Foust paces Sharks at Western Zone Open Water Championships
Press Release/Sandpoint Sharks | Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 11 months, 3 weeks AGO
Sandpoint Sharks head coach Emily Renzini is all smiles with her swimmers after a successful outing at the Western Zone Open Water Championships held Saturday, Aug. 23 in Coeur d'Alene.
(Courtesy Photo)
COEUR d'ALENE — Sandpoint High sophomore Lou Foust was the Sandpoint Sharks' top finisher at the 2025 USA Swimming Western Zone Open Water Championships, hosted by the Coeur d'Alene Area Swim Team (CAST) and Inland Empire Swimming (IES) this past Saturday at Coeur d'Alene City Park and Independence Point.
Foust finished the 2,500-meter course in 37 minutes, 7 seconds, good enough for 12th out of 48 competitors in the boys 11-16 age group. Also competing in the 2.5k race was fellow sophomore Bodi Demmons, who placed 19th with a time 38 minutes, 39 seconds. Joshua Jackson, 13 years old, was 24th in 39 minutes, 30 seconds.
"Bodi did an awesome job passing swimmers around the buoy turns; it was exciting to see the open water strategies we had been practicing in the pool really come to life in the race," Sandpoint Sharks head coach Emily Renzini said. "All of our swimmers looked strong coming into the slap board finish, and they represented our team with pride from the start."
On the girls side, Charley-Rain Olpin, 12, placed 23rd out of 65 competitors in the girls 11-16 age group with a time of 41 minutes, 18 seconds. She was the third fastest among swimmers 12 years old and under. Sandpoint High rising freshman Athena de Leeuw was 55th in 46 minutes, 7 seconds.
In the 1,250-meter race, Vienne LaFountain, 12, was sixth out of 20 competitors in the girls 9-12 age group, finishing with a time of 25 minutes even. Charlie Johnson, 10, was 15th with a time of 28 minutes, 27 seconds.
"They all showed incredible toughness and determination against some of the best open water swimmers in the region," coach Renzini said. "We’re so proud of the way they raced, supported each other, and represented our team. It was an outstanding experience, and these swimmers continue to show what Shark pride is all about."
The championships included competitive swimmers from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. It also includes the Inland Empire (Eastern Washington/North Idaho/Northeast Oregon), Pacific Northwest (Washington/Oregon), San Diego Imperial (California), Sierra Nevada (California), and Snake River (Idaho/Wyoming) local swimming committees (LSCs).
The Sandpoint Sharks will take a two-week break, then it’s back to work in the pool as they prepare for their next competition at Washington State University on Saturday, Sept. 27. If interested in joining the team, contact Emily Renzini at [email protected] for more information.