To say Ryan Cochrane made a splash would be one of the understatements of Canadian sport.The Victoria native is the most decorated Canadian swimmer in history.

On his retirement in 2017, Ryan finished his career with a Canadian record of 22 career international medals in the 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle events. That includes two medals in the Olympics, eight at the FINA World Championships, six at the Pan Pacific Championships, four Golds in the Commonwealth Games and two Golds in the Pan American Games. From 2008 through 2015, he was named Canadian Male Swimmer of the Year a startling eight times in a row.

The graduate of Claremont Secondary and the University of Victoria did plenty in his career to warrant his standing as an all-time Canadian great in the pool. Canada’s best current and future swimmers owe a debt of gratitude to Ryan Cochrane. On that point, there is little doubt. The two-time Olympic medallist had the willingness to put in the long, hard kilometre-after-kilometre training sessions in Saanich Commonwealth Place. That allowed him to perform with precision at all the big world events.

Ryan was among Canada's most reliable athletes, in any sport, during his 12-year international career. No small part of that was due to his coach and mentor Randy Bennett, who preceded Ryan into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. This coach-swimmer tandem was recognized by Swimming Canada in 2008/2009 with the Dr. JenoTihanyi Memorial Bursary, awarded to aid in their further development towards excellence.

Before the six-medal outbreak for Canada in the pool at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, where he co-captained the team, it was Ryan Cochrane who almost singlehandedly kept Canadian swimming afloat through what were otherwise low years, representing Canada at three Olympic Games and six World Championships. His Bronze medal in the 1,500-metre freestyle was Canada's lone swimming medal at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and our first 1500-metre medal in 88 years. Ryan’s 1500-metre Silver at the London 2012 Olympics was one of only two Canadian pool medals.

In 2017, Swimming Canada honoured Ryan’s achievements by inducting him into the Circle of Excellence, where he joined such swimming legends as Alex Baumann and Mark Tewksbury. “At a time when Swimming Canada was rebuilding, it was Ryan Cochrane who stepped up and led by example, winning medals at multiple World Championships and Olympics,” says Tewksbury, a Canadian sport leader and 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics swimming Gold medallist.“There was much excitement by the performance of the Canadian swimming team at Rio 2016. But that momentum started with Ryan's medals at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.”

Ryan Cochrane’s legacy in pools around the world – which all started at Saanich Commonwealth Place – will not soon be forgotten.

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Susan (nee Anderson) Morriss was born and grew up in Victoria. She began figure skating at the age of eight in the old Memorial Arena. In 1967, when the Racquet Club of Victoria opened, she began an affiliation with that figure skating club which has lasted for over 50 years. Susan took figures, free skate and ice dance lessons, competed provincially in Singles and went on to compete nationally in Ice Dance. Although she and her partner completed both their Canadian and US gold dance tests, the pressure of school caused them to give up competition. Susan was a student at the University of Victoria where she graduated and became an elementary school teacher. After 35 years, she retired from teaching but continued with her volunteer “job” as a figure skating judge.

While still competing, Susan began training at the age of 15 to become a Canadian Figure Skating Association official. She went on to become a national level judge for Singles (1984), Ice Dance (1986), Synchronized Skating (1988) and Pairs (1992). She subsequently achieved her International judging qualifications for Singles, Pairs and Synchronized Skating in 1993 and Ice Dance in 1994. In 1997, Susan was appointed as an International Skating Union (ISU) Championship Judge and International Referee for Synchronized Skating.

As an official, Susan has judged hundreds of events at local, regional, provincial and national levels including the Canada Winter Games. She has officiated at 25 Canadian Figure Skating Championships and at 34 National Synchronized Championships. As an international official, she has had the opportunity to judge in 20 different countries including at 10 International Junior and five Senior ISU Grand Prix events and 26 other international competitions including five World Championships.

As an administrator, Susan has served as a member of many officials committees at the regional, provincial and national levels. She has provided mentorship to both athletes and officials, served as a Team Leader to international competitions, chaired a Skate Canada Annual General Conference and chaired the Organizing Committee for the Canadian Championships when they were held in Victoria. She has also coordinated Community Skate and the volunteer support for Stars on Ice and was a volunteer at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Highlights of Susan’s judging career include: awarding a 6.0 to Kurt Browning during the 1993 National Championships, being part of the judging panel to award Shae Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz’s “River Dance” routine a perfect 6.0 across the board, meeting ‘Rocket’ Richard, Barbara Ann Scott and Toller Cranston when they were the Honorary Chairs of National Championships, and judging Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, from their early days right up until their Olympic Gold Medal achievements.

During her judging career, Susan has been honoured by her provincial association with the Officials Award of Excellence, Coaches Choice Award and the Audrey Moore Participation Award. Nationally, she has received the Elizabeth Swan Memorial Award and, just in the past year, the 50-year volunteer pin from Skate Canada.

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