The 1997 National Meet - A Personal View


The National Championship was held in Montreal, Claude Robillard pool (25m)
on June 27-30. There were 680 participants. Quebec and Ontario were well repre-
sented, less so the rest of Canada. There were about 20 non-Canadians.

The meet was marred by ill-functioning electronics from one pool. All results
from that pool were redone and reposted on the Internet. One announced World
Record had to be pulled, but 5 others stood up (3 by Lynn Marshall, 2 by
Norbert Artus). In addition 30-odd National Records were set.


Lynn Marshall was our usual star of the show. World record in the women's
35-39 200 back with 2:29.93, 400 free 4:31.98 and 400 IM 5:16.74. In addition,
she set 2 more NR's over 200 free 2:09.52 and 100 fly 1:08.08. We couldn't
say it enough times. She is GREAT !

Norbert Artus 80-84 from Mtl set 4 NR's including 2 WR's. He first swum 800
free in 14:46 breaking his WR from 2 years ago and was then persuaded to try
the 1500, which he broke by 20 seconds in 28:21.

Peter Nunan of Arizona first believed he had broken the WR for 50 free 40-44.
His electronic time was 24.18, later amended to 24.45 manual. Heartbreaking.

Other great swims were by Dan Lepine 30-34, 200 fly in 2:11.74, breaking the
NR set by Bruce Rogers in '89 (then a WR, never-ratified by MSI/FINA).

Ed Reynolds swam 1'29 100 free in the 80-84 age group. This is a goal for all
of us. Irene Adams swam 59.5 for 50 free 80-84. That's another goal.

Cathy Merritt 45-49 from Nepean swam her usual load of NR's: 3'08 brst, and
29.95-1'05-2'23 freestyle. She is oh so close to the 100 free WR.

Archie Lippinghof 60-64 broke his 400 IM NR again 6'30.13, and added the 100
IM. Ian Smith swam 1:05 free. He is 'new' from this year, and had to share
the NR with an even newer swimmer, Tom Werth from Brantford. Where have
these people been hiding ?

Mike Morrow 45-49 from Calgary broke 3 NR's. 100 free 59.36, 200 IM 2:28.3,
200 brst with 2:42.54. Ouch ! The 400 IM was too soon after the 200 brst; as
a result Mike swam 'only' 5'15, missing his 5'12 NR and the 5'11 WR. Mike's
got a good memory. Quoting his 1968 CIAU 500 y free victory, he was able to
give me fresh details about that race, in a most vivid fashion.

Edie Fisher broke her 400 IM for the second time this year. This time she
went 5'43, after going 5'55 in early June. The record had been 6'07, set
by Bonnie Pronk ... in 1983.

Ontarian Doris McEwan 70-74 broke the 50 brst and 50 back records. She considers
herself a +10 survivor, after major surgery 10 years ago. Now you should see
how fit Doris looks. She should be our Master poster image.

Carmen von Richthofen from Toronto broke the 50-54 50 back record long held by
Mae Waldie. Mae was recipient of an award ceremony. Carmen was recently on
a record-breaking relay along with ... her brother and sister. I am not sure
if all 3 names will fit fully on the relay record list.

Following is a random personal go-round of people I met while at the meet.

-Maurice Gibbs Ontario 25-29. I shared his lane in the 1500. The only reason he
did not beat by a mile is because a 1500 is shorter than a mile. For a newcomer
he is doing all right thank you. Next time he'll submit more accurate times.

-Charlie Colpitts Ontario 50-54. Swam next to me in the 100 IM. Pushed me to
my best in 5 years, but still beat me by 5 seconds. Charlie is progressing
very fast, and he is projecting that he will be the man to beat in 2 years.
Any takers ?

-Met Sue Weir, the Ontario flyer now in the habit of breaking records, 1 last
year in Michigan, 2 this year in Hamilton. No relation to Bob or Eileen (or
Ted, Carol and Alice).

