Dixie Zone Newsletter

January-March 2006

Zone Representative: Debbie Cavanaugh
 

St. Nick Meet Results | Christmas Comes Early | USA Swimming/Toyota Masters Swim Clinic | Clearwater Dixie Zone SCY Championships

Florida Distance/Open Water Swimmers Earn Honors | Do My Times Count? | Rule Changes for 2006 | New Dixie Zone Records | Spring Calendar


St. Nick Meet Results - Lisa Watson

We had a great turnout at the 5th annual St. Nicholas SCM Invitational held on December 10& 11 at the Mountain View Aquatic Center. 166 swimmers entered the meet from 31 various teams throughout the Dixie Zone & beyond. This included swimmers from 14 Georgia teams.

This year's top team finish went to the Atlanta Rainbow Trout with 710 points, 2nd & 3rd place Georgia teams were Dynamo & Killer Whales followed by Swim Atlanta, Stingrays & Atlanta Water Jocks for 4th-6th. Top visiting Team Award went to Gold Coast Masters. This South Florida team had a great showing­ they actually ended up 2nd place overall in team standings behind the Atlanta Rainbow Trout with 612 points. Second & 3rd place team awards went to Team Greenville & North Carolina Masters respectively.

Thanks to meet hosts Georgia Killer Whales & Atlanta Rainbow Trout for sponsoring this event.


Christmas Comes Early - Ed Saltzman

Christmas came early to Marietta, Georgia at the Annual St. Nicholas SCM Invitational Meet as World, USMS and Dixie Zone records fell all around the pool. Swimmers from all over the zone took part in this fast meet held at the Mt. View Aquatic Center north of Atlanta. Twenty-Three (23) new Dixie Zone records; Three (3) new USMS records and two new World record were established.

The new world records came from the North Carolina Masters Men's 280+ 200 Medley Relay of Mitchell, Kortheuer, Mitchell & Clark; and the Florida Gold Coast 240+ Mixed 200 Free relay of D. Cavanaugh, C. Cavanaugh, LaBorwit, & McIntyre. The USMS records fell to Gold's 240+ 800 Mixed Free Relay with Cavanaugh, Cavanaugh, LaBorwit, & Rapperport. NCMS 280+ Men's 400 Medley, with the same 4 swimmers as their 200 Medley Relay.

For Dixie Zone records broken, see below.


USA Swimming & Toyota Masters Swim Clinic - Debbie Cavanaugh

Toyota has joined with USA Swimming & partnered with USMS to put on several Masters Swimming Clinics around the country. On January 21, Dara Torres & Rowdy Gaines were at the Ft. Lauderdale Aquatic Complex for the event. After brief introductions & a history of their respective swimming careers, Dara & Rowdy conducted a stroke clinic on freestyle. It was such an inspiration to have two great Olympians share their thoughts & techniques.


Clearwater Dixie Zone SCY Championship - Joan Campbell

Hope to see a large group at our Dixie Zone SCY Championships February 11th and 12th. The Valentine's Meet will again be held at the Long Center in Clearwater, which has undergone quite a bit of needed renovation and more to come. The St Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission has arranged for discounts at several of the local hotels, so be sure to print out the maps/location part of your entry which is on the floridalmsc.org web site. We expect over 200 participants this year and we'll have our usual "free food" and great camaraderie ­ the first big meet of the new year is always fun!

The SUN Masters chapter of FACT is hosting the meet with the help of the City of Clearwater Recreation Department and the Sports Commission. You'll see your usual great hostesses ­ Ellen Bowen and Winnie Walters ­ at hospitality and Coach Joe Biondi is directing the affair. We're looking forward to seeing you.

The Florida LMSC Awards banquet will be held Saturday night after the meet at the UPARC facility directly behind the pool. Make sure you make reservations for that also ­ everyone is welcome and the chicken marsala is bound to be a hit!


Florida LMSC Distance & Open Water Swimmers Earn Honors - Dick Brewer

Florida LMSC distance and open water swimmers earned top honors in USMS postal and open water national championships during fall events. Nine swimmers earned USMS All-American honors and fifty-nine swimmers placed in the national top ten.

Leading the All-American and record-setting parade was Kern Davis, SPM, who placed first in the 10K postal and the 6000-yard postal, 2nd in the 3000-yard postal and the 10K open water national championships, and fifth in the 5K postal. In addition to Davis' record-setting swims, Robert Beach, SPM in the 5K finished second in his age group, Robert Aldrich, SPM finished sixth in his age group, and Patricia Bond, FMM, finished second in her age group. Doris Prokopi, FMM, earned All-Ameican honors in the 10K postal. Ruth Thompson, FMM, finished third.

