The Whitehorse Glacier Bears continue to make their mark on the swimming world, and this past weekend six of the club's talented girls ensured they will be remembered.

Six Bears joined coach Kathy Zrum in Alberta this past weekend for the Edmonton Keyano International swim meet.

The swimmers from Whitehorse at the meet were Camille Saunders, 12, Shannon Holmes, 15, Isabel Parkkari, 13, Haley Braga, 13, Erin McArthur, 12, and Taylor Campbell, 14.

The meet was the first long-course competition of the year for the girls, and many achieved personal best times and top-10 finishes.

"For Camille and Shannon it was their first time at a 50-m long course completion and it proved to be a fantastic meet for the start of the long-course season,” Zrum said.

Saunders told her coach that the course felt like it took a lot longer.

" The long-course pool is so much longer than our pool, and it makes you feel like you are going that much slower,” Saunders said.

Her fellow Bear Holmes disagreed.

"Shannon said that she really enjoyed swimming in a long-course pool and found it much easier as each race has less turns, it was great experience,” Zrum said.

The Glacier Bears do not get to practice in a long course, but Zrum said it doesn't hurt the girls when they get to competitions in the 50-m pool.

"You've got to get used to it a little bit,” she said.

One disadvantage the long course has, is that there are less turns, which means less opportunities for the swimmers to push off the wall for an extra boost of speed.

The short-course season runs from September to March of every year, and switches to long course for the remainder of the year.

Braga earned many different Swim Canada Age Group National qualifying time, as well as Western times, Zrum said, despite qualifying for the 200-m finals with a slow time.

"Haley, in the gruelling 200-m fly preliminaries, qualified for the finals with a slower than normal race,” Zrum said.

But the slow time was not a hint of what was to come, as Braga battled back in the finals for third place finish.

"In the evening finals she dug down deep to swim a strong fast race to place third in her age group,” Zrum said.

The time broke the standing 200-m fly club record for 13-year-old girls, previously set by Mackenzie Downing.

Braga also earned a sixth place finish in the 1,500-m freestyle and a seventh in the 800-m freestyle.

"She was one busy swimmer as each evening she swam in several finals along with a relay event,” Zrum said.

Braga's other finishes were fifth in the 200-m freestyle, eighth in the 100-m fly, fifth in the 400-m freestyle and ninth in the 100-m freestyle.

Glacier Bear Isabel Parkkari had a great meet as well, achieving her own set of Swim Canada Age Group National and Western qualifying times.

Zrum was impressed with Parkkari's strategy.

"Her 1,500-m freestyle where she placed second was a beautifully planned out swim where Isabel took an early lead and just got stronger and stronger throughout the race,” she said. "Isabel had a strong race strategy for the event and she met each of her goals for the race.”

Parkkari earned a third place in the 800-m freestyle, 10th in the 200-freestyle and sixth in the 400-m freestyle.

Swimming in the 12-year-old age group was McArthur, who earned a berth in many finals at the meet.

Her top finish was the 100-m breaststroke, where she placed third.

"It was a good fast race with great technique racing against many fast breaststrokers; Erin stuck to her race plan and medaled,” Zrum said.

McArthur's other finishes were eighth in the 200-m freestyle, 10th in the 200-m individual medley and sixth in the 50-m freestyle.

Campbell faced tough competition, but still managed a great seventh-place finish in the 100-m freestyle finals in the 14-year-old age group.

"Taylor Campbell provided four strong swims in the relays throughout the weekend,” Zrum said.

Altogether the Bears took home four medals, but earned many more personal achievements and qualifying times.

Braga and Parkkari both earned Western Canadian Championships qualifying times for the first time.

"The Western Canadian Championships are held every year in February, and the qualifying times to attend this meet are not easy to achieve,” said Gustav Gabor, media liaison for the Whitehorse Glacier Bears.

Zrum is happy with how her girls did.

"It was a great meet. The girls just performed extremely well,” she said, adding that their performance proves what a rural club is capable of, and the growth the Bears have seen.

At home, extensive training has continued for the B.C. Provincials that take place in June and July, and for Alexandra Gabor and Bronwyn Pasloski, who were just shy of Pan Pacific qualifying times last month.

Both athletes are preparing for the Senior Nationals.