Hood River News

By ADAM LAPIERRE

News staff writer

May 6, 2006

The Oregon Masters Swimming Association brought together almost 300 swimmers to Corvallis recently for the annual Association Championships. From the Columbia Gorge Masters, based out of the Hood River Aquatics Center, 11 swimmers participated in the yearly team championship meet.

Highlighting the event for the Gorge swimmers was The Dalles resident Nikki Weeks, who received one of three Oregon Masters Outstanding Swimmer of the Year awards for the 49-and-under division. The award is based on the number of top-ten finishes for all three competitive courses (short course yards, short course meters and long course meters) in 2005.

Along with Weeks were Gorge Masters swimmers Bill Sumerfield, Bill Mellow, Sandra Haynie, Stephanie Falz, Ann Goodman, Keith Stelzer, Clare Fitzgerald, Reggie Sherwood and Dianne Sherwood. For Falz and Dianne Sherwood, the championship was their first meet with the masters.

As a team, the group finished fifth in the “medium team” division, despite being at the low end of participants for the division. Individual results are listed below.

The Columbia Gorge Masters swimming program started in 2002 to provide competitive and recreational swimming opportunities to local adults. Today, the group consists of swimmers ranging in ability from former college competitors to adults who only recently learned how to swim.

“The purpose of our organization is to promote good health, fitness and friendships through regular swimming,” commented team member Sandy Rousseau. “We welcome swimmers of all ages, from 18 to 100-plus years old, regardless of previous swimming experiences.”

Opportunities on the team range from solely workout swimming to competing in pool-meets, open water swims and triathlons.

Anyone interested in joining the Columbia Gorge Masters is encouraged to contact Coach Shelly Rawding at:

hrvst.coach@qmail.com or

Rousseau at swim@gorge.net.

Championship results:

Stephanie Falz 25-29 yrs. —

50 free 4th

100 free 4th

500 free 4th

1000 free 2nd

50 breast 4th

100 breast 1st

Nikki Weeks 30-34 yrs. —

50 free 1st

200 free 1st

100 breast 2nd

50 fly 1st

Jill Miles 45-49 yrs. —

50 free 12th

200 free 5th

100 breast 4th

Clare Fitzgerald 45-49 yrs. —

100 free 8th

500 free 7th

100 IM 7th

50 breast 4th

Ann Goodman 45-49 yrs. —

200 IM 4th

400 IM 2nd

Dianne Sherwood 50-54 yrs. —

100 free 5th

1000 free 6th

50 back 3rd

50 breast 2nd

200 breast 4th

Sandra Haynie 60-64 yrs. —

100 free 4th

50 back 4th

50 breast 3rd

Bill Sumerfield 45-49 yrs. —

50 free 2nd

100 free 4th

200 free 4th

50 breast 2nd

100 breast 3rd

200 breast 2nd

Keith Stelzer 45-49 yrs. —

100 free 6th

50 back 4th

50 breast 4th

100 fly 4th

100 IM 3rd

Reggie Sherwood 50-54 yrs. —

50 free 5th

100 free 4th

50 back 5th

50 breast 5th

100 back 3rd

Bill Mellow 60-64 yrs. —

100 free 4th

500 free 4th

1000 free 3rd

50 breast 1st

200 breast 1st