-Mike Olsen had a good meet. Not so Ron Burns who found the water too warm.
How about this hot warm-up pool ? Saw Nadja Roy the up-and-coming 1500 tria-
thlete. And Danny Finch newly tranferred from Regina to Ottawa. His brother
Cory Finch swam 24.00 earlier this year.

-John Scott of Ontario told me a most touching story about his father which I
will not repeat here. A most positive story too. I first understood Doug vdb's
comment that John Scott swum across-the-lake that his club location was across
the lake from Doug's. No. John swam across Lake Ontario, AND is a very fast
sprinter. With 54" 100 free, John was a contender for the Olympic team in 76.

- Met Terry Dewhurst, next year's Edmonton organiser. Norma Dewhurst was
 manning the Edmonton booth. Cheryl Gibson appears in the video. From the
 same club, 73 yr-old Harold Johnston, inspired by Tom Lane's appearance in
 1994 at age 100, swam his best 50 fly, dropping his time from 49 to 45" ...

-Doug Vanderby 35-39 NTMC swam and left for the Calgary FF & Police Games.
 Beat out 20 yr-old Francois Beaudry by 1 second in the 200 breast. Doug is
 now trying out powerlifting with moderate weights. Will he improve yet again ?

-Ian Christie. Recently broke the 60-64 NR over 200 brst. Archie Lippinghof
 wisely decided to concentrate upon the 400 IM, as Ian looked unbeatable over
 200 breast. I may use the same method next year, and concentrate upon nothing.

-Stephen Bancroft liked the NR and WR posting so much he asked to take it
 home. This request was granted and Stephen will now distribute that info
 to anyone in Canada. We have his address too ...

-Finally met Mike Torsney. This 65-69 Burlington swimmer dominates the fly,
 especially the 200. I want to swim like him, too. And Grant Jeffrey had
 no regard for my light training. He just went past me over 400 free.

-Ian McGill. This tall 45-49 Nova Scotia master (also MSC treasurer) gave me
heartburns as his pace onward to a 400 free kept being over and under the
6 minute mark. Over the last 25 meters, he ... did it ! (First time under).

-Gordon Young 50-54 also Nova Scotia did his 400 even faster. These people
from Scotia are all pretty good. What a shame we don't see much of them.
He was accompanied by his daughter, Sarah Young, also a master.

- Jani Dorken 30-34 from Calgary. Had the fastest female 100 breast time of
the meet. Did you know that Jani speaks rather good French ? Dan Dunlap is
a 30-34 freestyler from CMSC. His goal was 1'03" for 100 free. Told him he
might make Top 15. Eventually he was seeded 13th. He placed 12 th. Also saw
the Calgary Irish Flash. (Hello, Cliodna).

- Aart Looye 50-54 from Edmonton told me about dotted i's and crossed t's.
Actually Dutch i's and j's. Weakened from WW II, Aart was shipped to South
Africa to grow healthy again. Healthy he is today, although a hockey injury
bothers him in the free, but not in the backstroke. He can go sub-38" over 50.

-Manitoba had a fair gang. Bob Groff, also 50+, also a backstroker. He sends
the shortest e-mails of anybody that I know in Canada. (He'll probably send
me a Yes ! for this remark). Wenda Dickens does exist, I 've seen her. And
Leah Barnlund, recent newcomer (3 years now) backstroker who signed a good
article in the MSC magazine last year. David Trapmore didn't know I knew
his name, Bob Watson corrected me (he is a better breastroker than back),
Mickey Stokotelny is a relaxed, happy fellow, and Steven Stothers reminisced
about swimming in the same pool more than 15 years ago.

-Talked some more with Cathy Merritt. We discussed the new Ontario bare-breast
rules with different opinions (one of us was for, the other against). I am
glad my wife does not always read what I write.

-Upon leaving the pool, an unknown woman said 'Hi'. Puzzled, I asked her name.
She was Wendy Cimarno. Said she had a good time, and now was the time to party
and have some wine. So I asked how come she was (still) so fast, and she
answered, well, maybe it was the wine ...