Animals Swim at Bend and Canby 1

Central Oregon Masters Pentathlon

Where were the wild creatures in December?  The answer is, they were in Canby and Bend, Oregon, as two fun meets brought swimmers together to vie for all-around titles and coveted Gargoyle trophies.  Both meets, the Canby Animal Meet and the COMA Short Course Meters Pentathlon, measured swimmers’ versatility.

Central Oregon Masters in Bend hosted the Pentathlon on December 9, 2017 where swimmers competed in triathlon, and long, medium and short distance pentathlons.  In all the events, the champions were those who accrued the least time swimming all the events in their categories.  The events for the triathlon swimmers, known as the Brute Squad, competed in the 200 meter Butterfly, 400 meter IM and 1500 meter Free in the same day, which would tire even the most trained athlete.  Hanging in there for the win in the women’s triathlon were Baldy Ozawa, 30-34 age group, with a combined time of 37:57.28, Stacy Kiefer, (35-39), 29:52.99, Cherie Touchette, (50-54), 31:31.92, and Ginger Pierson, (70-74), 46:46.83.  For the men, Kermit Yensen finished first in the 60-64 age group with an overall time of 34:44.70.  Barry Fasbender, swimming in the 80-84 age group set a new zone record of 4:52.32 in the 200 M Fly as he completed all three swims in 43:07.05.

The Pentathlon competitors were no slouches either as three categories were offered — sprint (50s of each stroke plus a 100 IM), Medium (100s of each stroke plus a 200 IM) and the Long Pentathlon (200s of each stroke plus a 400 IM).  In the Sprint division, winners were: Heather Wiley, (W60-64), 4:44.38, Sam Bruce, (M30-34), 3:43.81 and Christian Tujo, (M45-49), 3:31.44.  For the Medium distances, age group winners were Jeanna Summers, (W60-64), 10:43.78, Matt Miller, (M40-44), 7:19.22, Matthew Roth, (M50-54), 7:12.20 and Kris Calvin, (M55-59), 8:14.95.

For all the new pentathlon records that were set at the meet, see here: http://swimoregon.org/records-links-to-results-january-2018/

Way to go everyone!  This is a fun format that refreshes competitors’ motivation, adding a little spice to life in the aqueous lane!

Canby Animal Meet

The Canby Animal Meet, held the next weekend, December 17, 2017, also offered variety as swimmers competed for Gargoyle statuettes, similar to an Oscar (not!).  Like Bend, swimmers competed in categories based on distance, but at this meet the events went by the monikers Sprint Animals, Middle Animals and Grand Animals.  Sprinters completed a 100 yd. IM, 50 yd. fly and 200 yd. free; Middle Animals swam a 200 yd. IM, 100 yd. fly and 500 yd. free; and Grand Animals finished a tough triad of a 400 yd. IM, 200 yd. fly and 1000 yd. free.  For the women, Gargoyle recipients were Sara Shepard in the Sprint division, Emily Medina in the Middle, and Mattie Fowler in the Grand Animal category.  Emily and Mattie were repeat winners from past years.  For the men, Igor Bruzual topped the Sprint division, Matthew Roth the Middle and Matt Miller, the Grand Animal.

James Adam threatening Matt Miller for the Grand Animal Gargoyle trophy

Oregon and Zone records were set in several individual events in the meet.  Karen Andrus-Hughes set two Oregon records in the Women’s 60-64 age group, swimming a 2:18.65 200 yd. free and a 31.72  50 yd. butterfly.  Joy Ward followed suit in her age group with new standards in the Women’s 75-79 age group with a 200 yd. butterfly, 4:01.59 and 400 yd, IM, 7:31.13.

Both of these meets are full of friendly competition and fun results.  Next year, bring out your inner growl!!!