Seven USMS National Records Fall at New England Short Course Championships

By Bob Seltzer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 2. FAST swimming was the order of the day at last weekend's New England Masters Short Curse yards Chapionship as 620 athletes representing more than 40 NEM workout groups participated in the largest regional championship meet outside of California.

Seven new USMS national records and 71 New England LMSC records were set at the meet.

7 NATIONAL RECORDS ARE BROKEN
Fred Schlicher led the record charge with two USMS men's 55-59 records: the 400 IM and 200 fly. Fred is no stranger to records as he also holds the 200 fly record for the 50-54, and still holds numerous NE records including a few that have stood for more than 20 years.

Meanwhile, a “new” swimmer to these New England Championships, Michael Ross, a former Princeton standout swimmer, broke Olympian Clay Britt's 35-39 national standard for the 50 back, swimming a 23.34.

On the relay front, Badger got the record train going by breaking the USMS 35+ Mixed 800 free relay record and followed that up later in the weekend with another new USMS record for 35+ Mixed 400 medlay relay.

The always-fast NEM 50+ men did it again with new USMS record in the Men's 55+ 800 free relay.

Speaking of repeat performance, Cambridge Masters, a NEM workout group of some 120 swimmer who train at Blodgett pool, broke the USMS Men's 45+ 400 medley relay record. That maakes five consecutive NE SCY Championships where CMSC has broken at least one national relay record.

The following national records were ser:

Fred Schlicher, 55, Men 55-59, 400 yards IM, 4:43.14; 200 fly, 2:08.19

Michael Ross, 35, Men 35-39, 50 yards backstrok, 23.34

RELAYS
NE Masters "A", Men 55+, 800 free relay, 8:25.99
(F McQuiggan M55, T Morse M55, D Rogacki M56, F Schlicher)

Badger Masters "A", Mixed 35+ 800 free relay, 7:43.46
(A Luallen W38, M Doelger W40, J Anderson M41, S Newman M42)

Cambridge Masters Swim Club, Men 45+ 400 medley relay, 3:52.00
(M Alexander M45, J La Rochelle M48, F Schlicher M55, P Worland M46)

Badger Masters "A", Mixed 35+ 400 medley relay, 3:55.25
(A Luallen W38, J Anderson M41, S Newman M42, M Doelger W40)

CAMBRIDGE TAKES TEAM TITLE
The NEM Workout competition saw the closest contest since its introduction several years ago. We predicted a close contest for this year’s championship between Cambridge Masters (CMSC), the defending 2003 SCY champion, and NEM workout groups from Minuteman and Andover. But little did we suspect that each of these powerhouse groups would be in first place at some point during the four-day meet and that first place would not finally be decided until the last event. Congratulations to CMSC coach Rebekah Lorenz who managed her swimmers to victory in a very tight contest. Congrats also to Andover coach Dan Rogacki and Minuteman coach Rich Axtel who kept their groups very much in the hunt for first place to the very end

The Top Ten NEM Workout Groups based on Combined Team Points
1-Cambridge Masters Swim Club CMSC 4,433.50
2-Andover YMCA ANA 4,306.50
3-Minuteman Masters MMAN 4,224
4-Swim Rhode Island SWMRI 2,883.50
5-Great Bay Masters GBM 2,517
6-South County YMCA SOCOY 1,633
7-Boston LANES LANES 1,468.50
8-YMCA of the North Shore YNS 1,279
9-Granite State Penguins GSP 1,234
10-North Suburban YMCA NSUBY 1,121

MAINE MASTERS CLAIMS TRAVEL TEAM TITLE
As the NE SCY Championship meet has earned a reputation as one of the primary short course yard racing events on the East Coast, more and more teams from outside New England have come to view this event as a primary travel destination. In response, NEM has created travel team awards.

Last year, Red Tide of NYC won the first ever travel team award. This year, Maine showed up with largest contingent and swam away with the award. (Yes, Maine — that independent bunch from the upper right hand corner of the U.S. "travels" to the NE championship).

This year, Badger was the “pride of New York," taking second place with a relatively small but very fast team. Badger also set two USMS national relay records and may have had the highest point per participant.

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