Around the NELMSC - May 2023 |
|
2023 NELMSC SCY CHAMPIONSHIP |
|
South County YMCA dominated the large team (21+ swimmers) competition with 5,374.50 points, followed by the Granite State Penguins with 3,617 points and Conn Masters with 3,036 points.
Mount Wachusett Masters won the medium team division (11-20 swimmers) with 2,028 points. King Fins Aquatic Club placed second with 1,921 points and the Pittsfield YMCA Polar Bears took third with 1,610 points.
The small team division (4-10 swimmers) was closely contested. Wild Crab Masters Swimming took first with 853 points, edging out Cape Cod Fireϐish Masters with 841 and Martha's Vineyard Masters with 719.
In the squad team division (1-3 swimmers), Lowell YMCA Flippers Masters won with 416 points. Adirondack Masters placed second with 277 and UV Rays was third with 231 points.
|
|
|
|
New Recruit:
Shannon Linsey
|
I'm a second-year graduate student at Boston University studying for a master's degree in public health, and I swim for Boston University Masters Swim (BOSMS). I have been swimming competitively since 8 years old, and I competed for Glastonbury High School and Northeastern University Swim Club. My favorite event is the 200 backstroke! After college, I wanted to join USMS to continue getting in the water most mornings and to make new friends. WPI was a fun meet, and I enjoyed swimming relays and practicing pacing in distance swims. A highlight of WPI was the 1000 freestyle, where I went a 12:01.92, super close to my goal time of under 12 minutes. This was a great springboard to compete at USMS Spring Nationals in distance and backstroke events, and I'm looking forward to open water swims this summer! |
|
|
|
Record Breaker:
Christie Hayes
|
NELMSC Hall of Famger Christie Hayes (GSP), broke three 757-79 age-group national records at WPI in the 500 freestyle (7:10.67), 1000 freestyle (14:48.40), and 400 IM (7:01.26). At the Colonies Zone Championship in New Jersey two weeks later, she made this spring trifecta a superfecta by recording a 24:36.68 in the 1650 freestyle, smashing the previous USMS record by over two minutes!
|
|
|
|
|
First Masters Meet:
Chionye Okwuashi
|
Chionye Okwuashi always wanted to learn how to swim. Two and a half years ago, he finally took the plunge and learned how when he joined EDGE Masters in Burlington, VT. In April 2023, he entered his first meet at the NELMSC SCY Championship, where raced the 50 fly and, to challenge himself, the 100 freestyle. Chionye was surprised with his results in the 50 fly, as he had never swam more than a 25 fly in training. |
|
Emily Mitchell, Chionye's coach at Edge Masters, says "Working with newer swimmers is so much fun and Chionye is no exception. He radiates pure joy- joy of learning and joy of just being in the water and working hard at something new. Chionye also loves to understand *why* something is the way it is and has been working on his fly and IM- he really is also embracing gaining flexibility in his feet and legs! Chionye brings his huge smile to his lanemates! And it makes everyone’s day!"
Check out the NELMSC Instagram or Facebook page for video of Chionye's first race and post-swim interview.
|
|
He's Got Spirit:
Alex Ferris
|
Alex Ferris (GBM) swam 10 events at WPI, placing second in the 200 fly with a 2:28.24 and the 400 IM with a 5:43.04, along with four third places and two fourths. Alex racked up 146 points for his team. But more importantly, he brings an infectious team spirit and enthusiasm to the pool deck. |
|
|
Todd Whitford, Alex's coach at Great Bay Masters says Alex has been a great addition to GBM since he started swimming with them in 2019. "He shows up to practice with a super positive attitude, ready to get in and go from the first warmup swim. He is constantly pushing himself and his lane/team mates to do their best. "Last one fast one" is a favorite saying of his. He is constantly striving to improve his technique and asking for feedback so he can swim better and faster. At meets, when he isn't swimming as many events as he can, you can find him cheering on his teammates, finding that last person for a relay, or discussing his swim with the coach. If we still did team cheers, he would be leading each one! It's a real pleasure to have a swimmer so dedicated to not only himself, but to the team." |
|
Rubber Duck Heat Winners! |
|
Paul Savuto: "One Beaner" on a Mission |
|
Paul Savuto is on a mission to raise awareness about organ donation for the 120,000 Americans waiting for a new kidney. As a teenager, Paul's wife Deborah was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease that eventually resulted in renal failure. In 2000, her kidney function dropped below 20 percent and she needed a donor. It turned out that Paul was a universal donor and Deb was a universal recipient. Paul punched his ticket to the "one beaner" club and donated a kidney to his wife.
