ESTEVAN -
The Estevan Mermaids Artistic Swimming Club hosted competitors from across the province on the weekend for the Marnie Eistetter Training Meet and Development Camp at the Estevan Leisure Centre.
A total of 64 athletes competed in the figures meet on Saturday and 72 were at a camp that occurred on Sunday. Joining the host Mermaids were swimmers from Regina Synchro, Saskatoon Aqualenes and Weyburn Artistic Swimming Club.
The figures portion of the weekend saw athletes compete in the under-10, U12, novice, youth and junior divisions on Saturday.
Since it is a figures camp, the athletes do not swim a routine, but they did show their technique and skill for the judges by performing figures, which are evaluated as they would be at any other meet.
Among the local club members, in junior figures, Ava Allen was sixth and Rowyn Shier was ninth.
In youth figures, Sierra Mantei came in 15th. Mahaley Fonstad was 16th, Isabelle Pyra was 17th, Sarah Pyra was 22nd and Rory Miller was 26th.
Coaches Amber Mantei and Kelsey Potoma said they were proud of the athletes and their results for the first competition of the season.
Awards for the meet and the 2022-23 season were handed out during a banquet on Saturday night at the Wylie-Mitchell building. Isabelle Pyra won the Saskatchewan Artistic Swimming Pathways Athlete of the Year Award, and Lainey Halkyard was named the Limited Competitive Athlete of the Year. Pyra, Rowyn Shier and Sasha Mantei were recognized for being selected for the high-performance development program and the summer performance team.
Tara Shier, Heather Pyra and Amanda Fonstad were presented with Volunteer Service Awards for those with three to five years of experience.
The weekend concluded Sunday with a development camp that included lessons on kickboxing and stick mobility. The Encompass Fitness Studio offered nutrition tips, while pool sessions were instructed by various coaches from Saskatoon and the high-performance director.
Mantei said hosting the Marnie Eistetter Competition and Development Camp in Estevan allowed clubs from other cities to experience what the Estevan Mermaids and the city of Estevan have to offer.
"Saskatchewan Artistic Swimming competitions are mainly held in either Saskatoon or Regina, so this competition allows the smaller clubs an opportunity to host one meet in the season," Mantei said in an email to the Mercury. "It was an honour for the Estevan Mermaids to be chosen for this year."
Eistetter is one of four women inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame for artistic swimming. She began her career in 1949 as an athlete who was coached by Sadie Caulder Knight. In 1971, when her daughters joined artistic swimming, Eistetter began her volunteer career.
Since that time, she filled many roles, such as Synchro Sask. board member, treasurer, nominations committee chairwoman, chief scorer, coach, judge, operations chairwoman for Synchro Canada and more.
