Tag Archive for: Club Swimming

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Speedo Sectionals: Wu, CRST Compete With College Swimmers

Gresham, OR — The Columbia River Swim Team (CRST) had their best showing ever at the annual Speedo Sectionals meet at Mt. Hood Community College this past weekend, with Camas High School’s two-time State champion, Eric Wu, leading the way.

The team itself earned more than 300 points, and Wu’s performance in the 100 Fly Finals earned him a berth on the awards podium. He also earned a personal best time, and set a team record in the 200 IM (2.11.13).

Top college and high school athletes from 11 states convened at Mt. Hood CC in a meet that lasted four days — Thursday through Sunday — to test how far these swimmers can go.

Wu’s big success of the meet was the 100 Fly, in which he earned eighth place while competing against college athletes several years older.

“Every moment leading up to the 100 Fly was nerve-racking,” said Wu. “I just barely made the big A final. I would be swimming with all the big college kids in the heat. After I swam, it was a sense of relief mixed with frustration since I missed the Summer national cut by .2 seconds.”

“I did something different training for the 100 Fly this year,” he added. “In addition to swimming fly every available moment in practice, I also did the 200 Fly in every meet this season. The 200 Fly being double the 100 allowed me to build the base and endurance I needed to finish the 100 Fly strongly. I believe that just swimming so much fly throughout the season gave me the back half I needed to drop so much time in such a short period of time.”

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Eric Wu competes in the 200 IM at Speedo Sectionals.

His coach, Darlene Lumbard, was pleased with his performance this weekend, and with the team’s efforts overall.

“Eric did a fantastic job, and we are so proud of him! He comes from a very academic family and they put academics first,” said Lumbard. “We make exceptions for the specialized classes and work with his schedule. Swimming is important to him but we’ve always given that time he needs for academics. He’s a well-balanced athlete.”

“Swimming and academics go well together,” added Lumbard. “The swimming culture is really academic. It’s a lifetime sport and they know it. It’s a great stress relief. It’s like yoga.”

Lumbard said the team overall exceeded her expectations.

“They bonded so well,” she said. “They get up and they raced together. They all worked hard and swam well.”

Wu

The 400 Free Relay. From left, Wu, Ilya, Tom, and Max.

 

On the 200 IM

“On the last day of a four day prelim final meet, multiple swims wear you out both physically and mentally,” said Wu. “Your body is sore and your mind is weak. Having experiencing this, swimming the 200 IM for the second time on Sunday in itself is an accomplishment. However, dropping time and swimming your best is even better. As I was swimming warm up before my event, I kept thinking to myself I was way too sore and too tired to finish the event, let alone drop time. However, on the outside, Darlene said I looked fine. Physically I was fatigued, but what made me even more tired was thinking that way. Honestly, that’s what makes swimming such a hard sport, it’s not the different strokes you have to swim, or even how much you have to swim, the hardest part about swimming is overcoming your brain telling you you can’t do it.”

Photo Gallery

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Local Swimmers Experience Successes at Summer Meets

Local swimmers from Columbia River Swim Team (CRST) and Lacamas Headhunters have seen a lot of competition this season with the Summer Blast Swim meet series, Senior Sectionals, State Championship, and now at Futures National Championship, which is located in Santa Clara, CA.

The Summer Blast series is designed to keep the athletes swimming competitively while preparing for the larger events. Senior Sectionals brought swimmers from all over the Western US region (including college-level athletes), and saw some gains and improved personal times for both clubs. CRST swimmers are in peaking training mode with twice-a-day practices at two pools.

“It’s a pretty intense time,” said CRST swimmer, Max Dolbinin. “We’ve been focusing on the larger meets.”

CRST coach Darlene Hill has been pleased with results from State, and says her team is currently seeing personal bests at Futures this weekend.

“We’ve had several successes this summer,” said Hill. “The kids have been working hard.”

Ilia Zablotovskii swims in the 200 M Medley Relay at Senior Sectionals.

 

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Mark Kim, of Lacamas Headhunters Swim Club, at warm-ups at Senior Sectionals.

 

Maddie Wick at Summer Blast #3.

State Long Course Competition

State competition, held just last week at Mt. Hood Community College, also saw gains and improvements for the swimmers.

