World Masters Championships – Day 5 Highlights

By Michael Collins

MUNICH, Germany – Funniest & saddest sight of the day -watching Walt Reid run around the computer area, rummaging through his bags and papers to find
his ID card. Without it you can't check in for your race. He wouldn't care so much, except it was for a relay, and if everyone doesn't have his ID card at the start, the entire relay is DQ'd.

I could sympathize since I lost my card right before my 400 Free and had to pay 20 marks ($10) to get a replacement only minutes before my race. I had been boycotting paying the extra $10 they wanted to charge to punch a hole in the card and give you a cord to keep it around your neck. They still got my $10, and I still didn't have the strap! Walt found his card, out on the deck, with only minutes to go. It seemed like a good way to warm-up though: his heart-rate and adrenaline were running, and the warm-up pool was too crowded anyway.

200 FREE WOMEN

No world records were set, but American women went 1-2 in the 35-39 age group with the two overall fastest times of the event. Charlotte Petersen and Laureen Welting swam an even more exciting race than they had in the 400 a few days earlier. Welting took it out in a more controlled 30.75, after going out in 29 in the 400. Petersen was right there in 30.77. At the 100, Welting led (1:04.04-1:04.55), but Petersen took control on the third length and hit the last wall with the lead (1:38.41-1:38.58). Petersen continued to pull away over the next 25, but Welting wouldn't give up, and started closing quickly to just get out-touched by a mere five-hundredths of a second (2:12.08-2:12.13).

Also doing well for the USA was Rita Simonton, taking first in 80-84 (4:04.30). Petey Smith and Florence Carr, went 1-2 in the 75-79 (3:41.44-3:42.35). Diane Stowell was second in the 65-59 (2:59.39). Nancy
Ridout finished second in 55-59 (2:54.60); Julie Wynn-Hoffman was fourth in 45-49 (2:33.52); and Kathy Garnier placed third in 40-44 (2:23.31).

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200 FREE MEN

There were many great swims by the Americans in the 200 Free. As in the women's 200, the fastest two times came from Americans in the same age group. This time they were even from the same team – The Olympic Club. Racing in the 30-34 divsion, John Keppeler was in a battle for the lead with Jochen Bruha from Germany. Keppeler was first at the 50 (26.25-26.37). Bruha led at the 100 (55.09-55.28) and at the 150 (1:25.20-1:25.70). Keppeler started to overtake Bruha in the last 10 meters when Kirk Everist, a water polo player who decided to swim some races while he was here, flew past both of them to win in 1:57.42. Keppeler was 1:57.79, and Bruha faded to third in 1:57.92. Todd
Sells, also of the Olympic Club was seventh (2:03.40).

In the 55-59 age group, Tim Birnie took it out to establish a commanding lead in 1:02.82 at the 100, fading on the way back with a 1:12.18, but still managed to hold off second place finisher Duncan McCreadie (2:15.00-2:16.10). Birnie's time broke the world record previously held by Keefe Lodwig at 2:15.35. Don Davis of Walnut Creek Masters finished fourth (2:22.01) in that age group. Dave Tanner was third in the 50-54 division (2:13.72).

Mike Keck was second in the 40-44 age group (2:05.79) to Brazilian Joel Lerner Cutin of the Hebraica Club (2:04.54). James Montgomery and Bradley Horner gave the USA a 1-2 finish in the 45-49 division, despite a large gap between them (2:01.72-2:05.37).

Graham Johnson got the best of Cav Cavanaugh again in a very close race, as the two Americans finished 1-2 in the 65-59 division (2:25.95-2:26.59). David Harrison of Colonial 1776 won the 60-64 age group(2:23.84).

Michael Halfast from St. Pete's was fourth in the 35-39 division (2:03.15); Robert Beach was fifth among the 70-74 year-olds (3:00.30); James Edwards placed fourth in the 75-59 age group(3:23.33); Aldo da Rosa was second in the 80-84 division (3:23.24), while David
Milliken of Illinois Masters finished fifth (4:09.06). Coach, reporter, swimmer, Michael Collins was happy to go 2:08.90 – splitting 1:04.23-1:04.67 for 14th in the 35-39 age group.

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50 BACK WOMEN

The fastest time of the day went to Anja Eichhorst of Germany who won the 25-29 age group in 31.60.

Americans held their own. Win Kennedy lived up to her name by taking first in the 85-89 division (1:10.49). Doris Steadman won the 75-79 (45.62) with Sarah Allnutt from Maryland third (52.80). Betsy Jordan was second in 60-64 (40.38), while Betty Bennett from Illinois was fourth (40.43). Nancy Reno-Kirkpatrick of Daland Masters was second in the 45-49 (34.66). Cathy
Shonkwiler was third in 40-44 (34.58). Joan Schriger from Olympic Club tied for fourth in 35-39 (34.12), to become the youngest American to break the top 5.

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50 BACK MEN

Only one world record fell in this event. Japan's Toshiji Sato beat world record holder Richard Reinstadtler of Germany in the 85-89 age group to set a new mark of 45.46, knocking over two seconds off the previous record of 47.70. The fastest overall time of the day went to Michael Fibbins of Great Britain who won the 30-34 competition in 27.70.

American men did quite well. Frank Starr tied for third in 90-94 (1:48.61). Allan de Lay from Oregon was fifth in 80-84 (1:02.82). Paul Hutinger won the 75-59 (39.55) with John Truby in third (44.51), and Richard Avery fifth (48.85). Peter Van Dijk of OHIO Masters was second in 70-74 (39.23), with Dale Webster (41.33) and Thomas Smith (41.38) finishing fourth and fifth.

Barr Clayson from New England Masters was second in 65-69 (38.34). Bill Early was fifth in 60-64 (35.40). Tim Birnie won the 55-59 (31.71) with Richard Bassi, also from The Olympic Club, fifth (33.75). Bill Barthold, another Olympic Club swimmer, was fourth in 50-54 (32.76). Rick Abbott of Alaska won the 45-49 (30.70), with Phillip Djang of New Mexico placing fifth (31.68).

Bill Specht had a good battle on his hands in the 40-44 age group with Dariusz Wolny of Poland and Ramon Volcan Gamboa of Venezuela. The three swam dead even down the pool with Wolny pulling out the victory (29.29), Specht second (29.54), and Volcan third (29.82). No younger Americans broke into the top 10.

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MIXED 200 FREE RELAY

No world or USMS records were set in the relays, but the American Olympic Club team of Kirk Everist, Joan Schriger, Tiffany Forbes, and John Keppeler posted the fastest overall time (1:47.09) on their way to taking the 120-159 age group.

San Diego Swim Masters team of Bill Early, Betsy Jordan, Jeanne Little, and William Muter, won the 240-279 age group (2:11.21). The St. Petersburg 280-319 team of Florence Carr, Charles Kohnken, Barbara Atwood, and Richard Avery finished third (2:45.62). The Gold Coast team of Roger Hawkins, Debbie Cavanaugh, Marcia Barry, and Cav Cavanaugh finished fourth in the 200-239. St. Pete also got second in the 160-199 with Charlotte Petersen, Tim Kennedy, Cathy Shonkwiler, and Bill Specht.

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Alaska Masters Relay

Kirk Everett with two victories for the day. 200 Free & 200 Free Relay.

Daland Masters Relay

The Overall Free Relay Champions - Olympic Club!

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