Swimming has been a lifelong activity for Paul. He competed through college and then transitioned to triathlons. Paul returned to training a month after his kidney donation, and he has seen success as a kidney donor athlete. Paul completed both the swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco and the epic Kingdom swim. Most recently, In 2023, Paul competed in the 1650 yard and 100 yard freestyle events at the USMS Spring National Championship in Irvine, California.
A donated kidney usually lasts 20 years. Deb’s kidney function after 22 years is declining and she once again needs a new kidney. Paul has launched a new campaign at www.1kidney4deb.com to help save Deb and others in need of a living kidney donor. With 120,000 people in the United States waiting for kidney transplants, and single kidney donation can initiate a chain of donations saving multiple lives. |
|
2023 USMS Spring Nationals |
|
There's No Crying In Butterfly:
A Newbie Take on Masters Nationals
|
By Olivia Jarras (UV Rays)
IRVINE, CA —
“Mommy, it's embarrassing that you volunteer to coach our team, yet you don't actually swim,” said my 8-year-old one evening during practice.
Me: “Really?”
My son: “Yes. Mommy. It is.”
Me: “How about we make a deal? If you can swim a 25 yard butterfly length, I'll join Masters Swimming for a month, but if you can’t, you do extra chores for a week.”
At this point, my son could barely keep his face in the water during freestyle, let alone during butterfly, so I was certain the odds were in my favor. I had blind faith that he would NOT be able to finish an entire 25 length of butterfly.
Well, the next morning I found myself at my first Master's practice. And oh boy was I unaware of the adventure that awaited me. As it often goes, one thing led to the next, and my new Masters Swimming friends encouraged me to sign up for my first swim meet. My first meet led to my son challenging me to finish a 50 butterfly. Finishing my first 50 butterfly left me so emboldened and proud, that a few weeks later I signed up for yet another meet and the never-yet-attempted-by-me 100 butterfly.
You know how they say fortune favors the bold? I’m not sure who coined that term, but I don’t think they were right. My bold first attempt at the butterfly 100 was not very favorable in any way. I mean, the first 25 was great. The second 25 was pretty hard. The third 25 was really rough. And the final 25… Suffice to say I crashed a few times into the lane lines because the tears filled my goggles and water filled my lungs. It was not graceful, but I finished it.
Now you’re probably wondering how does this all tie in with a Irvine meet recap? Well, as a total newbie to the sport, I can’t coherently speak to the vast amount of awesome results and records set by everyone at nationals… But I can certainly attest to the thousands of swimmers who were there pursuing their finest hour, pushing their own physical limits and stepping into a better version of what they themselves thought they were capable of achieving.
It was a beautiful sight to experience- 2500 swimmers who were there because they love the sport and love the perpetual chase for improvement and perhaps even a personal best. Most of us weren’t there to break a world record, or prove to ourselves that we are faster than others out there, but rather to break our own limited perception of what we as individuals can accomplish.
Personally, I can thankfully report that I did not shed a single tear during my 100 butterfly, though I did cry when I watched so many men and women competing in the 200 butterfly… (Who the heck even came up with such a grueling event?!)
I had no idea what to expect from my experience at USMS Nationals. Yet what I brought with me from Irvine was so much more powerful than I could have ever anticipated: I brought home a new community of friends, all of them passionate about our sport and their own personal progress. All of us audacious enough to know that we are masterpieces in the making, worthy of pursuing our best, and bold enough to believe that today gives us the opportunity to become a a better version of who we were yesterday.
