Ontario Winter Festivals 2024 - A great way to spend Family Day!

ROW Communications

 

The Ontario Winter Festival Championships took place February 17-18 at the Etobicoke Olympium. Festivals is the highest level of competition for 12&U athletes in the province of Ontario. With consensus amongst coaches in the province, Festivals has been the highest energy competition from season to season due to excitement amongst the young age groups and their families, as well as the number of athletes in attendance. From a coaching standpoint, it is very cool to witness some of the best athletes in the country begin their competitive swimming journey as “just another athlete”, rising through the ranks at the Ontario Festival Championships.

 

This season saw a few unanticipated changes to the meet format:
· Removal of the 13yr old age group
· Change of relay age groups into 10&U + 11/12
· Softening of the time standards
· Introducing OSCs as a de-qualification standard (too quick to swim at this meet)

 

Although the format changes have delayed our strengths by a season (primarily age group changes), ROW athletes performed unbothered, with many placing top 8 (scoring team points) and swimming to a high percentage of personal bests! One of the most special pieces of the ROW 12&U Festival group is their incredible support of one another. Without prompting, they initiate team cheers, are on their feet shouting for every
ROW athlete in the water and are genuinely proud of their teammates' performances and successes. This is something worth being excited for in ROW's future!

ROW was represented by 17 athletes across all genders and age groups, with both 11-12 boys and 11-12 girls relays:

 

Day 1 recap: 

 

Medalists:
Chris R – 11yr Boys: 400IM, Gold - 200Br, Bronze
Edan W – 11yr Boys: 400IM, Bronze
Olivia S – 11yr Girls: 100Bk, Gold
Finn – 10&U Boys: 50Br, Bronze

 

Point Scorers (Top 8):
400IM – Chris, Edan
100Bk – Nikkolai, Zade, Olivia S
200Br – Athena, Chris
100Fl – Stella, Chris
50Br – Finn
100IM – Finn

Day 2 recap: 


Medalists:
Olivia S – 11yr Girls: 100Bk, Gold – 200IM, Silver
Chris R – 11yr Boys: 200Fl, Bronze – 400Fr, Bronze

 

Point Scorers (Top 8):
200Fl – Chris, Stella

50 Fly - Eliza
200Bk – Nikkolai, Olivia S
100Br – Chris, Finn
200IM – Olivia S, Finn
400Fr - Chris

 

 

Festival summary:
· Medals – 3 Golds, 1 Silver, 5 Bronze
· Team standing – 6th
· New OYJ Qualifier – Olivia S (13&U standard, only 11 years old!)
· Highest Point Scorers:
Boys – Chris R – 49 points
Girls – Olivia S – 34 points


In the end the team finished 6th in Team Standings. This is now the 4th consecutive top 10 finish for ROW at the Festival Championships (including Winter & Spring)! As a club, we are incredibly proud of the consistency we’ve built and would not continue to accomplish these results without the dynamic amongst the athletes as well as the support of their parents! Athlete’s should be very proud of themselves – now let’s stay hungry for more!

 

#GOROWGO #ROWRISING #ROWNATION
Head Coach -- AJ