A tumultuous year in sports for the Island was full of potholes in cycling but tempered by the sweet summer-nights smell of onions and hot-dogs wafting on Caledonia. These were the top-10 Island sports stories of 2013:
1. RYDER ON THE STORM: Cycling’s warped history caught up to Victoria cycling star Ryder Hesjedal, who went from Canadian Press national male athlete of the year in 2012 to crashing in 2013. This time the raspberries weren’t just scrapes on the skin. This cut went much deeper — to reputation and legacy. The 2012 Giro d’Italia champion and 2010 Tour de France No. 6 said he “chose the wrong path” in admitting to using illegal performance-enhancing methods 10 years ago while a mountain biker. “I sincerely apologize for my part in the dark past of the sport. I will always be sorry,” said Hesjedal.
2. PLAY BALL: The Victoria HarbourCats did just that in a boffo box-office inaugural season in which fans embraced the return of baseball to the capital. The H-Cats finished second in West Coast League attendance with a per-game average of 1,437 fans over 27 home dates at Royal Athletic Park. That total does not include the league all-time single-game record 4,210 fans who turned out for the 2013 WCL all-star game at RAP to watch top-rated U.S. NCAA pro prospects.
3. SHAMROCK SUMMER: The glory was back in green. The 2013 Western Lacrosse Association championship season fell short of the ultimate goal of the Mann Cup national title. But the Victoria Shamrocks’ WLA playoffs and Mann Cup runs re-introduced a kinetic energy to a packed Bear Mountain Arena. Suddenly, lacrosse was a happening once again.
4. HIGHLAND FLING: If baseball and lacrosse made big rebounds in the capital in 2013, so did soccer. The Victoria Highlanders made the Final Four in Austin, Texas, in the far-flung 65-team USL Premier Development League while averaging 1,657 fans over eight home dates at Royal Athletic Park.
5. IN THE SWIM: What are they putting in the water at Saanich Commonwealth Place? Swimmers from that pool — Ryan Cochrane with two and Hilary Caldwell and Eric Hedlin — accounted for all four of Canada’s swimming medals, and more than half of the seven overall Canadian medals (including three from Quebec divers), at the 2013 FINA world aquatics championships in Barcelona.
6. RUGBY HEAVEN: That will be the next World Cup in 2015. Kieran Crowley’s Langford-based Canadian team, with a ferry-load of Island players and players from Island teams, officially advanced by beating the U.S. Eagles twice this year in Americas regional qualifying.
7. SIMON SAYS BYE: One of the greatest Island athletes of all-time, Simon Whitfield, officially announced his retirement in 2013 after winning Olympic gold and silver medals, Commonwealth Games gold, 14 World Cup victories and 12 Canadian championships.
8. TEAM TOMORROW: Was terrific. A total of 43 Island athletes won medals at the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Que., the biggest multi-sport national showcase before stepping onto the international stage.
9. HIGH SCHOOL DYNASTIES: Two continued on the pitch in 2013. They sure know how to tackle and move an oblong ball in Island schools. The Mount Douglas Rams won their third consecutive B.C. high school Triple-A football title and the Shawnigan Lake Stags their fifth straight B.C. Triple-A rugby championship.
10. SPIKES AND DIGS: Volleyball had an intriguing year. Island players Fred Winters and Josh Howatson made headlines by leading the Canadian national men’s team to several memorable victories against world-ranked teams in 2013 while fellow Victorians Shanice Marcelle and Jamie Broder turned in notable achievements on the women’s side.
Honourable Mention: Island hockey had a peculiar 2013. The highlights included Jamie Benn of Victoria being named captain of the Dallas Stars and strapping defenceman Keegan Kanzig becoming the highest player drafted in the brief Victoria Royals era when he went 67th overall in the third round to the Calgary Flames, who also signed him. The most bizarre moment was the firing of Victoria Grizzlies GM and head coach Bill Bestwick despite the Grizz being third overall in the BCHL this season.
