A group of 16 Whitehorse Glacier Bears put in an outstanding effort last weekend at the fifth annual Christmas Cracker Invitational Swim Meet in Victoria, B.C.

Over 560 swimmers from 18 B.C. and Alberta clubs competed at the event and the Glacier Bears placed eighth overall.

Bronwyn Pasloski continued her torrid pace in the pool, setting three meet records and achieving a senior national time in the 50-metre free and 200-m breast. Pasloski is currently ranked first in Canada in the 14-year-old girls category in both the 100- and 200-m breast.

In Victoria, she finished first in the 50-m free, first in the 50-, 100- and 200-m breast, second in the 50-m fly and 200-m IM, third in the 100-m back and fourth in the 100-m free in her age group.

Alexandra Gabor, meanwhile, set meet records in the 200- and 1,500-m free, en route to fifth place in the overall individual point standings for female swimmers. She finished first in the 100-, 200-, 400- and 1,500-m free, second in the 50-m free, third in the 50-m fly and fourth in the 100-m fly in the girls 13-14 age group.

Molly Purser achieved her first two AAA times in the same tough age group. These times qualify her for a spot at the Western Canada Games to be held next summer in Edmonton. Also earning a place on the team were Kim Holmes, with a strong swim in the 200-m breast and Spencer Sumanik, who improved on his personal bests each time he swam.

Pasloski, Gabor and Ariana Edelman are already part of the team. Edelman finished seventh in the 50-m back in the girls 15-and-over age group and had solid swims the in finals for which she qualified.

Kirsten Berube swam personal best times in every event she entered in the girls 11-12 category and came away with fifth place in the 50-m free and 100-m back, sixth in the 200-m free, 200-m back and 50-m breast, and seventh in the 100-m free.

In an exciting race to the finish in the 50-m free, Berube beat out teammate Kate McArthur by one one-hundredth of a second for fifth spot. McArthur also swam personal bests in every event, earning sixth place in the 50- and 100-m free and seventh in the 100-m back and 50-m breast.

Anne Aubin, Hayley Bielz and Jason Zrum showed improved times in their events in the competitive 13-14 age group.

Meanwhile, Craig Berube turned in solid swims all weekend in the 10-and-under age group, lowering his time in the 400-m free by over 20 seconds. Francis Aubin achieved a AAA time in the 200-m back, after an appeal by coach Marek Poplawski saw a disqualification overturned by the judges.

Other outstanding performances in the boys 15-and-over age group were turned in by Tanner Cassidy, who achieved a club national time in the 1,500 free, and Brendan Zrum, who also had a club national time in the 200-, free en route to an eighth place finish in that event.

Zrum swam in five finals and placed seventh in the 100-, free as well. Geoffrey Thompson took 12 seconds off his best time in the tough 400-, IM in this age group.

Coach Marek Poplawski called the results fantastic. He was impressed with the support the swimmers provided for each other throughtout the meet.

All Glacier Bears and Yukon swimmers are invited to participate in a Christmas swim camp during Christmas break. More information is available by calling 668-3993 and leaving a message.