The canoe/kayak athletes representing Team Sask at the 2011 Western Canada Games have arrived home with a boatload of medals. The canoe/kayak competition was part of the first week of competition running from August 7th to 9th.
The following are the highlights of the team’s accomplishments;
- Each team member won at least 1 gold medal at the Western Canada Games.
- The team medaled in 37 of 45 events, with 28 of those being gold medals. In total the team came home with a 47 medals (28 gold, 11 silver, 8 bronze).
- The team swept all three medals in one event (Men’s K1 1000m) and double medaled in nine other events.
- The men’s kayak team won a gold medal in all 11 events. The women’s kayak team won gold in 9 of 11 events.
- Simon Fense won 10 gold medals, one in each of the 10 events in which he was entered.
- Olivia Dyck won 11 medals (9 gold, 2 silver), one in each of the 11 events in which she was entered.
- Mykel Kowaluk also won 10 medals (8 gold and 2 silver).
- Several other athletes came away with 8 or more medals each including Rory Gowda-Sookochoff, Daniella Zemlak, Jenna Berenbaum and Gina Soparlo.
The canoe/kayak Western Canada Games Team Members are as follows:
Men’s Canoe: Mateh Kowaluk (Saskatoon), Chris Laplante (Regina), Tyler Lefley (Saskatoon), Christian de Jager (Regina)
Women’s Canoe: Jenna Berenbaum (Saskatoon), Alexis Laplante (Regina), Amy Soparlo (Regina), Gina Soparlo (Regina)
Men’s Kayak: Simon Fense (Regina), Mykel Kowaluk (Saskatoon), Liam McKinnon (Regina), Cooper Reis (Regina)
Women’s Kayak: Olivia Dyck (Saskatoon), Lauren Gardiner (Saskatoon), Rory Gowda-Sookochoff (Saskatoon), Daniella Zemlak (Regina)
Coaching Staff: Devri Robertson (Regina), Edgar Garza (Saskatoon), Ryan Stepka (Regina)
For more information, contact:
Jan Hanson
Executive Director
Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan
585-6366 (office)
502-4422 (cell)