EKSC Blue Bears Invitational 2026

January 24, 2026

Blue Bears Invitational 2026

Edmonton, AB

January 16-18, 2026

(written by Coach Ehsan Shafaiyanfard)

Once again, OSC swimmers brought their A-game to the pool.

From January 16–18, 134 OSC athletes represented the club at the Blue Bears Invitational hosted at Kinsmen Sports Centre, and the results truly speak for themselves:
🏅 120 podium finishes and
⏱️ 385 personal best performances — a clear reflection of the dedication, hard work, and commitment shown by our swimmers every day.

Weekend Highlights:

Alex Kaulbach achieved his first Best of the West time standard in the 100 Backstroke, clocking an impressive 59.98
Joshua Yeung earned his first Champs qualifying time in the 200 Breaststroke with a 2:53.87
Evan Byers secured his first Trials time in the 50 Breaststroke, touching the wall in 35.49
Beckham Dodd posted a Youth Recognition time in the 50 Backstroke with a time of 38.68
Derek Pahanonot recorded another Youth Recognition time in the 100 Freestyle, finishing in 1:14.43

Congratulations to all athletes on an outstanding weekend of racing, and a huge thank you to our incredible volunteers who continue to step up and support our community — we couldn’t do it without you.

OSC now looks ahead to the Swim Alberta Winter Festival (Jan 23–25), the Edmonton Open Invitational (Jan 30–Feb 1), and more exciting racing opportunities in February, including the Red Deer Valentine Meet and Edson Orcas Spring Candy Crush.

Let’s go, O! 🔵⚪