Big Meet, Big Energy: Packed Stands and Record-Breaking Swim Close Out the 61st Season

The Northshore Aquatic Association capped off its 61st swimming season with the prestigious NAA Championship ‘Big’ Meet on August 9th, 2025 at Ecclestone Pool. An impressive crowd well in excess of 200 people came together to fill the deck and stands from start to finish, and created an electric and fun atmosphere for the event.

“Big Meet is a celebration of our community spirit”, said Leniyo Amayao, Vice-President of Competitive Swimming. “For 61 years now, hundreds of members from our community have continued to come together, so that our children can have fun at the pool, race and compete against each other, all while cheering on their teammates.”

Season Champions Announced

Representing fourteen pools across Montréal, a total of 273 swimmers raced throughout the day, in a last push to garner points and medals for their teams. In the close and highly-sought contest for the Pat Forde Memorial (Most-Improved) Trophy, the team of Côte Saint-Luc (CSL) beat out the Surrey Gators by less than one (1) percentage point, claiming the title for the 2025 season. We congratulate CSL for their impressive 50.80% season-over-season improvement in score at the Championship event.

Far outpacing all other teams in total season points and in Big Meet Points, Elm Park Pool (ELM) claimed both the Lion’s Club Challenge and the Div. A Trophies from last year’s winner Glenmore Pool (GLE). However, Glenmore Pool managed to hold onto the Accubec (8 & Under) Trophy, beating out Elm Park Pool by a tight margin of 17 points.

In Div. B, the team of Town of Mount-Royal came out victorious by a wide margin of 293 over the runner-up Surrey Gators, securing themselves a spot in Div. A for the 2026 season.

Stunning Psych-Out: A Display of NAA Unity

Kicking off the championship in memorable fashion, Ecclestone Pool organized a torch relay psych-out featuring children from all 14 NAA pools. One by one, swimmers carried the torch in a symbolic handoff around the deck, greeted by cheers from teammates and spectators. The relay, inspired by the Olympic tradition, served as a reminder that while competition was at the heart of the Big Meet, the sense of unity, shared history, and community pride was just as important.

Decade-Old Record Shattered

In a much-anticipated race, 7-year-old Jake Williams (ECC) broke the long-standing NAA backstroke record set by Mr. Glen Omielan (WAL) in 2013, finishing over half a second faster with a final time of 0:19.60. This marks the first time a record in the ‘8 & Under’ category was broken since 2018.

Congratulations to Jake Williams on his incredible achievement!

Announcement of Team Spirit Award Winner Delayed

With all teams having demonstrated fantastic team spirit this season, a more thorough deliberation is necessary before announcing a winner for the new Team Spirit Award. Further information will be posted in the upcoming days.

Racing for the Community

Each year, over one hundred volunteers work tirelessly to ensure that nearly 500 swimmers of all ages can race at Time Trials and the Championship ‘Big’ Meet. These events ensure that children from several communities across Montréal can benefit from accessible opportunities to swim and race, regardless of experience or ability.

The Northshore Aquatic Association is committed to continuing to serve the Community. This season, it has taken another step, by working hand-in-hand with the YMCA to integrate the organization’s youth into the NAA Student Volunteer Experience Programme. At Big Meet alone, seven youth volunteers were sponsored, either by the NAA directly, or conjointly with the YMCA.

A Big Thank You to all the Volunteers and to Ecclestone Pool

The NAA and the Vice-President would like to thank all of the volunteers who contributed to making the 2025 Championship ‘Big’ Meet a success. They have worked tirelessly over the last few weeks to prepare you this wonderful event for our children.

The NAA also wishes to especially thank the host, Ecclestone Pool, for their outstanding enthusiasm, hospitality and generosity. Without their unwavering support, Big Meet could not have been possible.

Thank you, NAA Community. See you next year!