Concord Mini Meet Results
October Swim Fest Results
Call for Nominations: Frank Wuest Open Water Swimming Award
Contributed by Tara Mack, aka "TMack", NELMSC Awards & Recognition Chair
Congratulations to all on the awesome open water swimming that has already happened this year — such a great way to spend a summer day! As you continue with your swimming endeavors and reflect on your season, please consider nominating someone who has made a difference in your own open water swimming experience.
The Frank Wuest Open Water Swimming Award was established in honor of Frank Wuest to recognize outstanding contributions to open water and Masters Swimming in New England. Frank demonstrated an extraordinary passion for the sport of swimming and a deep commitment to its community. This award may be presented annually based on sportsmanship, mentorship, camaraderie, love of sport, hard work, event participation, promotion of swimming, and more. Nominees must be currently registered members of the NELMSC.
Click here to submit a nomination. Please note that nominations for this award close on September 22, 2019. Thank you for being a part of such a great sport and for taking the time to nominate someone special for this recognition.
Swimmers at the start of the USMS Long-Distance Open Water National Championship at Lake Willoughby. Photo by Phil White.
Glennie Rises at Second Annual Glen Lake Swim
Contributed by Gary Girolimon, Race Director
GOFFSTOWN, NH — The Glen Lake Swim, Episode 2: Glennie Rises, held on August 11th, attracted swimmers from throughout New England and beyond. The U.S. Masters Swimming-sanctioned competition featured a one-mile and a two-mile race. The weather could not have been more perfect, with 80 degree air temperatures and 74 degree waters.
The first of three swim waves heads out from the start.
Glennie, the friendly lake monster, is the mascot of the event. Glennie and similar lake monsters such as Champ of Lake Champlain, Memphre of Lake Memphremagog and Winni of Lake Winnipesaukee, are part of Native American folklore, so it was fitting that Chief Paul W. Pouliot of the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook Abenaki People made an offering to the aquatic life before the race start.
All swimmers took home a "Piece of the Beast," a Glennie tooth finisher medal. Many swimmers reported seeing Glennie on the waters, but the creature kept its distance and did not interfere with the race. There were abundant awards and raffles, separate scoring divisions for wetsuited and “skins” athletes, and a very unique Jurassic Park Glennie t-shirt for all participants.
After the swim a mini-expo was held at the site featuring local artists, salsa dancing and Glennie-themed kids' activities such as coloring and face painting. After the awards ceremony, the celebration moved to the Harpoon Brewery-sponsored party at Village Trestle in Goffstown.
The event is organized under the umbrella of the Granite State Health and Fitness Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and all profits from the event will be used to to promote aquatic safety, to enhance health and wellness, and to promote area recreational opportunities.
AWARDS
One Mile - Skins
TOP 3 FEMALE
Aileen O'Connell 30:11
Rachel Modlinsky 30:16
Alexis Dwyer 31:58
TOP 3 MALE
Parker Wheat 26:06
Michael Giraldi 26:59
Abhinav Sridhar 27:41
One Mile - Wetsuit
TOP 3 FEMALE
Kelley O'hara 39:10
Andrea Bonito 39:12
Kristine Decourcey 39:13
TOP 3 MALE
Patrick McDeed 27:12
Matthew Stundtner 31:13
Timothy Collard 32:36
Two Mile - Skins
TOP 3 FEMALE
Katharine Radville 55:57
Madison Guay 58:10
Abby Brethauer 58:54
TOP 3 MALE
Frans Lawaetz 58:00
Sean Carter 58:38
Gil Rosenberg 1:04:30
Two Mile - Wetsuit
TOP 3 FEMALE
Jocelyn Nokes 55:14
Molly Zahr 58:40
Linda Watts 59:20
TOP 3 MALE
Stuart Cromarty 49:04
Nic Ohman 50:29
Adam Langmaid 55:44
MBCC's Against The Tide Event is a Hidden Gem
HOPKINTON, MA — On June 15, I participated once again in the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition’s Against the Tide 1-mile open water swim at Hopkinton State Park.
I have to admit that as I write this article, I am bewildered by how few of my fellow masters swimmers opt to participate in this race. I always thought MBCC ran a good event. After helping them with some suggestions over the years, I now think they run a GREAT event. Here are just a few things that make this race worthwhile:
Al Prescott is recognized by MBCC for his efforts in helping the race director.
They offer a competitive 1-mile race, one loop around an island, that is the SAME distance every year.
They offer a completely separate non-competitive race for beginners and folks who just want to take it easy or try it out.
You get free access to the Hopkinton State Park and can stay all day.
They have free HOT breakfast for EVERYONE.
They offer events for the whole family including running races, a paddle board race, a kayak race, and more.
I got a free 15-minute massage after the race.
Your entry fee helps support research and prevention of a deadly disease.
“If you are looking for a good early—but not too early—season event, come to Hopkinton next year and try to knock me out of the Top 10. Win or lose, I’ll meet you for a hot egg and cheese sandwich after the race.”
