Laura Rosen and Jacob Jepsen of the North Whidbey Aquatic Club won individual events at the Age Group Sectional Swimming Championships, March 19-21, in Federal Way.
This meet attracted the fastest 1,300 age-based swimmers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Hawaii and Alaska.
Rosen won the girls 13-14 400 individual medley in 4:31.07, and Jepsen won the boys 15-18 200 butterfly in 2:00.54.
Jepsen’s time also qualified him for the Senior Sectional Championships in July in Gresham, Ore., where the fastest 1,000 swimmers from 12 western states race in open (not age-based) competition.
Rosen had previously qualified for this event, but two other NWAC’ers, Emily Huffer (100 and 200 back) and Akasha Trisler (200 fly), also added their first Senior Sectional qualifying times.
Huffer, competing in the girls 13 division, was fifth in the 100 back (1:00.28) and third in the 200 back (2:09.53), both in team-record time. Trisler, competing in the girls 14 division, was fifth in the 200 fly (2:11.58).
Team records were also established by Josh Jepsen in the 13-14 boys 100 (1:03.85) and 200 (2:18.93) breast strokes. Jepsen erased the oldest NWAC records, those of David Saugen set in 1988.
In addition to Rosen, the Jepsens, Huffer and Trisler, the other Aquajet to medal (top eight) was Kelly Huffer, who earned a podium spot with a third in the girls 10-and-under 100 back (1:11.09) and medaled in four other individual events as well.
Other NWAC’ers swimming PR’s included Karina Concepcion in the girls 15-18 200 back (2:17.04), Marissa Morris in the girls 11 500 free (6:01.37), Ethan Tack in the boys 10-and-under 50 (33.94) and 100 (1:19.29) fly, Olivia Tungate in the girls 10-and-under 200 free (2:26.43), Molly Vagt in the girls 11 100 fly (1:12.63) and Cullen Wood in the boys 10-and-under 100 back (1:17.04) and 50 fly (33.42).
Aquajet swimmer of the meet was Josh Jepsen, who swam a PR every time he stepped on the blocks through six prelims and three finals, adding 3 new Western Zone Championships qualifying times, three new Pacific Northwest Swimming Championships cuts and four new team records. Jepsen dropped an average of 1.5 seconds for every 100 yards swum and medaled in three events.
NWAC next competes at the Divisional Championships in Federal Way, March 27-28, where it will field a team of 17 athletes.
The North Whidbey Aquatic Club (NWAC) 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 (765-7665) to speak with head coach Neil Romney or view the team’s website at www.teamunify.com/pnswznwac.
