2020 NCAP WINTER INVITATIONAL
- December 11-13, 2020
- Manassas, VA
- Short course yards (SCY)
- Results on MM – ‘2020 NCAP Winter Intrasquad’
Four of NCAP’s top swimmers had just one focus this weekend, which was to race in an 800 free relay Sunday morning.
Together, the team of Sophie Duncan, Erin Gemmell, Tatum Wall and Camille Spink combined for a time of 7:08.94, a huge new NAG record in the 15-16 age group. A different quartet from NCAP had held the record at 7:13.99, set in 2017, a good five seconds back of what the new record-holders put together on Sunday.
This weekend’s relay comprised of four strong swims all under 1:49, while Gemmell threw down a stellar 1:45.20 to anchor, well ahead of her lifetime best 1:45.96. On her lead-off, meanwhile, Duncan smashed her previous best of 1:49.80 by over a full second.
All four girls are 16 years old.
NCAP splits (new record) – 7:08.94
- Duncan – 1:48.79
- Spink – 1:46.79
- Wall – 1:48.16
- Gemmell – 1:45.20
NCAP splits (old record) – 7:13.99
- Sinead Eksteen 1:47.47
- Madeline Laporte 1:49.37
- Claire Nguyen 1:50.57
- Katie Mack 1:46.58
Wall and Duncan are both high school juniors; Wall is verbally committed to Duke, while Duncan is still figuring out her college choice. Gemmell and Spink are both high school sophomores. The four NCAP standouts already competed in full slate weekends recently, racing at the Sterling, Va., site of the 2020 Winter Junior Championships, so this was a one-off race.
Great googly-moogly that’s fast!
Way to go girls!!! Congratulations on smashing the existing record, those smiles say it all. Gemmell seems to have certainly figured out what his club needs during COVID as that is a heck of a time for such a young team.
Lots of people figuring out how to continue in the time of Covid. Duncan and Gemmell both swim for Bruce Gemmell, Spink for Jeremy Linn, and Wall for Jess Fry-Mack. Though it is harder for Gemmell’s group as their regular indoor pool is closed, so they are training through the winter outside.
Yay girls, go Tatum!!
This new crop of younger swimmers keep getting faster & faster. Wow
That’s a legit time for a college program! Way to go!
Interesting side note: three of the four members of the 2017 squad have transferred during their college careers.
Transfers are a lot more common these days. With programs shutting down left and right, COVID, and coaches making changes, it is not uncommon to see 3-4 transfers per program per year. Even mores so now with COVID.
Yes, I agree. None of the three appear to be COVID related (and one occurred after the 2019 season), but it’s been a trend for a while now. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing either. No one should stay at a program that isn’t a good fit for them. It’s just interesting that three of the four NCAP swimmers from the same relay all transferred.
Now that’s impressive
Even more impressive in that they wore their masks during the swim!!!
ROTFL! Good one!
Any video? I am wondering how they keep their masks clean all the way, because when the masks are wet, they fail to function as protection.
Video is on the NCAP Livestreams Facebook page. At the beginning of the second to last session. They started the stream early, so about 5:30 or 5:45 in from the beginning. They have two masks and plastic bags.