|
Our
Ventura County Masters (VCM'rs) are representing us well at
Masters Nationals in Clovis,
California. We will post the recap of each days'
events on the website, but until then, I will email it out to
everybody. I will also work on compiling the results of the
high school League Finals and will post to the website.
Day 1 (a.k.a. “distance dayý) of the
2009 USMS Short Course National Championships started very well for
VCM. Competing at the new
Clovis North Aquatics Complex in Fresno, Larry Raffaelli
started the meet off with a stellar swim in the first event,
1000-yard free (12:33.28). Larry’s effort resulted in a
1st place in the M65-69 age group…our first
National Champion!! Following Larry was Ron Powers who
hadn’t swam competitively since high school nearly 35 years
ago. Ron didn’t seem to miss a beat and took
3rd place in his heat (11:57.53) and ended up
17th in the M50-54 division. Stacey Warmuth lead
off the meet for the VCM women with a solid 4th place
finish in the W50-54 age group (11:58.10). Coach Kurt Baron
had a PR (personal record) time (10:45.45) and placed
9th in the M40-44. Coach Marty Armstrong posted an
11:03.41 for 7th in the M35-39 division, and Jim
McConica took 3rd in the M55-59 age group
(10:43.56).
The next event was
the 1650-yard free and Jim McConica garnered VCM its 2nd
national championship with a 17:59.57 effort. Coach Lee Anne
Ghimenti lowered her time from last year’s 2008 nationals by
a second (19:25.67) and placed 2nd (same as 2008) in the
W35-39 division. Mike Shaffer posted the 2nd
fastest overall time of the meet (16:07.44), but also ended up in
the runner-up position since the fastest time of the day (16:01.00)
was posted by someone in the same M40-44 age group. Larry
Raffaelli came back from his M65-69 national championship in the
1000 free with a 2nd place finish in the 1650 free
(21:03.63). Bart Bleuel had the largest time drop of the day
(2 min) and scored a 6th place finish in the M65-69 age
group (22:49.95), and Coach Marty also scored a 6th
place finish in the M35-39 division (18:57.83), even though his
speed suit ripped open during the swim. The only unfortunate
result of the day was
Michael Wood’s 1650 swim where he was on pace for a
solid top 10 finish in the M65-69 age group, but was DQ’d
after apparently going short 50 yards…after the timers told
him he was done and the official told him to clear the
pool.
VCM swimmers will
be back in action tomorrow starting at 8:00am. Goodnight from
Clovis.
|
