OTTAWA – The University of Calgary Dinos men's and women's swim teams took victory in the pool over the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carleton Ravens in their first ever tri-meet Sunday from Ottawa's Montpetit Hall.

The Canada West Champion Dinos men outscored the Gee-Gees and Ravens (234-184-24), while the Calgary women's squad also picked up 234 points to defeat Ottawa and Carleton, as well (234-136-60).

On the men's side, Stephen Calkins once again showed he is a sprint force in the pool. The Commonwealth Games medallist led in the Dinos men with 27 points, winning the individual men's 50 (22.49) and 100 freestyle (50.62) and 100 butterfly (54.10). In addition to his individual performances, Calkins blasted off for an incredible 47.47 to anchor the men's 400 freestyle relay team of Nathan Versluys, Addison Butler and Liam Dennett to catch and touch ahead of the Ottawa team. 

Rookie Charlie Skalenda cleaned up for Calgary, picking up wins in the 400 IM (4:21.38) and 200 backstroke (2:00.14) and adding a second-place finish in the men's 400 freestyle to pick up 25 points for the scarlet and gold. 

Other event winners on the men's side include Nathan Versluys shaving off nearly 1.3 seconds and setting a new lifetime best in the 200 butterfly (2:02.59) and Ian Friesen touching first in the 200 freestyle (1:50.19). 

Eliza Housman was on fire for the Dinos women. The first-year Calgary native notched individual wins in the women's 50 (26.49) and 100 freestyle (57.99), and touched for second in the 100 butterfly behind teammate Laura Albers (1:04.11). At the beginning of the session, Housman teamed up with Hannah Johnsen, Mackenzie Wallich and Albers to win the women's 200 medley relay, and was later joined by Marit Anderson, Emily De Jager and Hannah Bennett to win the women's 400 freestyle relay to close out the meet. 

Medley swimmer Hannah Bennett showed her versatility at the tri-meet. Bennett picked up 22 points for the Dinos women by winning the women's 400 IM (4:57.88) and touching for second and third in the women's 100 freestyle and 200 breaststroke, respectively. 

Other event winners on the women's side include Canada West backstroke champion Hannah Johnsen who picked up two wins on Sunday in the women's 100 (1:02.69) and 200 backstroke (2:14.84), as well as Emily De Jager who claimed victory in the women's 200 freestyle (2:03.25) ahead of Marit Anderson (2:04.82), with Anderson later going on to win the women's 400 freestyle (4:20.50) and De Jager touching for second (4:22.64). 

"We always race inside the western conference, so it was great to come out and race a few different teams in Toronto and Ottawa," said Dino's head coach Mike Blondal of the marquee meets. "We had a lot of racing in two and a half days, but it was competitive and exciting and we managed to get two new U SPORTS qualifiers."

The Dinos swim teams will have a short break before racing at a local competition Feb. 4-5 to gear up for the upcoming U SPORTS national championships in Victoria Feb. 24-26. 

-UC-