Post-Bulletin staff
MINNEAPOLIS -- Seven Rochester Swim Club Orcas Masters swimmers competed at the 2010 Breadbasket Zone Championships at the University of Minnesota on April 16-17. The Orcas compete as part of the larger 'Minnesota Masters.'
The Orcas were led by Nancy Kryka, who swam in eight events, setting Minnesota state records in all of them. She set individual state records (55-59 age group) in the 50 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 50 butterfly, 100 individual medley, 200 individual medley and the 200 butterfly. She also was part of two state record relays.
Babs Larsen also set three new state records (60-64) in the 200 backstroke, 50 fly and 200 IM. She tied her own 100 fly record also. She also swam the 50, 100 and 200 free, finishing first in all of these events as well.
Kryka and Larsen teamed up with Ellen Youngers and Pam Ogden (a member of MN Masters not from Rochester) to set the state record in Women's 45+ 800 freestyle relay with a time of 10:56.27, easily beating the old record of 11:15.32.
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Kryka and Youngers smashed another state record with two other MN Masters swimmers (Linda Gehrig and Ogden) in the 400 freestyle relay at 4:53.35. The 10-year-old record was 5:46.50.
Also competing for the Orcas at this meet was Bryan Bachman (35-39), who is preparing for the challenging English Channel swim this August. Bryan swam all the freestyle events, placing fifth in the 50, third in the 100 and 200 and was champion in the 500 and 1650 freestyle. Among all age groups combined, Bachman was second overall in the 1650 and third overall in the 500.
Other Orcas competing were: Youngers (50-54), finished fourth in 50 free, third in 200 free, second in 500 free/100 breaststroke and first in the 200 breast and 200 IM. Scott Diercks (30-34) who was sixth in the 100 free, fifth in the 50 fly and third in the 100 backstroke. Tom Jaeger (50-54) was sixth in the 1650 free, third in 200 back and second in the 50 back. Becky Britton (45-49) was second in the 100 breaststroke with a personal best time of 1:21.06.
Rochester Swim Club Orcas Masters swimmers will next be competing in the Long Course Masters Meet this coming Saturday at the U of M. Then they will compete in Masters Nationals in Atlanta, beginning May 20 and various open water events throughout the summer.
The Orcas Masters team has been coached for many years by John Sfire, who recently retired. Rochester Swim Club Orcas head coach Steve Varney will now be leading the Masters program. Information about Orcas Masters swimming and triathlon training can be found at www.swimorcas.com