Here are some State stats from local club swimmers:

  • Madison Wick, CRST: 50 Free (29.40) – 2nd place
  • Annette Chang, CRST: 50 Free (29.40) – 3rd place
  • Justin Xue, CRST: 50 Free (26.58) – 3rd place
  • Tom Utas, CRST: 50 Free (24.15) – 2nd place
  • Avery Gunderson, CRST: 200 Breaststroke (2:54.54)
  • Eric Wu, CRST: 100 Breastroke (1:08.96) – 2nd place
  • Madison Wick, CRST: 100 Back (1:15.37) – 3rd place
  • Annette Chang, CRST: 50 Free (1:15.83) – 3rd place
  • Finn McClone, CRST: 200 Back (2:16.17) – 2nd place
  • Eric Wu, CRST: 200 IM (2:16.02) – 3rd place
  • Andrew Chang, CRST: 200 IM (2:20.52)
  • Jace Creech, Lacamas HH: 200 IM (2:30.47)
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 50 Free (28.53) – 1st place – 11 y/o
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 100 Fly (1.08.01) – 1st place – 11 y/o
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 50 Back (33.00) – 1st place – 11 y/o
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 50 Fly (30.60) – 1st place – 11 y/0
  • Sammy Empey, CRST: 100 Free (1:02.04) – 1st place – 11 y/0
  • Nathan Kim, Lacamas HH: 50 Back (33.63) – 3rd place
  • Finn McClone, CRST: 400 Free (4:25.64) – 3rd place
  • Finn McClone, Ilia Zablotovskii, Jacob McCarthy, Christian Madden, CRST: 200 M Medley Relay (1:53.65)
  • Alex Wahlman, Steven Wu, Caden Lee, Sammy Empey: 400 M Free Relay (4:37.90) 3rd place 11 y/o
  • Nick Wahlman, CRST: 200 Fly (2:25.25) – 2nd place
  • Tom Utas, CRST: 100 Free (53:34) – 2nd place
  • Max Dolbinin, CRST: 100 Free (54.23) – 2nd place
  • Ilia Zablotovskii, Eric Wu, Tom Utas, Max Dolbinin, CRST: 400 Free Relay (3:36.88) 1st place
  • Eric Wu, CRST: 400 IM (4:43.31) – 1st place
  • Eric Wu, Tom Utas, Illia Zablotovskii, Max Dolbinin, CRST: 200 Free Relay (1:38.45)
  • Nick Wahlman, CRST: 200 Breaststroke (2:32.95) – 2nd place
  • Eric Wu, Tom Utas, Finn McClone, Max Dolbinin, CRST: 800 M Relay (8.08.27) – 1st place

Futures National Championships

These championships, located in Santa Clara, CA, are open to swimmers who are members of USA Swimming, and who have achieved the published time standard in one or more events.

“It’s a great pool, exciting to race all the fast swimmers around,” said Dolbinin, of the Futures National. This is his second time to attend this meet.

Currently, CRST swimmers has seen personal best times at this meet. Current stats are as follows:

  • Max Dolbinin: 200 Free (1:59.9) – PR
  • Tom Utas: 100 Fly (59.6) – PR
  • Eric Wu: 100 Breaststroke (1:09.1)
  • Eric Wu: 100 Fly (58.77)
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From right: Tom Utas and Max Dolbinin at Futures National Championship, in Santa Clara, CA.

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From left: Finn McClone, Tom Utas, Max Dolbinin, and Eric Wu.

More details to follow. The meet ends on Sunday, August 6.

To learn more, visit www.crstwaveriders.org and www.lacamasheadhunters.com

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WA State Champion Swimmers Face Senior Sectionals This Week

Mt. Hood Community College, OR — Several of the best local swimmers, including many with Washington State titles, will convene at the 2017 Speedo Western Region Section Championships this Thursday for a four-day event that drives athletic excellence.

Swimmers from as far away as Colorado and Arizona will descend on Mt. Hood Community College to compete in 36 individual and relay events. For some, this is an essential stop, or preparation for Future Nationals in August, which is an even more significant meet. 

The Camas High School (CHS) Boys Swim team won the State title in February, which comprised athletes from multiple private swim clubs — Columbia River Swim Team (CRST), Lacamas Headhunters, and Pacific Athletic Club (PAC). It was the first time in 50 years a high school swim team south of Tacoma won the prized victory. Several won individual and relay events.

Many of those same State Champion swimmers, representing their private clubs, have been getting ready for the past weeks and months, trying erase seconds and milli-seconds off their event times.

Mark Kim, representing Lacamas, is the 2017 200 Free Washington State High School Champion (1:40.76) and will be competing in the 100 Free, 400 Free, and 1500 Free events at Senior Sectionals, as well as several relays. He and his brother, Jaden Kim, also won the State High School title in the 200 Free Relay (1:26.82) with Eric Wu and Tom Utas. Jaden, also representing Lacamas, is competing in the 200 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Fly and 50 Free this week.

