Abby Dicastri

Cochrane Comets’ Connor Matthezing and Abby Dicastri will be joining teammate Carissa Alexander for Age Group Nationals after qualifying at the Long Course Alberta Age Group and Senior Provincial Championships in Fort McMurray July 1-4.

Competing in the event for the first time, the Comets finished third overall for the small team title.

Dicastri finished second in the 200-metre individual medley, third in the 200-metre freestyle, fifth in the 400-metre freestyle, sixth in the 1,500-metre freestyle and sixth in the 200-metre individual medley.

Matthezing finished fourth in the 200-metre freestyle, fifth in the 100-metre freestyle, sixth in the 200-metre backstroke, seventh in the 100-metre backstroke and ninth in the 50-metre butterfly and freestyle.

In their first provincial championship competition, Chanelle Thorsen finished 11th in the 200 metre backstroke and Parry Chirakorn finished seventh in the 50-metre backstroke and 10th in the 50-metre freestyle.

Alexander finished eight in the 50-metre backstroke and 10th in the 100-metre.

As a team, the Comets finished seventh in the 4 by 50-metre freestyle relay, ninth in the 4 by 100-metre freestyle relay and 10th in the 4 by 200-metre freestyle relay.

The Canadian Age Group Nationals take place in Montreal, Que., July 15-17.

Cochrane Comet Abby Dicastri has qualified for the Age Group Nationals and along with teammates Carissa Alexander and Connor Matthezing is headed to Montreal, Que., July 27-3. Photo submitted

Also, Comets teammates and brothers Christian and Stefan Daniel are headed to Gatineau, Que., July

15-17 for the Para Pan-Pacific Championship trials.

The competition determines selections for the 2011 Pan-Pacific Championships Aug. 10-14 in Edmonton.

Pirhanas hit midway point

The Cochrane Piranhas swim team has hit the mid-season mark and coach Andres Porras is pleased with the team’s accomplishments to date.

“(The season) is going really great,” he said.

“We had a lot of improvement over the last three meets that we went to.”

Porras said the team will attend seven or eight meets in the season and practice four to five times a week depending on the age group.

Porras has been coaching for four years and is in his second year with the Piranhas.

During his competitive career, Porras swam with a University of Calgary ( U of C) club team for seven years and spent a season with the U of C varsity squad.

Porras explained Adora Kruger recently qualified for the Alberta Summer Swimming Association all-star team participating in the Age Group-Senior Championships.

With 59 members competing from May to August, the Piranhas have four groups of swimmers depending on their competitive level: the Red Bellies, Yellow Fins, Orange Tails and Solar Backs.

With Cochrane council’s recent approval of new pool in principle, Porras and the Piranhas are excited at the prospects for the team.

“We’re really looking forward to that. . . . As a club we’d get to host a swim meet.”

The Big Hill Leisure Pool, with only four lanes, is too small to serve as a meet venue.

Next up for the Piranhas is the Tritons Swim Meet at the Talisman Centre in Calgary July 16.

For more check out cochranepiranhas.com.

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