8 swim clubs to compete in SSC international meet

Swimmers from Guam, Saipan, and the Marshall Islands get ready at the starting block during the 50m freestyle swim in last year?s SSC international meet at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Eight clubs will battle for the championships in the 2014 Saipan Swim Club International Meet this weekend at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool.
Joining the host in the two-day tournament are Guam’s Anderson Marlins, Manhoben Swim Club, Manukai Athletic Club, and Tsunami Swim Club, the Marshall Islands’ Kwajalein Swim Club, a group from Palau, and Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan.

“We are expecting to have 150 swimmers with half of them from off-island,” SSC head coach Jacoby Winkfield said in an email to Saipan Tribune.

Tsunami Guam ruled the 2013 edition of the meet after collecting 1,220 points from the individual races. Tsunami Saipan finished second with its 885 points, while SSC came in at third place after gaining 594 points. Points are given based on how swimmers from each club finished the race. Nine points are given to the race winner, 7 to second, and 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 to the No. 3 to 8 finishers.

Kwajalein Swim Club debuted in the meet last year and is hoping to have a better finish after occupying the fifth spot (307.5 points) behind fourth placer Manukai (505.5), while Palau is making a comeback in the SSC-hosted tournament after joining the event more than a decade ago.

Besides the overall championship, participants in the weekend competition will also vie for the High-Point awards. The Top 3 in each age group (boys and girls ‘ U8, 9 to 10, 11 to 12, 13 to 14, 15 to 16, and Open) will get High-Point trophies, while the No. 1 to 8 finishers in each races will receive ribbons.

Six events will be held in the Friday’s opener—the 200m freestyle (all ages), 1,500m free (13-and-over), 100m breaststroke (all), 100m butterfly (all), 200m backstroke (11-and-over), and 50m backstroke (all).

For the second and last day of the tournament, races are divided into two sessions. The morning session will have the 50m butterfly, 800m free, 400m individual medley, 100m back, 200m breaststroke, 100m freestyle, and 200m medley relay. For the afternoon session, the 50m breaststroke will take place first, followed by 200m butterfly, 400m and 50m freestyle, 200m IM, and 200m freestyle relay. Saturday swims will start at 8:15am and 2pm, while Friday’s session will begin at 3:10pm.

Ocean swim Sunday

The host club will complete the weekend competition with the staging of the 36th Annual Saipan Ocean Swim this Sunday in the waters off Saipan World Resort.

There will be five distances in the ocean swim with U8 swimmers joining the 600m race, the 9 to 10 group participating in the 1K swim, 11 to 12 in 1.3K, 13 to 14 in 2.5K, and 15 to 19 in 2.5K. The Sunday event is also open to adult swimmers and they can join either in the 1.3K or 2.5K races. Adult swimmers can enter the 20 to 29 age group, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, and over 60. Registration fees are only $20, inclusive of entry to awards banquet, which will be held at Naked Fish.

For more information, contact SSC at saipanswimclub@gmail.com or call 234-5749.