Durham Strikes Gold at Provincial Championships

Durham Synchro made quite a splash at the Provincial Championships in Guelph Feb 15-17. Our athletes under the direction of award winning Head Coach, Holley Lundmark took a remarkable 10 of the 12 top awards. This was the most successful Provincial meet in Durham Synchro Club history.

Stephanie Geller won gold in Tier 6 Figures, Solo, and Duet with partner Jessica Henry, as well as silver in Tier 7 team. Julia Maclean added to that impressive performance by winning gold in Tier 7 Figures, Solo, and Duet with partner Carrie Mouck, as well as the All-Round Swimmer Award and the Aggregrate Award to go with her Silver in Tier 7 Team competition. These outstanding achievements were complemented by Rachel Nickerson’s All-Round Swimmer Award in Tier 6.

In team competition, the Tier 7 team with swimmers Courtney Durand, Stephanie Geller, Jessica Henry, Julia Maclean, Brianna MacLellan, Carrie Mouck, Alexandra Opydo, Berkley Soderstrom, and Alaina Wade, captured the silver medal. Leslie Wicken’s Tier 6 team of Carly Byberg, Katherine Gagnon, Alycia Halyk, Logan Kitchener, Hannah Koke, Brooke Manson, Carly McCagherty, and Rachel Nickerson finished on the podium in fourth place. Jenilee Keslering’s Tier 6 team swimmers, Heather Clarke, Lindsay Dawson, Francesca DiPietro, Sarah Masters, Brittany Michaud, Ashtyn Nauffts, Amber Steele, Venessa Trajanos and Kionna Whyte placed 7 th.

The evidence suggests that Holley Lundmark, stellar Head Coach of Durham Synchro was well chosen for her recent award as Ontario Female Coach of the Year Award in the Developmental Category from the Coaches Assocation of Ontario (CAO). As stated on the CAO website, “the CAO Coaching Excellence Awards recognize outstanding coaches and their contributions to both their sport and athletes in Ontario. [Coaches at the developmental level] are responsible for athletes who are developing competitive skills as well as preparing athletes for higher levels of competition (Regional, Provincial, Canada Games or University competition). Holley was honoured at the Coach’s Conference in Mississauga on February 23 rd.

Congratulations to Durham swimmers and coaches on these truly outstanding achievements!