So the race recap in a nutshell? From this newbie’s vantage point, there were a lots of awesome people swimming really fast. Lots of laughter, good company, and the strengthening of an already awesome community. Can’t wait to do it all over again.
|
|
|
|
-By Christan Avard (UV RAYS)
GOFFSTOWN, NH — Good news: Super Bowl Sunday mini-meets are back.
If you’re a long-time New England Masters swimmer, you’ll probably remember going to the Roger Nekton Championship Pool every year on Super Bowl Sunday at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, N.H. Hosted by the Great Bay Masters Swim Club (GBM), the mini-meet was a popular one for New England Masters swimmers. It was always that last tune-up meet to squeeze in before the New England Short Course Yards Championships at Harvard University. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic and Phillips Exeter decided to no longer host the annual meet. Thankfully, a new team and new facility will be keeping that tradition alive.
The Granite Y Masters Swim Team (GYM) and the YMCA Allard Center in Goffstown, N.H. put on a great meet on Feb. 12 … and afterwards, the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35, to win their third Super Bowl championship in franchise history.
Forty-seven swimmers from nine clubs and workout groups competed, according to meet organizer and Granite Y Aquatics Director Adam Gaulin. GYM had the highest number of number of swimmers competing: 14. Other teams that showed up were Boston Masters Swimming (BOSMS), Boston University (BUMS), Charles River Aquatics (CRA), Granite State Penguins (GSP), Connecticut Masters (CONN), Maine Masters Swim Club (MESC), Upper Valley Rays (UVRA), New England Masters (NEM), and unattached swimmers.
|
|
“It was suggested that we try to keep this meet on Super Bowl Sunday going forward and I am going to do my best to make that happen,” Gaulin said after the meet. “We have a lot of demand for meets between having essentially five teams that swim out of the facility (Granite YMCA Masters, Tiger Sharks (a USA Swimming team), Goffstown High School, Bedford High School, and Bishop Brady High Schools. We also have played host to the Manchester High School Swim Teams for a meet as well. I will be doing my best to juggle and make sure that every team and group get the usage that they need from the competitive side of things.”
The YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown is part of the Granite YMCA, the largest YMCA in Northern New England. The Granite YMCA comprises six facility branches in Manchester, Concord, Londonderry, Rochester, and Portsmouth, N.H. Located just 13 miles northwest of Manchester, N.H., the YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown pool is 25 yards with six lanes and it has stadium-like seating to watch the action. It’s a nice facility and plans are also in the works to build a five-lane 25-yard outdoor pool. It is scheduled to be completed this summer, according to Gaulin.
“Masters and adult swim meets are a relatively new concept here at the Granite YMCA Allard Center,” Gaulin said. “(We have) one of the nicest pools in the area in my personal opinion and we hope to host at least one masters-type meet in the summer as well. Whether you are just starting or an Olympian we would love to have you participate in one of our meets. I never want to turn away anyone that wants to swim.”
|
|
Shamrock Swim Club St. Patrick's Meet |
|
Shamrock Swim Club hosted a three-day meet over St. Patrick's Day weekend offering every event in the lineup, including a 1650 free, 1000 free, and 400 IM. All told, 49 swimmers raced, enjoyed Friday night's pizza party, and showed off some Irish pride. |
|
SAVE THE DATE: This year's New England LMSC Awards & Hall of Fame Induction Celebration will take place on Sunday, October 1, 2023, from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m., at the Neighborhood Tavern in Northborough, Massachusetts. Festivities will include happy hour, food, and the awards and induction ceremony.
