Swimming Canada – PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wisconsin – Canadian teams earned second and third-place finishes in mixed relay races on Saturday at the UANA Junior Open Water Swimming Championships.

The Canadian quartet of Kate Sullivan, Kenna Smallegange, David Quirie and Alexander Axon placed second in Saturday’s mixed five-kilometre relay for 14-17 year-olds.

Canadian head coach Mark Perry said the event was an ideal event to “expose our junior swimmers to international competition.”

The Canadians and the third-place entry from the United States exchanged positions at least a dozen times as the swimmers battled all the way to the finish line.

“The team event is an exciting addition to the open water program and it is an additional opportunity for swimmers to practise their race skills,” Perry said.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Kyla Ross, Patrick Hussey, Rosalie Davidson and Raben Dommann finished third in the mixed five-kilometre relay for swimmers 20 and younger.

They crossed the line just 1.5 seconds behind  the second-place foursome from the United States after the teams traded positions several times during the thrilling race.

Organizers combined Sunday’s race starts in a single five-kilometre event when storms were forecast for the area.

However, severe  storms hit quicker than expected and the races were called off around the three-kilometre mark.

“It’s a shame for the athletes,” Perry said, “but safety must always remain the priority and I fully support the difficult decision taken by the race organizers.

“Swimming Canada still had a successful meet with all eight swimmers coming home with a championship medal,” the head coach added.

Smallegange, of the Burlington, Ont. Aquatic Devilrays, won the 14-17 year-old women’s 7.5 kilometre race in a photo finish during Friday’s opening day of competition.

Dommann, of North Vancouver, B.C., earned a third-place finish in the men’s 20 and younger 10-kilometre race.

“It was a very successful meet,” Perry said.

Next up for the senior team is the World Beach Games in Doha, capital city of Qatar.

Nathan White ネイサン・ホワイト
Senior manager, Communications, Swimming Canada
Gestionnaire supérieur des communications, Natation Canada
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