In the 3000 and 6000-yard postals were Robert Beach, SPM, with gold medals in both postals. Robert Blake, FMM with a first place in the 3000, Chris Connor, FACT, with a second place in the 6000, and Glenn Woodsum, FACT, with a second place in the 3000. On the women's side, Joan Campbell, FACT, earned All-American honors in the 3000, Victoria Coleman, FMM won a silver medal with her record swim, and Kate Knight-Perry and Pam Geiger, SPM, both with bronze medal finishes.

The USMS 10K Open Water Championships were held off Fort Myers Beach in November, delayed two weeks by Hurricane Wilma. Twelve LMSC swimmers participated, and all placed in the top three in their respective age groups. All-American swimmers were Mark Drennen (third overall), Thomas Rawls, Rick Walker (fourth overall), and Melissa Varlas, all FACT. Varlas was first overall female. Silver medalists were Laura Kaleel and Flavia Zappa, SPM, Ruth Monnig and Thomas Schwartz, FACT, and David Dickson, SWFA. Bronze medalists were Ron Collins, SPM, and Kim Rohaley, SWIM.


Do My Times Count? - Dick Brewer

Question: If I swim in a local, state, or national senior games meet, will my times count for USMS?

Answer: If the senior games meet is officially "recognized" by USMS, your times will count. Because both Masters and non-Masters will be competing, "recognized" senior games should have a sign-up sheet at the registration table for USMS swimmers where you must provide your name and your USMS registration number. There are some other conditions: a registered Masters swimmer must observe the meet to be sure that USMS rules are followed, including the presence of certified officials, and the pool must meet USMS length certification requirements. Then your times will count if they are reported to your local Masters Top 10 and Records chair. Times count for records and top ten if there is electronic timing. If the meet uses hand-held watches, there needs to be two watches per lane for top ten and three watches per lane for Dixie Zone and USMS records. If the senior games are not officially "recognized" by USMS, your times will not count.

Question: If I swim in a non-USMS meet, like YMCA Nationals or a meet in a foreign country, will my times count for USMS?

Answer: If the YMCA meet is "recognized" by USMS, the same conditions as senior games competitions exist. If the foreign meet is sanctioned by that country?s Masters organization (following FINA rules), your times willcount. But in both situations, the responsibility for reporting your events and times to your local Masters Top 10 and Records chair by the USMS deadline is entirely yours. If you don?t report them with documentation, your times won't be counted.

Question: I'm registered with USMS. Can I swim in a USA Swimming meet and have my times count for USMS?

Answer: This is not as simple a question or answer as it may appear. First, a note for people not familiar with initials and groups: USA Swimming is the youth program and USMS is the adult (Masters) program. They are entirely separate entities governed by separate organizations.

First, you can swim in a sanctioned USA Swimming meet, but only if you are ALSO registered with USA Swimming Your Masters registration will not get you into a USAS meet. Once you?ve also registered with USA Swimming, you would swim in the open division. You are considered registered when your USA Swimming fee and application are received in your local LSC. You also need to know that in a USA Swimming meet, USA Swimming rules apply where there is a difference between USA Swimming and Masters swimming (and there are differences!). It is your responsibility to know what those differences are and to abide by USA Swimming rules. If you are not registered with USA Swimming, you may NOT swim in a sanctioned USA Swimming meet. Period. Assuming that you are registered with BOTH USA Swimming and USMS, your times will count only if you personally send a hard copy of the results to your local Masters Top 10 and Records chair. Results from USA Swimming meets are not reported to Masters organizations.


Rule Changes for 2006 - Debbie Cavanaugh

Changes to Backstroke Starts: The requirement that the feet must remain below the surface of the water has been eliminated. However, standing in or on the gutter or placing the toes over the lip of the gutter or bending the toes over the lip of the gutter is still prohibited. (article 101.1.2)

Changes to Breaststroke Starts & Turns: A single dolphin kick is now allowed before the breaststroke kick during the pullout on the start and turns. (article 101.2.3)

Dual Sanctioning of USMS & USA Swimming Meets: A local meet may now be sanctioned by both USMS & USA Swimming, allowing members of both organizations to compete in the same meet. All swimmers must follow USA Swimming rules. (article 202.1.1.F(1))


New Dixie Zone Records

Editors note: Dixie Zone records follow the same rules as USMS records. In events with watches you must have 3 watches per lane to set a Dixie or National record. Rule book article 105.36

Men ­ New Records: -- (Former Record Holder -- Previous Record)

Women ­ New Records: Former Record Holder Previous Record

Relays

New Records: Former Record Holder Previous Record

 

 

 

 

 

 


Calendar: 2006 Open Water/Long Distance

Many open water swims are not USMS-sanctioned, so USMS insurance will NOT cover the event. Those events are noted below. Check with the event organizer about insurance coverage for non-sanctioned events.

 

Calendar: 2006 Pool Meets

Note: 2006 USMS registration required for ALL meets