Island Swimming

Best of the West Fest 2026 Recap

Island Swimming sent a small but competitive group of eight athletes to the inaugural Best of the West Fest, held April 23–26 at the Pan Am Pool in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The team raced against top age group swimmers from across Western Canada over 3.5 days of long course competition.

In a strong field, our swimmers recorded 14 personal best times, along with three podium finishes and one new club record.

Zoe Paterson earned two bronze medals in the 14-year-old girls 50m and 100m butterfly events. Mason D’Entremont added a bronze medal in the 14-year-old boys 100m backstroke and set a new club record in the 13–14 boys 50m backstroke with a time of 29.52, finishing 4th—just 0.08 seconds off another podium.

This meet marked the first national-level competition for many of our athletes. Exposure to this level of racing is an important step in long-term development, helping swimmers gain experience in more competitive and high-pressure environments as they continue progressing in the sport.

Last weekend at Best of the West Fest in Winnipeg, Mason ensured he did not only have the short course club record in the 50 back, but also long course, breaking the previous one set in 2011 by Peter Brothers. Way to go Mason!

This past weekend in Nanaimo Ryder dropped yet another club record in the Boys 11-12 year old 50 fly, this time long course, breaking the one set in 2006 by former Olympian Alec Page. Congratulations Ryder!

iRace #4 "The Masters"

Our 4th iRace of the season teed off in style with a fun and energetic “The Masters” theme, and it was another fantastic day for our swimmers. We welcomed 83 swimmers to the pool, including many athletes attending their very first iRace. It was especially exciting to see so many new faces step up on the blocks, give their best effort, and experience the thrill of racing for the first time — that confidence and willingness to try something new is exactly what iRace is all about.

One of the most encouraging takeaways from the day was the clear improvement we saw since our February iRace. Swimmers demonstrated stronger technique and greater comfort in a race environment, while the cheering, encouragement, and team spirit on deck made the atmosphere come alive from start to finish.

A special shout-out goes to our Combo 1 swimmers, who successfully completed their first-ever 25m butterfly races — a challenging stroke, and an incredible achievement.

We wrapped up the meet with a creative golf-themed twist on our classic dive-for-distance event called “The Longest Drive.”

Thank you to our swimmers, coaches, and volunteers for making this event such a success. We’re already looking forward to the final iRace of the season on Sunday, June 7 — “World Cup” themed! Wear your favourite soccer swag and get ready for a fun-filled day with lots of prizes to wrap up the season.