4 island-nations join SSC meet

Swimmers from Guam, Marshall Islands, Pohnpei, and Palau will compete against the CNMI bets when Saipan Swim Club holds the SSC International Invitational Swim Meet beginning tomorrow at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool.

A Marshall Island swimmer fixes his cap as he waits for his race during last year’s SSC International Invitational Meet at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

“We are expecting about 130 swimmers from the Marshalls, Guam, Pohnpei, and Palau and are looking forward to a lot of fast swimming and great friendship,” SSC head coach Jacoby Winkfield said.

Swimmers from the four visiting island-nations will be racing against SSC and Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan members for four days with tomorrow’s contest starting at 5:10pm. Friday’s start time is 3pm, while Saturday races will be divided into two sessions with the morning events kicking off at 8am and the afternoon at 2pm. For this Sunday, swimmers will be in the waters near Naked Fish in Susupe for the ocean swim. Awards ceremony for the swim meet and the ocean swim will take place after the Sunday races.

Only two events are scheduled for tomorrow’s kick-off. The 1,500m freestyle race will be held first and only swimmers in the 11-and-over age group will compete and they must have an A time in the 200m freestyle to qualify. The other event for Day 1 is the 400m individual medley for the 13-and-over age group.

For Day 2, participants will compete in the 400m freestyle for 13-and-over, 100m breaststroke, 200m IM, 100m butterfly, and 4x100m medley relay for all ages, and 200m backstroke 11-and-over. Swimmers joining the 400m freestyle must also have an A time in the 200m freestyle to qualify.

For Day 3, the following are the order of events for the morning session: 4x100m freestyle relay (all ages), 800m freestyle (13-and-over), 50m butterfly (all ages), 200m breaststroke (11-and-over), 100m freestyle (all ages), 100m backstroke (all ages), 200m butterfly (11-and-over), and 200m mixed medley relay (all ages). For the afternoon races, the list of events includes 50m and 200m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, 200m freestyle relay, and 200m freestyle mixed medley relay for all age groups.

For Sunday’s ocean swim, registration starts at 7am, while the first wave of race begins at 8am. Registration fee is only $20, inclusive of entry to the awards banquet.

“SSC would like to invite all alumni to come out this weekend and relive old memories either at the pool or at the beach on Sunday for the ocean swim. It is always great to see the alums stop by the pool as the swimmers are always amazed and motivated when they meet former SSC swimmers,” Winkfield said.