BASA To Host Swim Challenge

October 6, 2011

At the BASA pool this Saturday [Oct.8], a grudge match between the old and new will take place in the water. In what was a stunning and unexpected challenge, three ‘elderly’ or Masters swim squads have challenged the best teenage swimmers on the island to a 4 x 50m freestyle, no holds barred, relay swim race.

l to r Nick Strong Jonathan Herring Ric Chapman Tab Froud Simon Horrell Annette Budge Christiane Wehmeyer Paul Viney

Some of the competing Masters swimmers pictured above: [l-to-r] Nick Strong, Jonathan Herring, Ric Chapman, Tab Froud, Simon Horrell, Annette Budge, Christiane Wehmeyer and Paul Viney.

And the plot and pot thickened during the week when Flanagans on Front Street weighed in with a monstrous $400 prize for the winning quartet.

This is the first pure sprint swim meet of the season, traditionally conducted by the Sharks Club, featuring hundreds of Bermuda’s younger swimmers in all events from freestyle, to breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke and relay races. And for the first time will also accommodate the very strong Masters swimming fraternity in this relay race.

They themselves are preparing for the World Masters Games in Riccione, Italy mid next year, and have decided to flex their ageing muscles against the best of the teenagers this weekend. And if it goes well, ie; they are competitive and don’t embarrass themselves, it may start a new trend of ‘aged’ persons racing against the juniors.

“We will refer to this as an Exhibition Race for now, and I just do not know who will win as some of these Masters swimmers are still very quick. I see many of them training at lunch times every day and the fire still burns. It should be very entertaining and interesting to see how the teenagers handle this challenge,” said BASA Head Coach Ben Smith. “But we welcome the event as this can only be good for swimming in general and the Masters’ program, as they prepare for international competition next year.”

Three of the four recognised swim clubs on the island quickly responded when the old guard threw down the gauntlet, and Dolphins, Sharks and Harbour will all field teams.

“These are exciting times when swimming can draw a crowd and receivesome media,” said Masters President Nick Strong. “And this exhibition race between the Masters and the Teenagers, I think will give us a greater profile in the sport too,” he added. “And there is a real feeling among the Masters teams that they will not only be very competitive, but one of the three teams actually can win this thing. Especially now that Flanagans has offered a winning prize.”

Chris Garland, a former teenage swim star and now co-owner of Flanagans Bar and Grill, loves the idea of the challenge race and like all behind it, want to see more of these sorts of events. “We’ll be there on Saturday morning to watch the event and I think this is a real shot in the arm for all mature athletes of all sports. When we found out about it, we were very happy to be involved.” said Garland.

The Masters movement will field three mixed-gender teams against the cream of the swimming crop. A squad with a combined age of just over 200, another with a combined age of 160, while the other team’s combined age is 120. The teenagers from the local clubs will all add up to being around the 50 years mark each. It is, therefore, a classic confrontation between age and guile vs youth and brashness.

“I love it, declared Tim Petty the BASA President. “In an Olympic year swimming needs this type of thing, and BASA supports anything that brings the sport much needed publicity. The Celebrity Race between Roy Allan Burch and TV Host Ric Chapman earlier this year was a tremendous moment for Roy Allan and swimming, and I think this will be too. We, therefore, are very supportive of this race and the interest in it already is more than we anticipated. I cant wait to watch it.”

Following that race earlier this year for Roy Allan, 50-year-old Chapman was invited to join the Masters swimming family and he will be one of the elderly swimming elite competing in this Exhibition Challenge. He joins on his team with Masters President and champion ocean swimmer, Nick Strong, as well as current Bermuda Ironman champion Jonathan Herring and former junior swim star Annette Budge who was second last month in an important ocean race. Their team is the 160 age group side. “I think we will be dining finely courtesy of Flanagans,” grinned Chapman but the two other Masters teams include some impressive competitors too.

The over 200 squad for example will be Paul Viney, Simon Horrell, Christiane Wehmeyer and Tab Froud. Viney, Horrell and Wehmeyer competed brilliantly at world level in Sweden at the last World Masters and this squad is expected to be very fast.

The other Masters team boasts former champion British swimmer Steve Castree, as well as former junior sensation Abbey Medeiros and former junior national representative Kim Thomas as well as prominent triathlete Tony Hall. This is the 130 year old team and they collecvtively have the faster swimmers.

“It will be very competitive there is no doubt,” said Strong, “but it is setting the stage for when Roy Allan and Keira Aitken come back in December. At that point we want to conduct a few more of those novelty and celebrity races to help them raise money for the Olympics. This event this weekend will get our message out there that as a collective group of Olympic and swimming friendly old athletes, we will be helping them.”

Some of the island’s best up and coming swim sensations such as Emma Franklin, Somer and Sophie Froud, Susanna Armano, Olivia Moore, Megan and Gen Lau, Phillip Hagen, Mitchell Gariepy and Jesse Washington are expected to compete on the day.

The Challenge Race is expected to be under way by 8.30am on Saturday morning and a crowd of over a thousand is expected to cram into the BASA Pool to watch.

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  1. Teens Beat Masters In Swim Challenge | Bernews.com | October 10, 2011
  1. Elderly Athlete says:

    Wow….for athletes who are past 30 in all sports I give a thumbs up for their efforts and I hope they dont get embarrassed. Good on ‘em for having a go.