Surge sending record number of swimmers to weekend event

Regional and provincial qualifications already on the line this weekend for 247 athletes

Darren Taylor/SooToday

The Sault Surge will be hosting the first NEOR meet of the season at the John Rhodes pool this weekend, Oct. 28-29.

There will be 247 athletes representing clubs in the North Eastern Ontario Region from Sudbury, North Bay, Timmins, Kapuskasing, Hearst, Sturgeon Falls, Kirkland Lake and Temiskaming Shores this weekend, with 67 locals from the Surge at this meet, surpassing the largest contingent at a NEOR development meet since the club's inception in 2015.

Swimmers will be seeking personal best times as well as qualifying standards for regional and provincial championships meets. Sault Ste. Marie will be site of the North Eastern Ontario Regional Dave Kensit Memorial Championships Feb. 2-4.

Last weekend Surge members swam a time-trial during their regular Saturday morning practice time slot. Swimmers, despite the early season racing opportunity, still managed to post 233 personal best times over four to five events. Alex Orazietti and Andrew Li both set boys 13-14 age group club records in the 50-metre breaststroke and 200 individual medley respectively.

Racing Saturday starts at 11 a.m. for swimmers aged 13 and over with a start time of 4 p.m. for swimmers aged 12 and under. Racing resumes on Sunday with the swimmers aged 13 and over starting at 9 a.m. while the swimmers aged 12 and under race at 1 p.m.

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