They may not need it – but qualifying for the 2011 Canada Games still feels great for the Yukon Northern Novas Senior Competitive Swimmers.

As a Yukon team, the Novas get an automatic bye-in to the Games, but following the recent Western Canadian Championships, they earned their own spot as well.

"It feels really good, like that's a qualifying meet for Canada Games,” said coach Aura Lea Harper.

The team finished in the top 15 at the meet that was attended by synchronized swimming groups from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

With their finish, the Novas also earned a berth in the upcoming national competition in Montreal, called Espoir.

"We basically got invited after we competed at Westerns,” Harper said.

This will be the team's first time competing at Westerns – it was their first time attempting to qualify as well.

The club has seven members, and four of those girls will be attending Espoir; Olivia Duncan, Katie Link, Taylor Hanna and Simone Kitchen.

Since hearing they would be attending Espoire, the girls have been hard at work learning a new routine that they will debut at a competition May 26 ahead of nationals.

"We only have probably about a month and a half,” Harper said.

While the routine isn't yet complete, Harper said what they have learned is looking good.

"Right now they're not done yet, but they're looking very well,” Harper said. "It is quite a time crunch.”

The MASY meet on May 26 will give the coach a chance to see what the girls have accomplished before Espoire on June 3.

"It was quite a squeeze in there,” she said of the short few weeks in between competitions.

The Northern Novas usually head outside the territory about three or four times a year.

They also hold a small meet of their own, the Yukon Championships in February every year.

The girls practice three times a week, and are currently attending morning practices as well.

With two weeks to go until their next meet, Harper is happy with what has already been done in practice.

"We're getting down there,” she said.

While she doesn't expect to see the girls take home gold, she'll be happy to see them come away with their own personal best performances.

"They're not obviously going to get first or second,” Harper admitted, citing a switch to a higher level of competition.

"It's hard for this kind of group, because it's a new level for them.”

The Yukon Northern Novas Junior Competitive Swimmers have also recently returned from a successful meet at the B.C. sectionals.

Team member Katherine Seal earned first place for her solo routine, and Jane Bovine and Asthyn Gibbs had a first in their duet.

The junior girls will head to the Jean Peters Invitational in B.C. this weekend.