MICHIGAN WATER CARNIVAL
- Unscored
- Hosted by Michigan
- Saturday, September 30th
- 25 Yards
- Water Carnival Format
Michigan switched things up this weekend after their dual meet with Oakland on Friday, hosting the Water Carnival on Saturday. Swimmers competed in a variety of unusual events, such as the 300 fly with fins, 300 IM, or 50 free underwater with fins. Even Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh got in on the fun. Harbaugh got in on the cannonball contest:
Jim Harbaugh's cannonball. Michigan Water Carnival @swimswamnews @umichswimdive pic.twitter.com/xN2fb9JuER
— Rick Bishop (@CoachRickBishop) September 30, 2017
The competition pool featured 8 different events. Winners on the men’s side included Will Roberts (300 fly with fins), Jon Burkett (50 free underwater with fins), Jacob Montague (100 IM), Charlie Swanson (300 IM), and Paul Powers (50 free knockout). On the women’s side, winners included Jacqui Schafer (300 fly with fins), Alexis Margett (50 free underwater with fins), Siobhan Haughey (100 IM), Rose Bi (300 IM), and Catie Deloof (50 free knockout).
Haughey and Montague continue to shine after multiple wins in their season opener against Oakland on Friday. Though we saw plenty of freestyle speed from Haughey in that dual meet, she proved to be in good IM form as well with a 55.24 in the 100 IM. That’s the fastest time we’ve seen this season so far, beating Kathleen Baker’s 56.52 from the Queen of the Pool meet by over a second. The 200 IM was one of Montague’s 3 individual wins against Oakland on Friday, and he extended his winning streak with a 51.83 in the 100 IM at the Water Carnival.
PRESS RELEASE – MICHIGAN MEN:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs brought the fun to Canham Natatorium on Saturday (Sept. 30), hosting the Michigan Water Carnival alongside Oakland and Calvin College.
“The whole point of this meet is to have fun, and show how enjoyable these sports can be,” said head swimming and diving coach Mike Bottom. “Our team was looking forward to this all week, and I think they’ll be begging to bring it back next year.”
Kicking off the competition was the cannonball contest featuring Bottom, head baseball coach Erik Bakich and even a surprise attempt from head football coach Jim Harbaugh, who upped both of them by doing a jackknife off the five-meter platform.
Opposing coaches from Oakland and Calvin College also participated, getting rousing cheers from their own teams, while Harbaugh, head women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico and new head women’s lacrosse coach Hannah Nielsen were on the judging panel.
Longtime former diving coach Dick Kimball took over from there and stole the show as he always does. Alongside current members of the team and current diving coach Mike Hilde, the 81-year old Kimball put on his patented clown diving show, utilizing costumes and props (including a bicycle) off both springboard and platform.
There were eight swimming events going on concurrently in the competition pool. Individual winners included Will Roberts in the 300-yard butterfly with fins (2:43.60), Jon Burkett in the 50-yard freestyle underwater with fins (17.89), Jacob Montague in the 100-yard IM (51.83) and Charlie Swanson in the 300-yard IM (2:56.76). Paul Powers got the last laugh in the 50-yard freestyle knockout, outlasting James Peek (9.17/9.58).
The Wolverines are back in action on Friday, Oct. 20 for the start of a two-day dual meet at Louisville.
PRESS RELEASE – MICHIGAN WOMEN:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs brought the fun to Canham Natatorium on Saturday (Sept. 30), hosting the Michigan Water Carnival alongside Oakland and Calvin College.
“The whole point of this meet is to have fun, and show how enjoyable these sports can be,” said head swimming and diving coach Mike Bottom. “Our team was looking forward to this all week, and I think they’ll be begging to bring it back next year.”
Kicking off the competition was the cannonball contest featuring Bottom, head baseball coach Erik Bakich and even a surprise attempt from head football coach Jim Harbaugh, who upped both of them by doing a jackknife off the five-meter platform.
Opposing coaches from Oakland and Calvin College also participated, getting rousing cheers from their own teams, while Harbaugh, head women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico and new head women’s lacrosse coach Hannah Nielsen were on the judging panel.
Longtime former diving coach Dick Kimball took over from there and stole the show as he always does. Alongside current members of the team and current diving coach Mike Hilde, the 81-year old Kimball put on his patented clown diving show, utilizing costumes and props (including a bicycle) off both springboard and platform.
There were eight swimming events going on concurrently in the competition pool. Individual winners included Jacqui Schafer in the 300-yard butterfly with fins (2:57.03), Alexis Margett in the 50-yard freestyle underwater with fins (21.17), Siobhán Haughey in the 100-yard IM (55.24) and Yirong Bi in the 300-yard IM (3:14.86). Catie DeLoof also outlasted Becca Postoll in the 50-yard freestyle knockout, winning by two tenths-of-a-second (10.86/11.16).
Seven women’s swimmer and one diver will represent Michigan at the SMU Classic, held Oct.13-14 in Dallas, Texas. The next competition for the full team comes a week later, Oct. 20-21, in a road dual meet at Louisville.
