Kenora Swimming Sharks

🎉 BIG NEWS, KSS Family!

Minister Greg Rickford announced today that our submission to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) has been approved!

With $326,198 in funding from the NOHFC, the project will enhance accessibility features and bring the Moncrief Construction Sports Centre to World Aquatics standards through a new headwall, starting blocks, backstroke ledges, a digital timing & display system.

This is a milestone years in the making. In June 2024, our KSS Board committed $50,000 in fundraised funds toward capital upgrades at the Moncrief Construction Sports Centre.

Throughout 2025, the KSS Board and the City of Kenora worked together, secured City approval, and submitted a joint proposal to NOHFC... and today, that work paid off.

These improvements will raise the bar for training, coaching, and competition right here at home.

Years of hard work, dedication, and community generosity brought us here. We are so proud of what Kenora has built together. ❤️

More details on timelines and next steps will follow as they become available. For now, celebrate! We've all earned this.

💙 KSS Board of Directors.

Photo by Tom Thomson courtesy of MPP Greg Rickford

Read the full release here: https://www.kenoraswimming.ca/team-news

Sharks assessments for the 2026/2027 season are officially full!

Thank you, Kenora, for the incredible response, we're thrilled to see so much interest in joining the club this fall.

Assessment spots have filled up, so registration for this round is now closed.

If you missed out, don't worry, reach out to be added to our waitlist, and we'll be in touch as new opportunities open up. [email protected]

Thank you again for your enthusiasm and support of the Sharks program!

🏊 90 KM DOWN — 20 KM TO GO! 🏊

UPDATE, July 20: Chad English set out to swim 100 kilometres across Lake of the Woods on July 9th — from Sable Island to Kenora — and he's now 90 km in and still swimming strong, with just 20 km left to reach Kenora. He's about to surpass his goal. The biggest challenge of his life, one stroke at a time.

But this swim was never really about the distance.

It's powered by his daughter, Sophie — one of our own Kenora Swimming Sharks.

Sophie was born at 32 weeks and needed immediate heart surgery at SickKids. At one year old, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and has faced multiple surgeries at Shriners since. Today she's 15 and thriving — a dedicated para swimmer, a Canadian Para Swimming record holder, and the holder of several Ontario records. Watching her push through everything is exactly why Chad is out there.

"The care and support our family received changed our lives," Chad says. "This swim is my way of giving back and saying thank you."

Every dollar raised goes directly to the organizations that supported his family — no admin fees, no middle ground, just support going where it's needed most:
• Shriners Hospitals for Children
• SickKids Hospital
• Dr. Beveridge Kenora Community Fund
• Jennifer Schott Scholarship Fund
• Lake of the Woods Community Foundation

From the pool deck to open water — this is what our sport looks like at its very best. With Sophie a Shark and Chad swimming for her (also a Master with Kenora Borealis Multisport Club), we could not be prouder to call this family part of the Kenora Swimming Sharks. 🦈

90 km down, 20 to go, he's almost home. Send him some energy for the final stretch, and if his story resonates, we'd be grateful for a donation, a share, or simply following along.

👉 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568937896304

Swim Ontario and Swimming Canada — we'd love for you to help share Chad and Sophie's story.

Team Ontario takes GOLD in 200M Medley Relay!

What an incredible way to close out Summer ManSask Championships!

Huge congratulations to our Sharks who wrapped up the meet on a high note:

🥉 Josh Benson – Bronze, 50 Fly
🥉 Sophie English – Bronze, 50 Fly
🥈 Sophie English - Silver, 50 Back
🥇 Liam Serino – Gold, 100 Breast

So proud of all the NWO athletes and everything they poured into this meet!

Now rest!!! ❤️

And to Sadie Wood – it was an absolute pleasure having you race with us over the years. We wish you tremendous success swimming at University of New Brunswick! ❤️

🎉🏊 HUGE CONGRATULATIONS, LIAM SERINO! 🏊🎉

All that hard work just paid off in the biggest way. Liam didn't just make his Canadian Junior Trials cut — he ALSO hit the Canadian Open cut in the 50 BR! 🥇🔥

From your coaches: you trusted the process. So many times you were ever so close — and every time you reset, refocused, and went back to work on the technical details. That's what got you here.

Liam, this one is so well earned!

Rest easy tonight, tomorrow is another race. 💙🦈

🏊 Day 2 highlights!
Fabulous racing from Team NWO with PBs across every event! 🔥

Sophie English led the way GOLD in the 200 FR and SILVER in the 50 FR!

On deck for Day 3: 200 Fly, 100 FR & 50 BR.

Let's keep it rolling! 🦈💙

🏊 Day 1 is in the books!
Huge congrats to Sophie English on a 2nd-place finish in the 200 IM to kick things off! 🥈

On deck for Day 2: 200 BR, 50 FR, 200 FR & 400 FR.

Team NWO is fully rested and ready to race. Let's GOOOO! 🦈💙

🏊 ManSask Championships start today in Saskatoon!

Big shoutout to our athletes representing Northwestern Ontario at Championships — 4 Kenora Swimming Sharks, 1 Red Lake Goldfins Swim team, and 1 Cyclone Swim Club competing alongside 432 swimmers from across BC, AB, SK, and MB.

Cheer them on and follow every race live 👉
https://www.youtube.com/live/AkRLwaEyIKo

More to come!!

Go NWO! 🦈

Session 1: 2026 Summer ManSask Long Course Session 1 (Prelims/Timed Finals)Competition Start: 8:40 AM1/2: 2...

🏊 What a weekend in Winnipeg at GPI! 🏊

The Kenora Swimming Sharks brought home medals, personal bests, and even NATIONAL RECORDS from the Great Plains Invitational and we couldn't be more proud of every single swimmer who competed.

🥇 Sophie English broke both the Ontario AND Canadian records in the 200m backstroke, won six gold medals, and took home the High Point Trophy as the top female para athlete of the meet. Absolutely incredible, Sophie!

🥇 Liam Serino swept the breaststroke events and added gold in the 50m freestyle.

🥉Josephine Hill smashed the 1:30 barrier in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in 100M & 200M breaststroke.

And that's just the highlights — from our youngest swimmers to our senior athletes, the entire team showed up and delivered. Huge personal bests, finals appearances, and top-eight finishes across the board.

"Every swimmer contributed to a very successful weekend." Head Coach Janet Hyslop

Full recap here 👇
https://www.kenoraswimming.ca/team-news