Battlefords Orcas swimmers prepare on the starting blocks during the Winter PodFest home meet at the Battlefords CO-OP Aquatic Centre on Jan. 24, 2026. (Image Credit: Battlefords Orcas)

By Kenneth Cheung

LOCAL TALENT

Battlefords Orcas making waves with record qualifiers, strong season in the pool

Feb 17, 2026 | 3:48 PM

The Battlefords Orcas are building momentum in the pool after a series of strong results and qualifying swims that have positioned the local competitive team for major championship meets in the weeks ahead.

The local swim club is wrapping up its short-course season with upcoming appearances at junior provincials in Moose Jaw and the Manitoba-Saskatchewan (Man-Sask) interprovincial championships in Winnipeg, following what head coach Lyne de Montarnal described as a standout stretch of competition. 

“I am honestly so proud of all these kids,” de Montarnal said. 

“I ask them to do hard things on a daily basis in practice… when they show up like that and they perform like that, it makes my heart very happy.” 

The Orcas hosted a sanctioned home meet on Jan. 24 at the CO-OP Aquatic Centre that drew 133 swimmers from Saskatoon, Lloydminster, Prince Albert and Meadow Lake. The event raised more than $10,000 for the non-profit club and marked only the second sanctioned meet the team has hosted in a few years.

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“Our swimmers were really proud to host… our swimmers came out with primarily best time swimming in their home pool,” she said.

Setup for the Battlefords Orcas’ Winter PodFest home meet at the Battlefords CO-OP Aquatic Centre on Jan. 24, 2026. (Image Credit: Battlefords Orcas)

Strong performances continued in Saskatoon earlier this month at the Goldfins Pentathlon, where 13 Orcas swimmers posted approximately 94 per cent personal-best times and achieved six new A or AA qualifying standards. 

At the same time, two swimmers competed in the Winter Whiteout AA meet, with both recording seven personal-best swims out of eight races. Ten-year-old Sophie de Montarnal earned five new AA times, a result that qualifies swimmers for higher-level competition. 

“In Saskatchewan, the A time level… you can qualify for provincials with that one. The AA time standards are even faster and that will qualify you for Man-Sask, which is the Manitoba Saskatchewan Interprovincial Championships,” de Montarnal explained.

“For a swimmer in one meet to just achieve so much… is just a pretty huge accomplishment.” 

Battlefords Orcas swimmers Sophie de Montarnal, left, and Claire Meiers are shown during the Winter Whiteout AA qualifying meet in Saskatoon earlier this season. Both posted strong personal-best performances at the competition. (Image Credit: Battlefords Orcas)

The club is now preparing to send about a dozen swimmers to junior provincials from Feb. 27 to March 1, with four athletes already qualified for the Man-Sask championships in Winnipeg from March 19 to 22 – double the number who qualified last year. 

De Montarnal said the team’s growth reflects both commitment in the water and support behind the scenes.

“These kids put in 10 hours a week in the water,” she said. “They’re really committed… it’s that excitement that’s building up within the team.” 

While the Orcas remain one of the smaller clubs in the region, the coach said their performances are earning attention at larger meets.

“We always kind of say: Orcas, we are a small club, but we are mighty.”

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com