The North Whidbey Aquatic Club placed 15th in the 50-team Washington State Senior Championships in Federal Way Dec. 15 to 18.
Laura Rosen guided the NWAC effort with five team records and earned its Swimmer of the Meet honors, scoring points in all six of her individual races and reaching the finals in three: 400 individual medley (4:26.39), 500 freestyle (5:05.54) and the 1,650 free (17:46.08).
She established team records in those three events as well as in the 200 free (1:53.54) and 1,000 free (10:40.02). The 200 free and 400 IM times qualified her for NCSA Junior Nationals in Florida in March.
Her 400 IM and 200 butterfly (2:05.47) times qualified her for USA Swimming’s Scholastic All-America consideration. Rosen also swam on five senior-sectional qualifying relays with Emily Huffer, Ciara Hu and Lauren Vagt.
Cole Weinstein joined Rosen in finishing among the top eight and earning a spot on the podium.
Finishing in the top 16 and receiving team points were Hu, Huffer, Jacob Jepsen, Josh Jepsen, Rosen and Weinstein.
Hu, Huffer, Jacob Jepsen, Josh Jepsen, Rosen, Brett Vagt and Weinstein added top 24 finishes.
Earning NWAC’s RelayBig award for outstanding relay performances was Weinstein, who set personal records in all five of his relays swims, dropping an average of close to a full second per 50. He also established individual PRs leading off both the 400 medley (backstroke leg of 58.66) and 800 free (1:52.94) relays.
The Most Improved Swimmer award went to Jarik Bainco, who dropped an average of a second per 50, including three seconds in his 100 breaststroke (1:05.25) and five seconds in his 200 fly (2:12.97).
Other Aquajet highlights included 100 percent relay PRs by Bainco, Michael McGinnis, Brett Vagt and Cole Weinstein.
Age Group Sectional marks were met by Bainco and Brett Vagt, and a Western Zone Championship mark was achieved by Huffer.
Senior Sectional times were set by Josh Jepsen, Rosen and Weinstein; all five girls relays (Rosen, Hu, Huffer, Vagt) and the boys’ 400 and 800 free relays (Jepsen, Jepsen, Weinstein, McGinnis/Vagt).
Hu,like Rosen, qualified for the NCSA Junior Championships.
NWAC next competes at the New Year’s Eve Anacortes Pentathlon Dec. 31 at the Fidalgo Pool, where it will field a team of 35.
The North Whidbey Aquatic Club is a competitive swimming program of the North Whidbey Park and Recreation District. It includes swimmers of all abilities and ages from 6 through college. Tryouts occur Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the city pool from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m.
New swimmers should be able to swim a length of the pool in freestyle and backstroke. The first two weeks are free.
For more information, please call the pool (675-7665) to speak with head coach Neil Romney or view the team’s website at www.teamunify.com/pnswznwac.
