World Masters Championships – Day 7 Highlights

By Michael Collins

MUNICH, Germany – The end of the longest, largest meet I have ever been to has finally come. A full week of swimming. I think my butt hurts the most from sitting on hard seats so many hours.

The only event of the day was the 800 Free. 40 heats of women and 48 heats of men. At least they were swimming two to a lane or it could have become a two week meet. They also seeded the event OVERALL slowest to fastest instead of age group slowest to fastest. It took six hours to complete the women's heats and only to wrap up the men's. The meet was over at 6pm, the earliest day yet.

800 FREE – WOMEN

No world records were set, but Charlotte Petersen, representing St. Petersburg Masters, had the fastest overall time, winning the 35-39 age group in 9:36.41. June Ford from Humu Masters in Hawaii was third in the same division (9:58.31).

Americans had a field day in this event cleaning up in several divisions. Rita Simonton won the 80-84 (17:27.32). Petey Smith (16:02.91), Lois Nochman (16:30.91), and Florence Carr (16:58.49) made a USA sweep of the 75-59 group. June Krauser gave a licking to the 70-74, wining by over a minute (14:19.52-15:41.68) over Britt Grilli of Sweden. Claire O'Brien was fifth for New England Masters in the 60-64 (13:19.36).

Marcia Barry (11:15.85), Cynthia Jones (11:33.10), and Jeannette Bauer (11:40.98) completed the second USA age group swim in the 50-54. Nancy Steadman-Martin (11:12.49) and Phylis Quinn were fourth and sixth in the 45-49.

Melinda Kalin from El Segundo Masters won the 40-44 (10:03.63), with Heidi Christensen from Daland Masters in third (10:22.39), and Tiffany Forbes, from the Olympic Club, was the youngest American to medal, placing seventh in the 30-34 (10:20.49)

800 FREE – MEN

Frank Piemme took home another gold medal and world record winning the 75-79 in 12:52.43 to breat Ray Taft's 1995 record of 12:58.14. Leland Arth (13:49.41), and Doug Strong (15:21.04) were second and fourth as well.

Richard Smith (16:51.45) and David Milliken (17:58.01) were second and fourth in the 80-84.

Robert Beach won the 70-74 (12:59.21), with Fred Trask of Walnut Creek in seventh (14:18.93).

Click here for Masters International Results

Open Water 5K Swim

The water was a chilly 18c and the conditions were cold and rainy.

June Krauser Free

Cathy Garnier

Phyllis

Shannon Sally

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