Falcon gymnasts soar at provincial championships
It was an all-around impressive showing by the Falcon Gymnastics club at last weekend’s B.C. Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the Port Coquitlam Recreation Complex.
The Island club came home with four all-around gold medals and bronze in the team competition in the Junior Olympic 5 and 6 2005 and 2006 divisions.
Winning all-around golds were Gabrielle Tsui (JO5, 2006), Valentina Rojas (JO6, 2005), Soleia Ouldali (JO6, 2006) and Jordan Reilly (JO7).
More than 900 gymnasts from 50 clubs across the province competed in the event.
Grizzlies host prospects event
A group of B.C. Hockey Leagu teams have come together to host their own version of the NHL’s Young Stars Tournament. And Island fans get the first look at it.
The Victoria Grizzlies will host a four-team U-18 Top Prospects Showcase this weekend, with the West Kelowna Warriors, Langley Rivermen and Surrey Eagles also taking part. Top prospects from each team will play round-robin games Friday and Saturday at The Q Centre. The Grizzlies’ young hopefuls will play their counterparts from the Rivermen on Friday at 10 a.m., and then take on the Warriors’ prospects at 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Grizzlies prospect will play the Rivermen at 11:55 a.m. and the Eagles at 7:25 p.m.
There will also be two other tournaments throughout the spring.
Vikes rowers ground T-Birds
A trip over to the mainland proved well worth it for the University of Victoria Vikes rowing team last weekend as they claimed the annual Brown Cup competition with a sweep over their rivals, the UBC Thunderbirds.
For the first time since 2011, a school swept all four races with the Vikes powering to wins on the Fraser River in both the men’s and women’s varsity eight races and the reserve races.
For the Vikes men’s eight, it caps a season that saw them win the Western Canadian Rowing Championship, the Canadian University Rowing Championship and the Brown Cup.
Victoria ball player bound for Alabama
A former Eagle is flying off to Alabama.
Kobe Morris, a product of the Victoria Eagles of the B.C. Premier Baseball League, has signed a letter of intent to play NCAA Div. 1 ball for the University of Alabama.
After a strong freshman season a year ago with Neosho, Missouri’s Crowder College Roughriders, which saw him hit .384 with nine home runs and lead the Roughriders to the Junior College World Series, Morris started his sophomore season just as hot and is currently hitting .430 with seven homers. That caught the attention of the Crimson Tide coaches and he’ll head to Alabama next fall.
Lakehill’s Andre VISL’s top gun
The Vancouver Island Soccer League handed out its year-end awards last weekend and Lakehill striker Ryan Andre was front and centre.
Andre won the Div. 1 top scorer award as well as the Dr. Hunter league MVP trophy.
The Wilf Sadler Memorial Trophy for distinguished person/leader in the league, went to Cowichan captain Tyler Hughes, while the Tolmie Cup for team of the year was awarded to Salt Spring Alumni.
This year’s President’s Award was given to Danny Van Gylswyk of Gorge FC. Under Van Gylswyk’s guidance, Gorge finished strong in Div. 1 and won the Jackson Cup, earning a trip to the Province Cup playdowns.
UVic runners finish strong
The 2018 Island Race Series wrapped up last Sunday with the Bazan Bay 5K and it had some UVic Vikes flavour to it.
Ben Weir of the Vikes crosscountry team edged out teammates Josh Kozelj and Derrick Evans to win the race in a time of 15:08. Allison Hooper was the top female finisher with a time of 16:47.
Despite his struggles on Sunday, Shelby Drope was crowned the overall Island Race Series champion thanks to his three race victories during the season. Drope was also coming off a victory in the annual Fletcher’s Challenge 17-kilometre race near Nanaimo the week before. Catrin Jones was the overall winner in the women’s division, after winning the bronze medal on Sunday.