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Eric Wu in the 400 IM.

Utas, a Camas High School graduate, is also the Washington State 50 Free Champion (21.07) setting a new team record. He added another record placing 3rd in the 100 Free with a time of 46.74. Utas will compete in the 100 Free, 200 Free, 100 Fly, and 50 Free events this week, representing CRST.

Max Dolbinin, a recent Heritage High School graduate, placed 4th in the 100 Free (47.25) and 5th in the 50 Free (21.50) at State. Representing CRST, he will be competing in the 100 Free, 200 Free Bonus, 100 Fly, and 50 Free events this week.

Finn McClone added to the Papermaker Championship in February with 7th place in the 100 Free (48.85) and 5th place in the 100 Back (54.27).

Wu competes in an incredible six events at Senior Sectionals: 100 Breastroke, 200 Free, 400 IM, 100 Breastroke, 100 Fly, and 200 IM.

In total, CRST is sending 10 swimmers. Avery Gunderson, Andrew Chang, Christian Madden, Benjamin Phelps, Nick Wahlman, and Ilia Zablotovskii have been training rigorously for the meet.

“I’m just trying to drop time in my events and hopefully that can put me into finals,” said Chang. “This summer is just about closing out my high school career strong, and set myself up well for college.”

Dolbinin says “Sectionals is a prep meet for Futures, and I want to get good times to have a good spot at Futures, and see what else I have to work on before Futures.”

To learn more, visit: Senior Sectionals

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A Swimmer’s World: CRST Preps for Long Course

Mt. Hood Community College — Sixty-four members of the Columbia River Swim Team (CRST) swam into the night Saturday at the Summer Blast #2 meet, in which five clubs competed in 17 events. It’s all part of a strategic effort to prepare for the Long Course championships in late July.

“The kids try to hit state qualify times at these events,” said CRST Head Coach, Darlene Hill. “We’re one of a few club teams that does this over the summer, which is why you see so many age groups.”

CRST athletes swam alongside Chehalem, Portland Athletic Club, Canby, and Forest Grove swim clubs in mixed gender races that provide excellent training for the youth.

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CRST Swimmer Ashley Lin.

This was the second of three Summer Blast events that help the young swimmers prepare for other competitions, such as the Long Course, and the Future Nationals in August. Hill said the kids each compete in three events.

“We’re in summer training now,” said senior Max Dolbinin. “We practice two hours in the morning, and two hours in the afternoon so we can be ready for the Long Course championships. I think we eat 6,000-8,000 calories just to fuel up.”

Dolbinin has swam competitively for many years for Vancouver-based CRST, and enjoys the challenges the sport brings. He also swam for Heritage High School for four years, with good success.

“Even if you let up for a few days, it can affect your performance,” he said. “When we go to Hawaii for 10 days, and come back it’s hard to get back to where you were.”

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Max Dolbinin competes in the 50 Free.

Andrew Chang Interview

Union High School Senior Andrew Chang has enjoyed his many years at the club, and considers fellow swimmers some of his best friends.  He says they’re really like a family.

“Today wasn’t a bad swim,” Chang said. “It was my first Individual Medley (IM) of the season.”

CRST Successes

CRST continues to build on a string of successes in 2017, and in years past, that sees many swimmers go on to compete at the collegiate level. CRST alumnus Andrea Young was recently named Oregon State University 2017 Swimmer of the Year.

The meet started at 5:45 pm, and lasted until 10 pm. Swimmers competed in the following events:

  • Mixed 50 Backstroke
  • Mixed 100 Free
  • Mixed 50 Free
  • Mixed 100 Breaststroke
  • Mixed 200 IM
  • Mixed 50 Free
  • Mixed 100 Backstroke
  • Mixed 50 Breaststroke
  • Mixed 100 Butterfly
  • Mixed 200 Freestyle
  • Mixed 200 Backstroke
  • Mixed 200 Breaststroke
  • Mixed 400 Freestyle
  • Mixed 200 Butterfly
  • Mixed 400 IM
  • Mixed 800 Freestyle
  • Mixed 1500 Freestyle

To learn more, visit www.crstwaveriders.org

CRST Photo Gallery

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Columbia River Swim Team to Compete at Summer Blast #2 This Weekend

The Columbia River Swim Team (CRST) heads to Mt. Hood Community College this Saturday to compete at Summer Blast #2. The first event begins at 5:45 pm.

