KELOWNA, BC — Kelowna water polo athletes earned national success this spring as Pacific Storm teams captured gold and bronze medals at Canadian championship events.
Pacific Storm won gold at the 2026 National Championship League (NCL) Men’s 18U Finals in Markham, Ontario. The team finished undefeated against 15 top teams from across Canada.
Kelowna athlete Mason Baughen helped lead the championship run. Baughen is a Grade 12 student at Okanagan Mission Secondary (OKM). He also plays and coaches with the Kelowna Water Polo Club
Pacific Storm Wins Men’s 18U National Championship
Pacific Storm entered the tournament with a 19–1 season record. The team faced its toughest challenge in the semifinal against Surrey, the only team to beat Storm during the regular season.
The semifinal stayed tied at 8–8 after regulation. Pacific Storm then won the game in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Baughen contributed strong defence, smart passing, and key transition play throughout the game. He also scored an important third-quarter goal that restored Storm’s two-goal lead.
Goalkeeper Kaden made several clutch saves in the shootout. Storm players Nikolai, Ivonne, Pablo, and Alex all converted key penalty shots.
Pacific Storm carried that momentum into the gold medal game. The team defeated Toronto Shadow 17–10 to secure the national title.
Storm controlled the game with aggressive defence, fast counterattacks, and balanced scoring. Baughen again played important minutes in the championship final.
Individual Awards Highlight Storm Success
Pacific Storm athletes and coaches also earned major tournament honours.
Ivan Khramtsov received the tournament MVP award. Head coach Branko Pekovic earned Coach of the Tournament honours.
Pekovic recently won Water Polo Canada’s Coach of the Year award. He works closely with many Kelowna athletes through Pacific Storm’s development pathway.
Kelowna Athletes Earn Women’s 16U Bronze
Kelowna athletes also reached the podium at the Women’s 16U National Championships in Surrey, BC from April 30 to May 3.
Aanika Jonson, Evelyn Barr, Tea Oenema, and Esme Oenema helped Pacific Storm capture the bronze medal against many of Canada’s top youth teams.
Jonson anchored the team defensively in goal. Barr, Tea Oenema, and Esme Oenema contributed strong two-way play throughout the tournament.
Team BC Selections Continue Momentum
The success of Kelowna athletes continues this summer.
Kelowna Water Polo Club athletes Aanika Jonson and Liam Halsall have earned selection to Team BC for the upcoming Canadian Championships.
The selections reflect the continued growth of high-performance water polo in the Okanagan.
Kelowna Classic Returns This Summer
Kelowna Water Polo Club will also host the fourth Kelowna Classic Lake Water Polo Tournament from July 10–12 at City Park.
The annual event brings teams from across British Columbia, Alberta, and Western Canada to compete on Okanagan Lake. The tournament features youth and adult divisions and offers free public viewing.
As the Kelowna Water Polo Club wraps up its fifth season, the tournament continues to showcase the rapid growth of water polo in the Okanagan.
More information is available at kelownaclassic.ca.
You can also learn about our Spring and Summer 2026 programs here.