Kamloops native Jack Savage, who swims at the University of Victoria, looks forward to a Canada West swimming championships in January (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

CANADA WEST SWIMMING

Kamloops swimmers excited to dive back into Canada West championships

Jul 16, 2020 | 5:23 PM

KAMLOOPS — Jack Savage has been back in the pool for a couple weeks. But now, he has a meet to look forward to — the Canada West championships in January.

“As long as there’s still a meet, I’m pretty happy,” he said after a training session with the Kamloops Classics at Brock Pool on Thursday. “If it gets pushed to the end of the season, it kind of gives the whole team something to work toward.”

The 20-year-old Kamloops native swims at the University of Victoria. He says postponement makes for better timing, having the championship meet in the new year.

“Having the conference meet right in the middle of the season at the end of November, whereas other conferences, they have their meets in February, right before the USPORTS [national championship] meet.”

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Canada West announced Wednesday (July 15) swimming and golf championships will proceed, at least for the time being.

TRU WolfPack swim coach Brad Dalke says in a time when COVID-19 has shut down sports, the announcement is uplifting.

“It’s huge for us. We’re super excited with the opportunity that we’re going to be able to be swimming with Canada West,” said Dalke, who works with other USPORTS swimmers through the Kamloops Classic Swimming Club. “It’s just starting to signal to us that we’re getting back to what would be our new normal.”

TRU Athletic Director Curtis Atkinson, who’s also on the Canada West COVID-19 Task Force, says the swimming championships will look different.

“What does it look like on deck? What do cleaning protocols look like on deck?” he said. “Often at a Canada West championship, all the male and female swimmers will be in close proximity on the deck, in the change rooms, in the stands. So modifying the actual championship for the out-of-water components is where we’ll probably see it look a little bit different.”

It’s not know how many swimmers would actually take part in each heat.

Kamloops native Elise Laupland swims at Queen’s University. Ontario University Athletics (OUA) hasn’t determined whether its swimming championships will go ahead in February. Laupland hopes Canada West’s announcement encourages the OUA to dive right in.

“Oh yeah, definitely, I’d be so excited if they finally said, ‘Yeah, we can go back to swimming.’ But just waiting.”

Savage is looking forward to a January championship, a time when he’s at his best.

“That’s usually when I tend to peak anyway, so I’ll be able to swim really well at Can West hopefully this year and make some A finals.”