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Rupert swimmers head south to California

Seven Prince Rupert swimmers participated in the Canyons Aquatic Memorial Day meet, including Zach Dolan.

Zach Dolan was sitting in the airport, waiting to head to Santa Clarita, California.

A swimming pool awaited the 12-year-old, but so did a (possibly) drier Six Flags and Universal Studios.

Dolan was one of seven Rupert kids heading to La-la-land last weekend to take part in Canyons Aquatic Memorial Day meet in Santa Clarita from the Prince Rupert Amateur Swim Club (PRASC) Rapids.

The area swimmer has most recently won two gold aggregate in 12-and-under boys at swim meets in Smithers and Kitimat. He also competed at the B.C. Provincial Games in March.

“I like to swim breaststroke. One hundred metre breaststroke is my favourite,” said Dolan before heading onto his flight.

“I’ve gone [to California] once when I was a toddler and I don’t remember much of it,” he said, adding his dad, Gerard will be joining along with Rapids head coach Chris Street.

Jake Morse (10), Kate Morse (12), Landen Franes (10), Kobi Franes (12), Shayne Brierly (16) and Kenzie Tweeshope (12) made up the rest of the Rapids’ team.

Jake took a bronze aggregate in Kitimat earlier in May.

The Rapids have sent other swimmers down south before, including 2014 graduate Sarah McChesney and Amy Leighton who worked with the elementary schools’ outreach swim programs this past weekend.

“I’m just going to be swimming on Saturday and Sunday and only in the mornings, so I’ll have the afternoons off,” said Dolan.

If the group’s lucky, they can exchange a tiled pool for the beached ocean for part of the trip.