The weekend of August 23-24, Karla Mack, Jerry Meyer, Anneliese Thomson, and Coach Ray went to the University of Maryland for the Colonies Zone Long Course Championships.  More than 200 swimmers from across the Zone (from Maine to Virginia) as well as from California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin.

   Karla Mack started things off in the 30-34 age group by setting two new team records in the 50 backstroke (52.92) and 50 breaststroke (49.95).

   Anneliese Thomson broke in the 50-54 age group with three new team records of her own in the 50 backstroke (45.50), 50 freestyle (34.44), and 50 breaststroke (48.27).

   Over on the men's side, Jerry Meyer broke his 50 backstroke record in the 55-59 age group of 45.99 he set at UMBC earlier in the month with a 44.03.  He then set a new standard in the 200 backstroke with a 3:30.82.

    The foursome of Jerry, Karla, Coach Ray, and Anneliese then topped off the meet with two new team records for the 160-199 age group in the 200 Medley Relay (2:48.25) and 400 freestyle relay (5:35.77). 

   CMYM finished the meet in 18th place (out of 79) and 9th in mide-sized teams.  Kudos to all!

     On August 9th, John Aversa, Jen Lomangino, Karla Mack, and Coach Ray went to UMBC for the final Summer Swim Series meet.  This meet was held in a 50 meter pool (also known as Long Course Meters or LCM for short), and was a fitting way to think of the Beijing Olympics....afterall, it was the same course that the Olympics use.

     Jen Lomangino started things off by setting three new team records in the Women's 18-24 age group.  Her times in the 50 free (31.62), 100 free (1:11.31), and 200 free (2:38.26) are new standards in that age group.

     In the Women's 30-34 age group, Karla Mack set three new records herself in the 50 free (37.82), 100 breaststroke (1:48.98), and 50 butterfly (50.30).

     Over on the men's side, John Aversa started things off by apparently swimming four individual events instead of the limit of three (naughty, naughty!).  In the process, he set four new team records in the 30-34 age group in the 400 free (5:01.31), 100 breaststroke (1:22.18), 100 backstroke (1:15.49), and 200 IM (2:33.72).

     Coach Ray continued stretching his comfort zone by swimming three events outside of his specialization, and in the process set three new records in the 40-44 age group, specifically in the 50 breaststroke (45.60), 200 backstroke (3:45.20), and 200 butterfly (3:37.67).

     Under USMS rules, one's age as of the calendar year determines the age group in SCM and LCM.  So even though Rick Hrybyk won't turn 50 until October, he got a jump on the record board as a result of this rule.  He set a new record in the 200 IM with a 3:39.64.

     And Jerry Meyer continued ripping up the record board with three new records in the 55-59 age group with swims in the 50 free (39.19), 50 backstroke (45.99), and 100 backstroke (1:40.50).

     Finally, the foursome of Karla Mack, Coach Ray, John Aversa, and Jen Lomangino teamed up to break in the Mixed Long Course Meters Relay record board with a 400 Free Relay time of 4:54.29 in the 120-159 age group.

     A good time was had by all.  Congratulations everyone!

   On Saturday July 19th, Karla Mack, Mark Cronin, Coach Mike, and Teck Choo represented CMYM at the Howard County Invitational held at the Roger Carter pool.  This meet was in a 25 meter course, also known as Short Course Meters (SCM for short).  Although this competition grouped all adults together in an over 19 group, for our purposes, all team records have been moved to the proper USMS age groups.

   Karla Mack started things off by breaking two of her own team records.  Her 50 butterfly record of 47.88 set at last month's Big Vanilla meet went by the wayside with a 47.80.  Her 100 IM record of 1:50.03 set at last week's Talbot County YMCA meet was vanquished with an astounding 1:41.45.

    In the men's 40-44 age group, Teck Choo set a new team standard in the 100 free with an impressive 59.71.  He then set his sights on Coach Mike's 50 butterfly record of 33.23 set at last month's Big Vanilla meet and answered with a jaw dropping 28.90.  Finally, Coach Mike answered the challenge by breaking his own 100 IM record of 1:16.98 set at last month's Big Vanilla meet with a 1:14.85.  A good time was had by all. Congratulations!

    On Sunday July 13, four CMYM swimmers  made their way to Easton for the third Summer Swim Series meet.  The meet was in a 25 meter pool (Short Course Meters, or SCM for short).  Jen Lomangino started things off with four new team records in the 18-24 age group with swims in the 50 free (32.53), 100 free (1:10.74), 200 free (2:36.70), and 100 IM (1:25.89).

     Karla Mack then continued the trend in the 30-34 age group with a new team standard in the 100 IM with a 1:50.03.  Over on the men's side in the same age group, John Aversa broke in that age group with three new team records of his own.  He swam the 50 free (26.95), 50 butterfly (29.55), and 200 IM (2:32.70).

      Finally, Jerry Meyer set three new team records of his own, breaking one of his own records in the process.  His new team standards were in the 50 free (40.18) and 50 backstroke (44.25), while he broke his own record of 1:33.12 in the 100 freestyle set at last month's Big Vanilla meet with a resounding 1:30.56.  Congratulations to all!

     On June 28th, four of our CMYM swimmers went to the Big Vanilla pool in Pasadena for the Summer Swim Series meet held there.  The meet was in a 25 meter pool (known as Short Course Meters or SCM for short), and all four swimmers were able to make their marks in the CMYM team record book.

     In the women's 30-34 age group, Karla Mack continued here record setting ways with new team records in the 50 Freestyle (38.50), 100 Breaststroke (1:46.51), and 50 Butterfly (47.88).

     In the women's 50-54 age group, Anneliese Thomson broke in this division with three new team records of her own in the 50 Freestyle (33.97), 50 Breaststroke (46.16), and 50 Butterfly (39.40).

      On the men's side, Coach Mike started things off with a new record in the 50 Backstroke for the 40-44  age group with a 34.06.  He continued by breaking Scott McPherson's 50 Butterfly record of 36.16 set at Thunderhill in June of 2007 with a 33.23.  Coach Mike then broke Scott McPherson's 100 IM record of 1:19.80 set at the same meet with a 1:16.98.

      Jerry Meyer set three records of his own in the men's 55-59 age group with times in the 100 Freestyle (1:33.12), 100 Backstroke (1:42.10) and 200 Backstroke (3:26.59).

      Our foursome then teamed up for a new team record in the 200 Medley Relay for the Mixed 160-199 division (SCM and Long Course Meters add the ages of the participants) with a 2:43.38.  Jerry Meyer swam backstroke, Karla Mack swam breaststroke, Coach Mike swam butterfly, and Anneliese Thomson swam freestyle.  Congratulations to all!