No matter the sport, the Sudbury arm of the Special Olympics crew are a force to be reckoned with.

Arriving in Sault Ste Marie with the largest contingent that were competing, the Sudbury Sunfish were dominant, returning home with no less than 81 first, second or third place ribbons.

The Regional Meet, which was hosted last Saturday in the Lock City, also featured a number of personal best times by the Sudbury team that included 26 athletes, with fun certainly had by all.

The Sunfish team included Ryan Normand, Josée Séguin, Tracey Miller, Tammi Lyn Deveau, Rosie Falvo, Kylie Hocevar, Tricia Leonard, William Leclair, Lauren McLean, James Ilves, Leeland Haslam, Oscar Bernier, Jason Vautour, Amy Adair, Richard Guescini, Shannon O'Reilly, Roseanne Paquette, Karen Saunders, Ashley Kennaway, Courtney Sydock, Amanda Mainville, Liam Kitching, Katelyn Ruff, Brian Norton, David Demers and Brayden McNeil.

Meanwhile, the local floor hockey team, 15 members strong, also returned home with distinction, earning second place ribbons at a competition in London.

Things are not slowing down much for the local contingent. Both Plaza Bowl and Buddah Bowl will be hosts, this coming weekend, for the 2012 Regional 5-Pin Bowling competition as the Sudbury Roller Polars and a group from the Valley compete for northern Ontario bragging rights.

Some 300 athletes from North Bay through to Sault Ste Marie will be taking part in the event, that includes roughly 110 bowlers from the Sudbury region.

Many of these same athletes will be heading to Kingston at the end of the month, with the 2012 Special Olympics Spring Games slated for the Limestone City from May 31st through until June 3rd.

All of this on the heels of a very successful performance from locals at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games that were held at the beginning of March in St Albert, Alberta.