Another Squamish Pirate alumnus has booked a ticket to Saanich for the AAA Provincial Swimming Championships starting on Thursday (Feb. 28).
Eli Chappell qualified for seven events in the 13-year-old category and has hopes of reaching the national stage of competition with a good weekend.
Chappell, who now swims with the Chena Swim Club on the North Shore, will be racing in the 50 metre butterfly, 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 fly, 400 freestyle and 200 backstroke. He qualified for the provincials through meets he competed in during the fall and winter months.
Even more impressive is that Chappell has top 10 times in the country in the 50 fly and 50 freestyle and if those times hold up, he could race on the national stage.
“It’s been an adjustment with all the commuting but he’s settling in nicely now,” said his mother Lynn Chappell about her son’s time with Chena. “The Pirates really provided that solid base for him.”
Chappell will join his former Pirates teammate Wyatt Pederson at the meet in Saanich taking place from Feb. 28 to March 3. Check next week’s edition of The Chief for Pedersen’s and Chappell’s results from the event.
