The North Whidbey Aquatic Club sent 27 athletes to the Winter Challenge hosted by the Bellingham Bay Swim Team Jan. 30 and 31, and they combined to bring home 19 blue ribbons.

Ashleigh Merrill, 12, was the big winner, capturing all eight of her individual events and posting Northwest Age Group and AAA (national ranking) qualifying times.

The girls 10-and-under group was also dominant, filling over half of the slots in the final heats, according to coach Richard Taylor. The age group’s 200-yard medley and freestyle relay teams (Lindsay Brown, Alana Miller, Lea Opdyke and Kiersten Tyson) set new NWAC records and qualified for the Age Groups Championships in Federal Way next month.

In addition to Merrill, others winners in individual events were Cassidy Drown, 8; Miller, 10; Opdyke, 10; Jillian Pape, 16; and Christopher Shashaty, 9.

Miller earned her third AAA time of the year while winning five events.

Merrill and Haley Borja received the NWAC Swimmer of the Meet award.