Doug Springer with Steve Truesdale accepting the Championship Team Award; Photo by Rodger Bivens.
Karin Bivens
The Arizona State Long Course Championship Swim Meet took place March 31–June 2 at the Oro Valley Aquatic Center. For the long course meet, the pool is set up for 50 meters (as compared to 25 yards). To put that into perspective, the DesertView Pool is 25 yards long. Fifty meters is equivalent to nearly 55 yards so more than double the distance of standard 25-yard pools. Events for this meet ranged in distance from 50 meters (one length of the pool) to 1500 meters (30 lengths of the 50-meter pool). Fourteen swim clubs competed in the meet with 24 SaddleBrooke Masters Swimmers (11 Women/13 Men) competing. Once again, SaddleBrooke Masters were victorious with a score of 2,271 points as compared to the closest rival at 600 points. SaddleBrooke women scored 918 points and the men scored 1,111 points, so either the women or the men could have won the meet by themselves. From the SaddleBrooke team, 19 new state relay records were set. SaddleBrooke Masters also had seven high point winners: Glenn Tewksbury, Karin Bivens, Jim Spiegel, Lyn Moreno, Martha Takakoshi, Ke Wang and Susan Moss Fuller. They were awarded monogrammed towels that had been obtained by Steve Truesdale. Many thanks to Jay Selnick, Jeff Eighmy, Laurie Loose and Joyce Howard for officiating at the meet, insuring that swimmers followed USMS rules for strokes and turns. Thanks to Trish Tewksbury who coordinated and supervised all of the timers, allowing the meet to run smoothly. Thanks to all the volunteers without whom the meet could not have been held. Also appreciated were Laurie Loose and Gisela Peter who insured that timers and officials remained hydrated and nourished. It was a great meet and a total team effort. Special thanks as well to Jack Allison, Doug Springer, Steve Truesdale and to the Meet Director, Matt Brauer (who even sang the National Anthem), to Head Referee Judy Gillies and to Jim Stites (electronic timing) for making this meet so successful.