CRST swimmers have had a string of successes this year. Tom Utas broke the senior boys 50 free record (21.28) in February’s 4A High School District Championship. Utas, team captain of Camas High School, lead the Papermakers to their first State Swimming Championships.  Utas won the 50 free in a new team record of 21.07, and he added another record placing 3rd in the 100 free with a time of 46.74.  Finn McClone added to the Papermaker Championship with a 7th place in the 100 free (48.85) and 5th place in the 100 back (54.27).  This was the first time in 50 years that a high school team south of Tacoma won the state team title.

Other CRST team members placing in the top 16 were:

  • Max Dolbinin 4th 100 free (47.25) and 5th 50 free (21.50)
  • Andrew Chang 8th 100 fly (53.23) and 12th 200 IM (2:00.15)
  • Kai Johnson 15th 100 breast (1:00.63)
  • Daniel Brown 13th 100 free (51.49)
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CRST swimmers compete at Mt. Hood Community College last summer.

Winter Swim Competitions

In March, Sammy Empey and Nick Wahlman both won Age Group Sectional Titles this past weekend at the King County Aquatic Center.  Sammy won the 11 year old 50 Free (25.85), 50 Fly (28.11) and the 100 Fly (1:00.91).  Nick won the 13 year old 100 Breast (1:01.73), new team record.  Sammy was also 2nd in the 100 IM (1:05.30), 3rd in the 100 Free (57.27) and 7th 100 Back (1:05.17).

Others placing in the top 8 were Annette Chang 11 year old 100 Free 5th (58.11) and Daniel Brown 15-18 year old 50 Free 6th (22.72).

The relay team of Daniel Brown, Liam Johnson, Christian Madden and Andrey Khabibrakhmanov were 3rd in the 15-18 200 Free Relay and 8th in the 200 Medley Relay.

Other waveriders competing were Steven Wu, Justin Xue, Maddy Wick, Alexia Bravo and Paeton Lesser.

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Competing at Mt. Hood Community College last summer.

Other CRST swimmers Sammy Empey, Justin Xue and Nick Wahlman all won Oregon Swimming State Titles in February at Tualatin Hills Swim Complex.  The Waveriders swam outstanding scoring 275 points and finishing 9th out of 31 teams.

Both Justin and Nick set multiple team records.  Below are CRST swimmers who finished in the top 10 individual events:

Annette Chang-8th 200 IM (2:28.53), 3rd 100 fly (1:06.95), 4th 100 back (1:07.68), 2nd 200 free (2:09.57), 4th 50 fly (29.17) and 2nd 100 free (57.93).

Dominic Colletto-8th 100 back (1:11.13) and 10th 100 IM (1:16.16).

Sammy Empey-1st 50 free (26.12), 1st 100 fly (1:05.25), 2nd 50 back (30.65), 2nd 100 IM (1:06.48), 1st 50 fly (28.90) and 3rd 100 free (58.70).

Meredith Grimshaw-9th 50 breast (35.90).

Paeton Lesser- 5th 500 free (5:30.11), 8th 200 free (2:01.33) and 8th 100 (56.26).

Alex Wahlman-7th 500 free (6:09.02), 4th 200 IM (2:33.10), 3rd 50 breast (36.93),4th 100 breast (1:20.15) and 9th 100 free (1:03.85).

Nick Wahlman-2nd 200 IM (2:07.17), 4th 500 free (5:12.42), 2nd 400 IM (4:35.17), 2nd 200 breast (2:19.33 Team Record), 1st 100 breast (1:02.30 Team Record) and 5th 200 fly (2:14.27).

Madison Wick- 7th 50 back (31.25).

Steven Wu-2nd 50 breast (36.81)

Justin Xue- 2nd 50 back (28.17 Team Record), 3rd 200 IM (2:13.43 Team Record), 2nd 50 free (24.35 Team Record), 1st 100 breast (1:05.12 Team Record), 7th 50 Fly (27.76) and 5th 100 free (55.85).

To learn more, visit www.crstwaveriders.org

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Columbia River Swim Team: New Athletes, Bright Futures

Darlene Hill and Doug Lumbard, of the Columbia River Swim Team (CRST) “Wave Riders” talk about new athletes, the amazing talent of current swimmers, upcoming meets, and the success of past club swimmers.

Last year the Columbia River Swim Team “Wave Riders” brought on a slew of new athletes now going to their first competitions and meets, and Coach Darlene Hill is happy with how they are progressing.

