VICTORIA, B.C. – The University of Calgary Dinos came out on top of another classic neck-and-neck battle with their old rivals, the UBC Thunderbirds, to capture their 20th Canada West men's swimming title Sunday afternoon in Victoria.

It's the first conference title for the Dinos since 2010, which capped a span of four straight. Calgary finished the meet with 826 points, 55.5 ahead of second-place UBC (770.5).

On the women's side, the Dinos finished second to the Thunderbirds – just the third time in 17 years that the two championships have been split. Each time, it has been Calgary and UBC with one each. The Thunderbirds women finished atop the standings with 878 points, with the Dinos well back at 742.5.

FULL RESULTS (.pdf)

Both Dinos teams will look to ride the momentum from the conference event into the national championships, which the University of Calgary will host for the second time in three years Feb. 21-23 in the Aquatic Centre in the Kinesiology complex.

“It's pretty cool to win this one,” said Mike Blondal, the Dinos' head coach who was named the Canada West men's coach of the year. “On the men's side we came out Saturday morning and really put the pressure on, and from there it was a matter of holding on. Our young guys really stepped up and swam well this weekend.

“The women swam really well, but we just didn't have the depth to challenge UBC this time. We'll be better at the next meet in three weeks – it's a different meet and there are more players in there.”

Calgary swept the conference rookie of the year honours, with Tianna Rissling and Russell Wood earning the top freshman awards. Both won a pair of individual gold medals, setting new Canada West records in each instance: Rissling in the 50-metre butterfly and the 400-metre individual medley, and Wood in the 100- and 200-metre backstroke.

“Russell is a great swimmer, and he can swim a whole bunch of strokes,” said Blondal. “He's one of the fastest young guys in the world, a consistent trainer, and really responsible in his preparation. He's a great recruit for us. And Tianna – she's aggressive and feisty, and she can swim just about anything. She's going to be a great swimmer for us heading into the next Olympics.”

The Dinos men were led by fifth-year captain Jason Block, who swept the three breaststroke events with gold at 50, 100, and 200 metres. Block also gave the Dinos the cushion they needed in the 4 x 100-metre medley relay, the final event of the meet, as Calgary set a new Canada West record thanks to the swims of Wood, Block, Bogdan Knezevic, and David Woodman.

Other Day 3 highlights for the Dinos included Lindsay Delmar's gold medal in the 200-metre butterfly, a dominant performance by Erica Morningstar in her specialty, the 200-metre individual medley, and Gleb Suvorov's gold medal in the men's 200 IM.

Wood set his second conference record of the meet in the 100-metre backstroke, breaking a five-year-old mark in his time of 53.07, while Block finished his sweep in the breaststroke Sunday with a solid win in the 200-metre event.

Calgary won a total of 45 medals at the meet, including 14 gold. Sunday's medal tally was 16 total podium finishes for the Dinos.

NOTES: It is the 134th overall conference title for the University of Calgary … men's swimming has 20 Canada West titles all-time, seven more than football (13) – the other Dinos team to capture a conference title so far in 2012-13 … previous titles have come in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 … the Dinos men will look to capture their 16th CIS swimming title Feb. 21-23 in their home pool …

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
Men
1. CALGARY (826 pts.)
2. UBC (770.5)
3. Alberta (461.5)
4. Victoria (433)
5. Lethbridge (293.5)
6. Manitoba (150)
7. Regina (127.5)
8. Trinity Western (87)

Women
1. UBC (878 pts.)
2. CALGARY (742.5)
3. Alberta (473.5)
4. Victoria (356)
5. Lethbridge (216)
6. Manitoba (212.5)
7. Regina (169.5)
8. Trinity Western (5)

2013 CANADA WEST SWIMMING AWARDS
Swimmers of the Meet
Women: Savannah King, UBC
Men: Coleman Allen, UBC

Rookies of the Meet
Women: Tianna Rissling, CALGARY
Men: Russell Wood, CALGARY

Coaches of the Year
Women's Team: Steve Price, UBC
Men's Team: Mike Blondal, CALGARY

DINOS MEDALLISTS – 2013 Canada West Swimming Championships
*denotes Canada West record

GOLD
Jason Block (50 breast*, 100 breast, 200 breast)
Lindsay Delmar (200 fly)
Erica Morningstar (200 IM)
Amanda Reason (50 free)
Tianna Rissling (50 breast*, 400 IM*)
Gleb Suvorov (200 IM)
Russell Wood (100 back*, 200 back*)
Men's 4 x 200 free relay (David Woodman, Reid Scarrow, Bogdan Knezevic, Bryan Wray)
Men's 4 x 100 medley relay* (Russell Wood, Jason Block, Bogdan Knezevic, David Woodman)
Women's 4 x 100 free relay (Fiona Doyle, Erica Morningstar, Amanda Reason, Tianna Rissling)

SILVER
Lindsay Delmar (800 free)
Fiona Doyle (50 breast, 100 breast, 200 breast)
Bogdan Knezevic (200 fly)
Erica Morningstar (50 back)
Alana Skocdopole (50 fly, 100 fly)
Gleb Suvorov (200 back)
David Woodman (100 free, 200 free)
Men's 4 x 100 free relay (Gleb Suvorov, Russell Wood, David Woodman, Bryan Wray)
Women's 4 x 200 free relay (Lindsay Delmar, Erica Morningstar, Amanda Reason, Fiona Doyle)
Women's 4 x 100 medley relay (Erica Morningstar, Fiona Doyle, Lindsay Delmar, Amanda Reason)

BRONZE
Jason Block (200 IM)
Julianne Brown (400 free, 800 free)
Bradley Crocker (200 back)
Fiona Doyle (50 free, 50 breast)
Lindsay Delmar (200 free, 400 IM)
Thomas Jobin (200 fly)
Bogdan Knezevic (50 breast)
Erica Morningstar (100 breast)
Amanda Reason (100 free)
Tianna Rissling (200 breast)
Abigail Sayer (200 fly)
Alana Skocdopole (50 fly)
Gleb Suvorov (50 back)
David Woodman (50 free)

-UC-