The winter pool season got off to a fast start at the 2017 Northwest Zone SCM Championships held November 11-12, in Hood River, Oregon. Six world records and fourteen zone records fell as 86 swimmers from eleven clubs settled into a new season of competition.
World record — Mixed 320-359; 400 SCM freestyle relay Joy Ward, Margaret Toppel, Dave Radcliff, Willard Lamb
As usual, Willard Lamb led the way in National records and World records as he set 4 new marks in the Men’s 95-99 category with records in the 200 M Freestyle, 3:57.47; 800 M Freestyle,17:03.42; 50 M Backstroke, 1:00.03; and 100 M Backstroke, 2:04.72. Willard joined with teammates Joy Ward, David Radcliff and Margaret Toppel for a World record in the Mixed 320-359 400 M Freestyle Relay with a 6:00.74. Willard, Joy and David also teamed with Janet Gettling for another World record in the Mixed 400 M Medley Relay finishing in 6:59.56.
World record — Mixed 320-359; 400 SCM medley relay Willard Lamb, Joy Ward, Janet Gettling, David Radcliff
Zone records were felled as Kurt Grote set new standards in the Men’s 40-44, 100 M Breaststroke with a 1:06.09 and 200 M Breaststroke, 2:23.61. In the next age group up, Men’s 45-49, Mike Self had fun setting a zone record in the 200 M Freestyle, finishing in 2:03.97. Karen Andrus-Hughes broke the Women’s 60-64 Zone record in the 200 M Backstroke with a 2:46.26 and 70-74 year age groupers Jane Nichols and Joy Ward went to task on four events; Joy set new Zone records in the 50 M Backstroke with a split of 46.67; 50 M Butterfly, 52.29 and 200 IM, 4:05.73 while Jane finished the 200 Freestyle with a new Zone mark of 3:43.16.
Good swims early in the season portend more fast swimming into 2018. It should be fun!