Anyone who has competed in the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way Washington knows that is one of the country’s fastest pools. It was the site of the recent Pacific Northwest Masters LMSC 2nd Annual PNA & NW Zone Short Course Meters Championships.
And fast it was with 15 world records, 18 USMS national records, 63 PNW Zone and 80 PNA records broken.
Leading the assault were Rick Collella, Laura Val and Charlotte Davis. Rick (65-69) broke 9 world records including 50m Breast (32.50), 100m Breast (1:13.16), 100m IM (1:05.43), 200m IM (2:22.60), 100m Free (58.19), 200 Free (2:07.56), and was a member of three PSM world record relays: Mixed 240-279 400m Free Relay (4:16.39; Colella, Charlotte Davis, Dave Hannula, Lisa Dahl), Men 240-279 200m Medley Relay (1:57.52; Carl Haynie, Colella, Don Graham, Hannula), and Men 240-279 400m Medley Relay (4:23.96; Haynie, Colella, Graham, Hannula).
Laura (65-69) had 5 world records with new standards in the 50m Free (29.30), 100 Free (1:06.39), 100 back (1:14.99), 100 Fly (1:15.40), 100 IM (1:16.67). Charlotte (65-69) collected a world record in the 50 fly (33.56), a USMS national record in the 100 Breast (1:30.81), and was also a member of the world record setting PSM 240-279 Mixed 400m Free Relay (4:16.39). Also setting USMS national records was Kim Crouch (55-59) in the 50m Breast (37.54) and 200 Breast (3:01.40). The PSM Women 200-239 200m Medley Relay (Lisa Dahl, Shannon McIntyre, Charlotte Davis and Amy Moorhead) set a new Zone record of 2:14.67, missing the USMS national record by less than 1.5 seconds.
The two day competition included a full slate of events. “We knew we had some fast swimmers coming to the meet but were thrilled at the quality of the performances,” said meet director Lisa Dahl. “The Federal Way pool is a great venue and plan to return our championship meet here on the week before Thanksgiving next year and beyond.”
“I’ve only gotten to swim at Federal Way in the few short course yard Nationals that have been held here,” explained Laura Val. “The chance to swim short course meters in this pool was a treat and really worth the trip. PNW put on a fantastic event and I look forward to coming back next year.”
News courtesy of Richard Burns.
