When the B.C. Summer Games kick off tomorrow, athletes on the Peninsula are readying themselves for the big event.
Thirteen-year-old triathlete Abby Speirs from Brentwood Bay will be travelling to the games with five other triathlon teammates to represent the Island’s zone six. Speirs, who trains with Kelly Guest, will be joined by teammates Farisha Arensen, Holly Henry, Hamish Babin, Sam Ogden and Curtis Scriba for the trip to the mainland next week.
“This is quite a big thing for them,” said Speirs’ mother, Lana. “For a lot of them this is not only the first time they get to compete in a multi-sport event, but it’s also the first time they get to go away and stay on their own without parents. Abby is really looking forward to it.”
At press time, Speirs was in Penticton competing at the Boston Pizza Junior Triathlon.
Also representing zone six are two Peninsula teens, Charlotte Galbraith from Sidney and Courtney Cook from Brentwood Bay. The two girls compete in equestrian vaulting which is often described as gymnastics or dance on horseback.
The girls have been practising their choreographed routines to music for months and say it’s one of the most important events they’ve competed in yet.
“We have annual competitions we compete in, but this is the biggest one we’ve done yet,” said Cook.
The two girls belong to Manestream Vaulters on the Peninsula and say they are excited to compete in the games.
“We both love to vault so we really hope to make zone six proud,” said Galbraith.
The games take place in Surrey July 19-22.
Homegrown talent
Peninsula athletes selected for the B.C. Summer Games:
• Amelia Casciola - Athletics
• Jacqueline Gaby - Athletics
• Michael Giles - Athletics
• Kaelan Smith - Athletics
• Kelsey McGaw - Basketball
• Andrew Funk - Golf
• Koby Hale - Inline hockey
• Joshua Buchner - Inline hockey
• Colton Merilainen - Field lacrosse
• James Thompson - Field lacrosse
• Kurtis Young - Field lacrosse
• Acacia Welsford - Rowing
• Alexander Va’a - Rugby
• Judy Christante - Soccer
• Isabella Kennedy - Softball