Al Prescott, Jocelyn Noakes, and Frank Reinhold celebrate their efforts in the 1-mile swim
Despite this, the race director has confided in me confusion. Years ago, it was normal to get 60 to 100 people in the swim race. Now the numbers are in the 30s. While I plan to do this race into the foreseeable future, that future looks murky. I'm not sure what more the race director can do to promote this race, and I have promised to help them brainstorm.
In the meantime, let me try this: I have won my age group and finished in the top 10 each time I have done this race. This year, I challenged one of my teammates to compete with me. She beat me and won her age group. So to the rest of New England: if you are looking for a good early—but not too early—season event, come to Hopkinton next year and try to knock me out of the Top 10. Win or lose, I'll meet you for a hot egg and cheese sandwich after the race.
- “Big” Al Prescott, NEM-MAMA, NELMSC Treasurer
MBCC will host their second event of the summer, Against the Tide - Brewster, on August 17 at Nickerson State Park.
Sixteen Athletes Represent New England at the 2019 Canadian Masters Swimming Championships
Contributed by Sue Jensen, Officials Chair, NEM-CRM
MONTRÉAL, CANADA — The swimming pool in the complexe sportif Claude-Robillard, built for the 1976 Summer Olympics water polo competitions, was the setting for this year’s Canadian Masters Swimming Championships from May 24-26. A record 740 swimmers gathered together for the 40th anniversary of this annual meet. Swimmers came from all ten provinces of Canada and a handful of countries from around the world, including Australia, Bermuda, Great Britain, and Slovakia. Sixty swimmers hailed from the United States, with sixteen coming from New England.
The Americans swam well, winning 108 gold medals and placing second overall ahead of CAMO Natation, the provincial home team from Québec. The New England team included: Fiona Atkinson, Christina Baudis, Dave Bright, Guy Davis, Laura Delorey, Beth Estel, David Graham, Sue Jensen, Frankin Mansilla, Karen Mareb, Janet McDonough, Nic Ohman, Tom Phillips, Kathy Slifer, Marilyn Soraghan, and Mindy Williams.
Most of Team New England drove through Vermont and across the U.S.-Canada border, passports in hand, to attend the three-day French-speaking meet. Not only was this an occasion for New Englanders to practice their French, but with the New England short course meters season having ended in December at the WPI meet, it was a welcome out-of-season opportunity to compete in short course meters.
Highlight swims by New Englanders include:
Dave Bright (age 66) won the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 backstroke and broke New England records in 400 freestyle, 400 IM, and 200 backstroke.
Mindy Williams (age 38) won the 1500 freestyle while setting a New England record and logging a personal best time by 21 seconds.
Karen Mareb (age 60) won gold in all her breaststroke events and the 100 freestyle.
Tom Phillips (age 45) won the 50 freestyle and swam a lifetime best time of 24.76.
Marilyn Soraghan and Laura Delorey made it to the finals of the age 50+ bonus 25-meter freestyle race (amid much fanfare!).
The quartet of Janet McDonough, Beth Estel, Sue Jensen, and Karen Mareb (age group 240-279) took first place and broke the New England record in both the 200 and 400 medley relays and are now ranked 2nd (400m) and 3rd (200m) on FINA’s World Masters Top Ten List.
The 41st Canadian Masters Championship will be held in Toronto, Ontario in June 2020.
NELMSC Presents: Winter Fitness Challenge Grand Prize!
Want to win a Freestyle & Fitness Clinic led by Coach Bill Meier? Participate in the 2019 USMS Winter Fitness Challenge!
What It Is:
The Winter Fitness Challenge is a 30-minute swim. It can be done in any manner desired: straight through, as a member of a relay, or even with fins! Challenge proceeds benefit the Swimming Saves Lives Foundation and Adult Learn to Swim Programs.
What You Do:
Encourage your teammates to do the same.
Complete the swim between February 15 and 28!
Bill Meier is a USMS Level 4 Coach, ALTS Lead Instructor, and was the 2018 High Performance Camp Head Coach.
How You Win:
The NELMSC club with the greatest percentage of Winter Fitness Challenge registrants will win a Freestyle & Fitness Clinic led by Coach Bill Meier.
The Grand Prize:
The clinic includes freestyle stroke progression, video analysis, and swimmer specific nutrition information and exercises. The winning team will host the clinic and is responsible for pool fees and scheduling. Pool time is approximately 2 hours, and classroom time is approximately 1.5 hours.
Register today
Questions? Email Emily Cook, the NELMSC Fitness & ALTS Coordinator.
“This is a DRAG clinic” with Coach David C. Graham Registration Open Now!
New England LMSC Presents “This is a DRAG clinic”
January 27th, 2019 3:00pm – 6:00pm
at Simmons University Sports Center
With Coach David C. GrahaM
Register Online
24 swimmers max, USMS Membership Required
$30 for NE-LMSC Members
$60 for non-NE-LMSC Members
Clinic Details:
Own your Walls - We will be focusing on both ends of the wall, the in and the out. It is common for so many swimmers to set up their turns on the approach which leads to the decrease in speed as we approach a pivotal point in your race along with focusing on increase distance and efficiency as we leave each wall.
Killer Streamlines - We will be looking at the 4 common types of streamline we are seeing nowadays along with analyzing which one works best for you.