Invitation and more details coming soon.
|
|
May 20 -- Dan Horton Invitational Masters Meet
June 24-25 – Bay State Games - Masters Swimming (Recognized)
July 16 -- Jenny Thompson Meet
October 22 – HAWKtoberfest Alumni & Masters Mini Meet (Recognition Pending)
Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI – Save the Date
November 12 - Rhody College Club & Masters Swimming Meet (Recognition Pending)
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI -- Save the Date!
|
|
New England Open Water Events |
|
|
|
Against the Tide is a family-friendly, multi-sport event that provides two USMS sanctioned 1 mile races. Proceeds from the events benefit the prevention of breast cancer.
June 17 -- MBCC Against the Tide Hopkinton (Sanctioned)
August 12 -- MBCC Against the Tide Brewster (Sanctioned)
|
|
|
|
June 10 -- Mashpee Super Swim
June 17 -- Charles River Swim (Sanctioned - SOLD OUT)
June 17 -- Jim Doty Memorial Mile Swim
June 18 -- Boston Frogman Swim
June 24 -- Narrow River Turnaround
North Kingstown, RI – Details
June 24 -- Buzzards Bay Swim
New Bedford-Fairhaven, MA -- Details
July 15 -- Swim with a Mission
July 15 -- Save the Bay
July 22 -- Miles for Michelle
July 22 -- Swim Across America – Nantucket
July 29 -- Kingdom Swim
August 12 -- Nubble Light Swim
August 12 -- Swim Across America – Boston
August 12 -- David's Old Silver Swim
August 20 -- Wild Bill Swim Challenge
|
|
|
|
Swwim with Glennie! The Glen Lake Swim Episode 5: Glennie Rocks goes down on Sunday, August 13, 2023. This is a sanctioned one and two mile race at beautiful Glen Lake in Goffstown, NH. Entries are open.
|
|
|
|
National and World Championships |
|
June 3 -- USMS Open Water 2-Mile Cable Nationals
July 9 -- USMS Open Water Ultramarathon Distance Nationals
July 15 -- USMS Open Water Marathon Distance Nationals
August 2 - 6 -- USMS Summer National Championship
August 2 - 11 -- 19th FINA World Masters Championships
August 12 -- USMS Open Water Middle Distance Nationals
September 16 - 17 -- USMS Open Water Sprint Distance Nationals
|
|
May 15 - September 15, 2023 -- USMS 5K/10K Virtual Championship
September 15 - November 15, 2023 -- USMS 3000/6000 Virtual Championship
|
|
Getting Started in Open Water Swimming |
|
June 15, 7pm to 8pm, via Zoom
The NELMSC is hosting an informal, online peer mentoring session to provide advice, support, and resources to swimmers who are new to or interested in trying open water swimming. NELMSC Vice Chair Guy Davis and Open Water Chair Jennifer Downing will lead the presentation, Q&A, and discussion. Panelists will include experienced New England open water coaches and swimmers.
Webinar Outline:
· Why open water?
· Preparation
· Safety
· Groups & Venues
· Equipment
· Fears
· Resources
· Events & Challenge Swims
· Questions & Discussion
RSVP required. Participation is limited to the first 20 registrants. The NELMSC may schedule future peer mentoring sessions as demand warrants.
|
|
World Aquatics Masters Championships |
|
|
|
Planning on traveling to Japan for the World Aquatics Masters Championships in Kyushu, Japan? Let me know!
We will be coordinating relays and ordering caps and t-shirts soon for members of New England Masters Swim Club.
If you are affiliated with a different NELMSC club, still let me know. We will be planning a New England get together during the meet!
-Kysa Crusco
|
|
Become a USMS member today and take your swimming to the next level. Here are just some of the great benefits you'll receive:
-
Technique and training advice in SWIMMER magazine, STREAMLINES newsletters, and here at usms.org
- A vast workout library that features seven specialties and loads of workouts for every swimming level
- Ability to participate in USMS pool, open water, or virtual events
- Access to local club workouts
- Exclusive discounts from our partners
- Ability to link your account with Swim.com and analyze your workout or race information
- A digital community to connect with coaches and members nationwide
- Fun social interaction with like-minded adults
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
