Inaugural "Best of the West Fest" 2026!
📰 Cascade Delivers 44‑Medal Performance at Best of the West Fest 2026
Cascade Swim Club delivered an exceptional four‑day performance at the newly revitalized Best of the West Fest 2026 in Winnipeg, combining depth, consistency, and high‑performance racing to capture 44 total medals (15 gold, 15 silver, 14 bronze) and secure second place overall, along with runner‑up finishes in both the men’s and women’s standings. Hosted at the historic **Pan Am Pool—home of the Canadian Aquatic Hall of Fame—**the meet’s return restored a cornerstone of Canadian swimming development, once again providing a launchpad for emerging national‑level talent.
Cascade made its presence felt immediately on Day 1, led by Elleigh Wise, who opened the meet with gold in the 1500m freestyle (17:11.84). Hunter Page followed with a silver medal in the 16‑year‑old category, while Jakob Alexander added bronze in the mile. Relay teams also made early contributions, with the girls 14&U 4x200 freestyle relay team of Ellie Miron, Tehya Campbell, Lilly Dean, and Liz Bryanskaya earning bronze, while the boys 14&U team of Bennett Thiessen, Jakob Alexander, Alvin Mo, and James Dennison captured silver, setting the tone for a meet defined by both individual and team success.
Momentum surged on Day 2 as Cascade recorded 14 podium finishes, highlighted by several championship swims. Bennett Thiessenclaimed gold in the 200m breaststroke (14 yrs), while Mackenzie Tonkin led a dominant performance in the 200m backstroke (13&U), winning gold ahead of teammate Ellie Miron, who secured silver to give Cascade its first 1–2 finish of the meet. Parker Deshayes added a championship title in the 200m backstroke (17&O) and contributed across multiple events. Sprint performances were equally strong, with Liz Bryanskaya and James Dennison earning silver medals in the 50 freestyle, while Broden Kelly added bronze. Relay success continued to be a major strength, as the girls 13–14 4x100 freestyle relay team of Liz Bryanskaya, Mackenzie Tonkin, Lilly Dean, and Tehya Campbell captured gold, the girls 15&O team of Lydia Zielke, Jasmine Lawal, Jenna McDougall, and Elleigh Wise earned bronze, and the boys 15&O squad of Parker Deshayes, Broden Kelly, Casey McDermid, and Logan Post secured another championship title.
Day 3 showcased the program’s depth across all strokes and age groups, with results highlighted by a corrected bronze medal performance from Friday, where James Dennison dropped nearly four seconds to finish third in the 200m breaststroke (13&U, 2:36.88). Parker Deshayes continued his standout meet with gold medals in both the 50m backstroke (25.95) and 50m butterfly (24.99), the latter marking his first time breaking the 25‑second barrier. Elleigh Wise added another gold in the 200m freestyle (15 yrs), while silver medals were earned by Charlie Yorston (50 back), Broden Kelly (200 free), Jasmine Lawal (50 fly), and both Abi Clark and Bennett Thiessen in the 100m breaststroke, with Thiessen also securing silver in the 400m individual medley. The boys 4x100 medley relay team of Parker Deshayes, Jaxon Kwan, Casey McDermid, and Broden Kelly delivered one of the meet’s most exciting races, earning silver by just 0.08 seconds in a dramatic finish against Olympians Swimming.
Cascade entered the final day with strong momentum and closed the meet with 13 additional medals. In the 200m butterfly, Toni Lamontagne earned bronze after a significant time drop, while Casey McDermid surged to silver with a strong closing performance. The 100m freestyle produced multiple podium finishes, with Lilly Dean and Broden Kelly earning silver, and Liz Bryanskaya and James Dennison each securing bronze medals, both in personal best times. Championship performances followed in the 100m backstroke, where Mackenzie Tonkin and Parker Deshayes each captured gold. Abi Clark added another title in a tightly contested 50m breaststroke, while Bennett Thiessen secured his second individual gold of the meet in the 200m individual medley (2:11.95). Distance dominance throughout the competition belonged to Elleigh Wise, who closed her meet with gold in the 800m freestyle (9:01.93), completing a remarkable sweep of the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle events. The meet concluded with the mixed 4x50 freestyle relay, where the 15&O team of Broden Kelly, Parker Deshayes, Abi Clark, and Elleigh Wise earned bronze, putting an exclamation point on the weekend.
Across all four days, Cascade’s performance reflected the strength and depth of its program, with athletes contributing across every age group and event discipline. Supported by a dedicated coaching and operations team managing a roster of 44 swimmers through a demanding five‑and‑a‑half‑day schedule, the club’s results underscored its continued position as one of western Canada’s leading competitive swim programs.
🏆 Final Results Summary
- 🥇 15 Gold | 🥈 15 Silver | 🥉 14 Bronze
- 📊 44 Total Medals
Final Team Standings:
- Overall: 2nd — 2303.5 pts
- Men: 2nd — 931 pts
- Women: 2nd — 1208.5 pts