2019 Canada West Championships
- November 22-24, 2019
- University of Lethbridge Pool
- Lethbridge, Alberta
- SCM (25m)
- Results
International medalists Kelsey Wog and Danielle Hanus both set multiple meet records at the 2019 Canada West Championships last weekend in Lethbridge, as the best university swimmers from Western Canada had their last big competition until the U SPORTS (Canadian university) Championships in February.
Canada West has a different setup than the teams do in Ontario, who have their divisional championship meets (similar to an invite meet in the NCAA) in November before competing at the OUA Championships in February, just weeks before U SPORTS (OUAs are the equivalent of Canada West).
Wog, the 2016 Short Course World Championship silver medalist in the women’s 200 breaststroke, came into the meet on good form, having had some very impressive swims while competing for the Cali Condors of the International Swimming League.
The 21-year-old swept the women’s breaststroke events and set a new meet record in the 100 in a time of 1:05.07. She was also just off her own meet records in the 50 (30.57) and 200 (2:22.78). Competing for the University of Manitoba, she also won the 100 free in 54.20, and added two more meet record in the 100 (53.78) and 200 free (1:55.86) leading off the Bisons’ 400 and 800 free relays.
Hanus, who won four silver medals at the Pan Am Games this past summer, had four individual wins of her own. The University of Victoria member smashed the meet records in the women’s 50 back (27.02), 100 back (57.57), and 100 fly (58.68), and also won the 200 fly (2:10.16).
Also lowering a meet record was the University of British Columbia’s Hoi Lam Tam, who took one down in the women’s 50 fly (26.79), and also had a victory in the 50 free.
In a pair of very tight team races, UBC prevailed in both, but things came right down to the wire on the men’s side.
After heading into the final day tied, UBC and the University of Calgary were separated by just one point coming into the last event of the meet – the men’s 400 medley relay – with the Dinos up. Trailing by three-tenths of a second when he dove in, UBC’s Alexander Pratt anchored the Thunderbirds home in 49.03 to overtake Calgary and win both the relay and the meet. The final score was UBC 785, Calgary 780.
Pratt also had a standout showing individually, winning the men’s 100, 200 and 400 free. For Calgary, Robert Hill led the way with wins in the 50 back, 100 fly and 200 IM.
On the women’s side, UBC extended a 22.5-point advantage on the Dinos coming into the final day up to 93 by the end of the meet, topping them 905-812. Danica Ludlow was the top performer for the Calgary women with a sweep of the 200, 400 and 800 freestyles, and she also had the fastest split on the team’s winning 800 free relay.
The University of Victoria was a clear third on both sides.
FINAL SCORES – MEN
- UBC, 785
- Calgary, 780
- Victoria, 451
- Alberta, 335
- Regina, 297
- Lethbridge, 259
- Manitoba, 180
- Thompson Rivers, 100
FINAL SCORES – WOMEN
- UBC, 905
- Calgary, 812
- Victoria, 529
- Manitoba, 275
- Alberta, 261
- Lethbridge, 181
- Regina, 51
- Thomspon Rivers, 19
Wog also swam 53.78 leading off the 4×100 fr relay and 1:55.8 leading off the 4×200!
Updated, thanks!