The Sault Surge Aquatic Team continues to make waves in the early part of the 2025-26 season with a strong performance in North Bay at the recent Dominique Bouchard Invitational over the November 14th to 16th weekend meet hosted by the North Bay Titans. Almost 300 athletes were in attendance representing a total of twelve teams.
26 swimmers represented the Surge leading the meet with 72 top three finishes, including 31 event wins and swimming to 116 new individual personal best times. The Surge outpaced the second place hometown squad who finished the meet with 51 top three finishes.
Leading the way for the Surge squad winning individual events were: Andrew Li ,16, racing to 6 individual gold medals as well as winning the boys eliminator 50m freestyle race. The eliminator starts with the top 6 fastest swimmers in the 50m freestyle for both girls and boys. The slowest time in each eliminator heat is eliminated. Heats are raced alternating girls and then boys with each winner having to swim 5 rounds to claim victory.
Sophia Li, 14, picked up 5 gold medals as well as 2 silver medals along with 3 new personal best times.
Brooklyn Barber, 12, swam to 4 gold medals and a silver medal to go with 5 new personal best times.
Oliver Bennetto, 15, also was among the finalists in the eliminator swimming to 3 individual gold medals, 3 silver and a bronze medal as well as setting 7 new personal best times.
Emma Vallee, 13, was among the finalists in the girls eliminator race along with swimming to 3 gold medals as well as 3 silver and a bronze medal. Vallee also set 6 new personal best times.
Will Paranuik, 12, won 2 gold, 1 silver, and a bronze medal along with swimming to 6 new personal best times.
Asher Leask, 9, picked up a gold and 2 silver medals along with 5 new personal best times.
Graham Oak, 9, earned a gold and a bronze medal along with 5 new personal best times. Oak also qualified for his first Dave Kensit Memorial Championships that will be hosted in Sault ste. Marie in February.
Maddison Erb, 12, picked up a gold medal, a silver medal along with 2 bronze medals. Erb also swam to 6 new personal best times.
Eva Moreau, 12, swam to 3 personal best times and 3 individual medals including 1 gold and 2 silver medals.
Margot Oak, 11, swam to a gold medal, 1 silver medal and 2 bronze medals to go with 6 new personal best times.
Judah Erickson, 12, swam to a team leading 8 personal best times in every event that he swam. He also earned an individual bronze medal.
Emily Porco, 12, and Haylen Leonard, 17, each picked up silver medals in individual events.
Miia Tanninen, 13, swam to her first ever Regional championship meet with a strong effort leading off the girls 15/over 4x 50 freestyle relay.
The boys 11-12 relay team of Deane Greenwood, Judah Erickson, Liam Leask and Will Paranuik swam to a gold medal in the 200m freestyle relay. Asher Leask subbed in for Greenwood winning the gold medal in the 200m medley relay.
Moreau, Erb, Barber and Oak combined to win the girls 11-12 200m freestyle relay.
The Surge continue to train towards the upcoming Border City Invitational meet hosted by the Windsor Aquatic team in December.
The squad will take a short break over Christmas and return to some tough training to prepare for regional and provincial championship meets in February and March 2026.
