.
Each year, the Summer Provincials provides swimmers looking to compete at the national level an opportunity to train and race. This year’s event was four days of heats and finals at the MNP Community & Sports Centre in Calgary.
In total, Bow Valley Riptides’ swimmers brought home 12 medals. This includes seven gold, two silver, and three bronze medals. The swimmers also blasted 27 club records out of the water!
“I am really proud of all the athletes who participated, and their hard work through the season paid off,” said Bow Valley Riptides’ coach Tom Shackel to the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
But one swimmer stood out from the rest. Beni Purnhauser, a 15-year-old from Bow Valley, was swift as a dolphin and demolished the competition in the 15-year-old boys’ category.
Of the Bow Valley Riptides’ 12 medals, Purnhauser secured six, including five gold medals and one bronze medal. His outstanding performance earned him a ticket to the junior nationals in Toronto.
Winning is nothing new for Purnhauser, who previously earned a gold medal at the 2022 Provincial Championships in Edmonton.
Purnhauser wasn’t the only star to shine. Canmore’s Greta Dove put on quite a show in the 50-metre freestyle. At just 11 years old, Dove earned her first provincial gold medal. She also won two silver medals in the 100-metre and 400-metre freestyle and one bronze medal in the 200-metre freestyle.
But outside the pool, Dove is anything but a fish out of water. The young athlete recently competed at the Alberta Summer Games, winning two bronze medals in mountain biking.
The Bow Valley Riptides’ final gold medal went to Rhys Ashcroft, who won a gold medal in the 15-year-old boys’ category. He also won two bronze medals in the 200-metre and 100-metre breaststroke.
Ten swimmers from the Bow Valley Riptides swim club participated in the Summer Provincials, representing half of the club’s training group.
“I hope this continues to help us build and show what we are as a program in Canmore,” said Coach Shackel to Rocky Mountain Outlook.