Reducing Frontal Drag - We will be discussing as a group, the common ways and things that are slowing us down in the water when it comes to frontal drag. Once in the water, we will play with some broken swimming vs more aligned/streamlines positions and practices to aid in reducing front drag.
***Coaches - Would you like to gain experience by supporting this clinic on deck? Please email Crystie at NEcoaches@usms.org to learn more.
About Coach David Graham
David C. Graham -- A native of NJ, he now calls southern NH his home and works at the Town of Swanzey in the Finance Department. David serves on the adjunct faculty list at both MWCC and Franklin Pierce University and this fall, as a volunteer Assistant Swim Coach at Keene State College.
Swimming since the age of 14, Coach Graham has been an avid supporter of masters swimming since returning to the pool 10 years ago and competes regularly as a member of the Granite State Penguins at local meets as well as 3 USMS National Championships and the FINA World Masters Championships hosted in Montreal in 2014.
Coach Graham is a Level 3 USMS and ASCA Masters Coach and has previously worked in the aquatics arena as a professional for more than 15 years. This year he was awarded an Appreciation Award by the LMSC and was selected as the LMSC Coach of the Year in 2015.
David Graham's National Coaches Clinic Takeaways
Coach Graham will be presenting a clinic, This is a “DRAG” Clinic, based on his learnings from the National Coaches Clinic on January 27th at Simmons University.
Contributed by David C. Graham, NEM-GSP
I’m not exactly sure when I started thinking about the takeaways from the USMS National Coaches Clinic (NCC) in Maryland. I remember leaving the deck on Sunday from the morning pool session and starting to ponder it. I bid our fellow New England coaches from the Cape a safe journey home (they were driving), and then corralled 3 other NE coaches into my car for a drop-off at BWI. The conversation turned to thoughts about the clinic and we threw around some of the highlights and a few lowlights as well. Once I left them curbside at their respective departure gates, my drive was about 3 hours to my aunt’s house in New Jersey, where I would stay the night and finish the drive home to New Hampshire the next day.
Today, I looked at my notes; not so much the ones that I took at the clinic itself, but the scribbles I wrote on 3 sheets of paper once I arrived at my aunt’s place, and then the 2 more from after I arrived home. I guess the 8 hours spent in the car allowed my mind to wander to the weekend with the topics and notions presented.
It truly was a great weekend: 80+ coaches from all over the country, together for the sole purpose of not only to further their knowledge, but to absorb that knowledge and be able to bring it back to their swimmers to enhance their ability to perform in the water. I got to meet many new coaches from across the country and catch up with some I have not seen in a while. I was particularly excited to see Coaches Tim and Dean, the USMS coaches for 2014 Masters Worlds in Montreal, my first big meet, and I am forever thankful to them both for their support and friendship at that meet and beyond.
Gary Hall, Sr presents at the NCC
One of the things that stood out in my experience at the NCC was the varying approaches that coaches from across the spectrum have for just about anything. Listening to Gary Hall, Sr. speak was mesmerizing, and in his soft-spoken tone, he still commands the attention of the room as folks listen to his every word. The notions that he presents — coupling motions, frontal-drag, vortices, etc. — are truly on a scale well beyond the everyday on-the-deck Masters coach, but he does a great job of taking the information he gathers with world class athletes and bringing it to an understanding level for that on-the-deck coach. I came away with things that I not only need to focus on, but some simple fixes that each swimmer can build into their every lap to improve.
On the flip side of Gary’s information, there was Bruce Gemmell, Katie Ledecky’s coach early on in her career. Bruce did not delve deeply into the science of swimming. His approach was more about a feel for the athlete, how they were doing, and paying attention to the simpler things that I notice and keep track of with all my swimmers: stroke count, stroke rate and tempo. Much of his information was much simpler and more relatable as, I imagine, many other coaches operate on the poolside level as he does.
It was also a great experience to be in the water while Gary ran us through some of the drills he uses for teaching and feeling butterfly and breaststroke. It’s not every day you get to swim a drill set and finish at the wall and look up to see Gary Hall Sr giving you a thumbs up for a job well done. The pages of the LMSC newsletter could not hold all the topics and takeaways from the NCC, but check out my This is a “DRAG” Clinic on January 27th where we will put to paper and practice many of the learned items from the NCC applicable to Masters swimmers, especially how we can reduce frontal drag on many fronts, no pun intended.
I would like to thank the LMSC for providing ample funding and support to myself and all the other coaches whom were able to take advantage of this bi-annual opportunity offered by USMS. I am looking forward to the NCC 2 years from now in the middle of the country as well as bringing this year’s information to our vast expanse of New England Masters swimmers.
Swimming since the age of 14, David is a level 3 USMS & ASCA-Masters coach as well as an ALTS Certified Stroke Technician. David has spent 15 years as an aquatics professional operating aquatic facilities and programs from NJ to MA. David serves as an adjunct faculty member at MWCC and FPU and most recently as an Assistant Coach at Keene State College. He is a member of the Granite State Penguins and has competed at 2014’s World Masters Championships in Montreal as well as a swimmer/ on-deck coach at 3 USMS National Championships since 2015.