The Waynesboro Family Y Swim Team started the 2012/13 season off with an open water competition at Smith Mountain Lake on Sept 29 and 30.
The first race on Saturday was an open water 5-kilometer swim and Sunday was a mile swim. The 5k race consisted of swimming three laps around several large orange buoys place about 400 yards apart. Unlike pool competitions where the swimmers can follow the black line on the pool bottom, the swimmers must raise their heads to find the next buoy and try to stay in a straight line.
The following swimmers swam both the 5k and one mile races: Jessie Arnold (age 15), Alexander Flowers (14), Bobby Carey (15), Charlotte Rumsey (12), Colleen Higgens (14), Justin Merritt (15), Maggie Riggan (13), Norah Hunt (14), Hunter McMillion (15), Jordan Miller (14), Brazil Rule (14), Remedy Rule (16), Madison Tegen (16), Sarah Loomis (12) and Shirley Loftus-Charley (60). The following swimmers swam the one mile race: Steven Jenny (18), Caleb Johnson (12), Kristen Wagner (10), Tate Snyder (11), Ella Pickering (11), Hanna Shifflett (11), Braelin Fauber (11) and Keelin Wolf (14).
Arnold, who competed last summer in the World Junior Open Water Championships in Canada, continued her dominance in the open water events by placing first overall in the women’s 5k and mile events. Other top finishers included: R. Rule 1st in 5k and mile for girls 16-19, Hunt 2nd in 5k and 1st in mile for girls 14-15, Wagner 3rd in girls 11 and under mile, Snyder 2nd in boys 11 and under mile, Loomis 4th in girls 12-13 mile, B. Rule 4th in 14-15 girls mile, Carey 3rd in boys 14-15 mile, Jenny 3rd in boys 16-19 mile and Loftus Charley 1st in both 5k and mile for 50 and over women. Loftus-Charley, who at age 60, still swims and trains with the SMAC swim team was faster than all females over 20 in both the 5k and mile.
SMAC just completed one of its best years in its history, if not the best year in its history. Highlights for the 2011/2012 season included the following: 46 Team records were broken, highest place finish ever at short course Y nationals and long course Y nationals, broke numerous meet records at the Y Capital Classic Meet in Greensboro, NC, produced the individual high point winner at the Capital Classic Meet and at the Virginia Senior State Championship Meet, won the short course age group state title for small teams for the 5th consecutive year, placed 8 swimmers ranked in the top 10 in Virginia in multiple races, qualified one swimmer to represent USA in the Jr. Open Water World Championships and qualified one swimmer to participate in multiple events at the US Olympic Trials. SMAC athletes and coaches worked very hard and were extremely dedicated to achieve their success, but they also made time to enjoy themselves and have a little fun. The team enjoyed many meals together at local restaurants, made t-shirts and produced a music video this summer.
SMAC has had a proud history, including having 3 NCAA Division I swimmers currently competing for their respective Schools (2 at William and Mary and 1 at New Hampshire) and producing the former captains of the UVA Swim Team and the University of Missouri Swim, but some slight changes are happening this year. The Team will be known as the Waynesboro Family Y Swim Team (SMAC) to ensure everybody knows the Swim Team is a Y program and that anyone is welcome to join. The Y Swim Team will turn no one away for an inability to pay as scholarship money is always available. The Waynesboro Family Y Swim Team will also be using the pool at Augusta Health on Tuesdays and Thursday to provide an opportunity for kids who want to try swimming and are closer to Fishersville.
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