Dan Vandendungen led a group of four swimmers from the Duncan Stingrays at the 2025 Masters Provincial Championships in Nanaimo from April 25-27. The group achieved 14 top-eight finishes, including a third-place finish in the mixed relay.
Stingrays coach Natalie Ensz was proud of their accomplishments.
"They all achieved personal best times," she said. "This was their first official competition as adults, aside from Dan."
Vandendungen, 45, won four events in the male aged 45-49 category: the 200m IM, 50m backstroke, 200m backstroke and the 50m freestyle. He placed second in the 50m and 100m butterfly events — both of which he was a half-second or less from winning — and the 100m freestyle.
Keith Fichter, 53, placed second in the M50-54 50m breaststroke and seventh in the 100m freestyle.
The men's team placed 19th overall. The Stingrays women, Melissa Fales and Adara Mitchell, placed 20th.
Fales, 42, was second in the 50m butterfly and fourth in the 100m IM. Mitchell, 30, finished fifth in the W30-34 50m butterfly.
The four-swimmer Stingrays team placed third in the mixed 160-199 200m freestyle relay and 19th overall out of 32 teams.
"Racing as an adult takes courage and vulnerability," Ensz said. "I admire their hard work and improvement over the last year."
