Steph has represented Canada on multiple occasions including: 2008, 2012, & 2016 Olympic Games, two World Championships, two World University Games, Pan Pacific Games and Pan American Games (1 Silver, 1 Bronze). The former Canadian record holder (200m) can also claim to be the first Canadian female to win an Open Water World Cup Event and the first Canadian Swimmer to have competed in the Olympics in both pool and open water disciplines.
The list of Canadian Olympians who have attended the Festival grows steadily each year, many having attended with the Freestyle Experience group led by Olympian Katie Brambley. To date: Samantha Cheverton, Tera Van Bielen, Andrea Smith, Jen Button and Martha McCabe. Andy Ritchie, a finalist in the 1976 Olympics (400IM) will have his first trip to the island this November. American Olympians Alex Meyer and Ashley Whitney as well as our home girl Olympian Lani Cabrera have also competed in the Festival.
In this the "Year of the Canadians”, Mark Perry, Swimming Canada's Distance/Open Water Coach will accompany twenty-four open water swimmers hailing from all across Canada. The highly experienced Brit, Perry, previously worked for British Swimming (2006-2014). During his tenure Team GB won three medals at the 2008 Olympics, with David Davies and Keri-Anne Payne capturing Silver in the men’s and women’s 10 K marathon and Cassandra Patten taking Bronze. Perry has already experienced the Barbados Festival, having visited in 2017 as an observer. Pictured below in a Rick Pelletier photo at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
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