“We take young swimmers and train them so they peak, but not so much that they peak at 13-14 years old,” said Hill. “If you train hard too young, even a talented athlete, if they have already done big meets at 12 years old, they can get pushed too hard. Parents and coaches mean the best, but young athletes will burn out and lose their joy for the sport. We make sure they enjoy their families, other sports, or music programs so that they are well-rounded and don’t become overworked.”

Hill, along with Lumbard and Mike Bemis (who coaches the Camas high school girls and boys swim teams as well), all work to make sure their athletes are doing well in every aspect of their life. Swimmers are known to have the highest GPA amongst other athletes. For example, recently, the Camas Boys Swim Team was honored for the GPA achievements.

“With our athletes we can almost always help them get a swimming scholarship if they put in the work,” said Hill. Swimming teaches so much camaraderie, so much endurance and focus.”

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CRST Swimmer, Andrew Chang, competes at Mt. Hood Community College.

Past CRST Swimmers Now Compete at Collegiate Level

Schools will give better scholarships to students who have better academic records versus those who have impressive athletic achievements. Here is a list of some recent CRST athletes who have gone on to compete for their Universities:

Kasey Calwell- University of California Santa Barbara

Lucas Ulmer- University of Redlands

Chris Xue- Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Darya Samiee- Cal State Bakersfield

Jonah Rodewald- Whitman

John Utas- University of Lethbridge

Sierra Colletto- Whitworth University 

Julia Sanders-Texas Christian University

Andrea Young-Oregon State University

Eric Bugna- University Of Redlands

Justin Natyzak- Olivet Nazarene University/Cumberland

Wesley Tatum-  Whitworth University

Callum MacKintosh- Whitworth University

Alexis Morehouse- Seattle University

Jay Jones- California State Bakersfield

Lisa Tompkins- San Diego State University

Kelsey Lynch- Washington State University

Peggy Liang- University Of Hawaii

Bethany Hoopman- California State University East Bay

Felicia Williamson- Cumberland

Rachel Chong- Pacific Lutheran University

Keenan Natyzak- Arizona State University

Mackenzie Bailie- Orange Coast College/Concordia

Jon Brodeur- Bryant University

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CRST swimmer, Max Dolbinin (in silver cap) dives in.

But the athletic scholarships aren’t the only plus for these young swimmers. Lombard and Hill have seen how it effects hundreds of young people.

“We’ve seen how therapeutic swimming is for our athletes,” said Hill. “We’ve seen our athletes take breaks from swimming and their parents tell us how uptight they are when they aren’t swimming. There’s a sort of water addiction that comes from swimming, being suspended by the water. And it’s a sport that is individual and yet you are working with a team as well, it really is the best of both worlds. Swimming has also been proven to help kids that have ADD and ADHD because of the rhythm and focus that happens in the water. It has both healing and physical benefits.”

The CRST Wave Rider coaches have seen hundreds of young swimmers grow up. “We have a lot of kids come back who have careers, maybe they’ve started their own families, and they come back to me and talk about all the good memories they have from the swim team, and a lot of their fondest memories were arranged times that we set aside for the team to bond. We want them to be good friends with their teammates and to keep their studies up. It’s a lifelong sport but needs to be balanced with a happy life.

Nick Solovey, left, receives swimming tips from CRST Coach Darlene Hill.

Nick Solovey, left, receives swimming tips from CRST Coach Darlene Hill.

As for the events coming up soon, Coach Mike Bemis explained what the athletes are currently preparing for:

“Right now we’re preparing for a meet at Mt Hood Community College that’ll take place tomorrow (Saturday, June 4). Then we have a Senior Seattle Open, which brings competitors all the way from Canada and Southern California. The Futures Meet, held at Stanford University, will be high school and returning college students competing from Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, and more.”

A new meet in USA swimming, “Futures Meet” is the junior national level. There are 7 CRST swimmers tentatively going this year: Max Dolbinin, Tom Utas, Colleen Woods, Eric Bugna, Kasey Calwell, Andrea Young, Lucas Ulmer, and Chris Xue.

Important Swim Meet Dates:

Senior Seattle Open – July 7-9

OSI 11 & Over State Meet – July 28-31

2016 USA Swimming Futures Championship (Stanford University) – August 4-7

To learn more, visit: www.crstwaveriders.org

Article by Haley Childers.

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CRST swimmer, Chase Hicks, competes in the 100 Breaststroke at Mt. Hood Community College.

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