Important Dates

What to bring to the meet

• Black RSA Swim Suit
• Goggles
• Red or Black RSA Cap
• Sweats to keep warm if it is cold
• Water Bottle- Make sure that you are staying hydrated.
• Towels- bring plenty of these
• White RSA Team T-Shirt
• Drink plenty of water: You need to stay hydrated!
• Sunscrean
• Please be sure to stay under the tent to keep out of the sun

The Raleigh Swimming Association had some great swims and excellent finishes at the North Carolina Eastern Long Course Qualifier hosted by the Raleigh Swimming Association North.  Several RSA swimmers made qualifying time cuts in order to participate in the North Carolina Junior Olympics to be held July 24-27 in High Point,NC

Twelve year-old Andy Lamb was impressive taking first place in the 100 fly and improving his time from a BB to a "AA" time in just over a month.  He also qualified for JO’s in the 50 free, and took second overall in the event.  Two 9-10 year-old boys took center stage at the qualifier as well.  Matt Lower achieved his first ever “A” time in the 100 back, and also crushed the qualifying time in the 50 backstroke to take his “A” and finish first in the event.  The other great performance in the age group came from Casey Carter.  Casey wrapped things up in the last event and last heat of the meet by taking first in the 50 meter free and qualified for JO’s.  He also swam to a fourth place finish in the 100 meter back, and also qualified for JO’s with a new “A” time.  Twelve-year-old Kirsten Esplin won the 11-12 year old girls 50 meter fly and qualified for JO’s by swimming to a personal best time and a new “AA” time standard.  Katie Olson kicked her way into a great finish in the 100 meter backstroke.  She dropped just over 6 seconds, and qualified for JO’s in the 100 back.  Thirteen-year-old Hannah Facchine had an outstanding swim in the 100 meter free.  She placed third overall in the event and qualified with a new “AA” time.  Also Rory Flynn swam to a new best time and qualified with a “AA” time in the 100 meter free.

Many swimmers also swam to new personal best times.  In the 13-18 Age Group,  Maura Bearden swam to a 6 second drop in the 200 back and took second place.  Britt Burns dropped over a second in the 400 meter free and placed eighth overall.  Six-teen-year-old Cari Cuffney dropped over 4 seconds in her 200 free, and three seconds in the 100 fly to take second place in the event.  Zach D’Alessio swam to a personal best in the 100 backstroke by dropping over 5 seconds.  Beau Dove dropped four seconds on his way to an 11 second time drop in the 400 free.  Ameila Gardner sliced three seconds off her 200 IM and two seconds off of her 100 back for best times this year. 

The 11-12 hero of the day had to be Becky Fitzmorris.  She dropped 8 seconds in the 50 breast, 5 seconds in the 100 free and 4 seconds in the 50 free.  Eleven-year-old Hannah Gardner in her first meet in a new age group took her first “BB” in the 50 meter backstroke.  She also swam to over a four second drop in the 200 freestyle.  Melissa Geiss also had a great meet.  She dropped over four seconds in the 100 back, six seconds in the 100 breast and four seconds in the 50 breast.  Lindley Hill swam to a personal best and dropped over 2 and a half seconds in the 100 freestyle.  Katie Mathis swam to a “BB” time in the 50 free and dropped over a second in the 50 breaststroke.  Michael Williams swam to personal bests in everything he swam, which includes a thirteen second time drop in the 200 meter free.

Sawyer Dove had to be the “stud” of the meet for the 9-10 Age Group.  Sawyer had an incredible 100 breast swim on his way to a 6^th place finish.  He achieved new “BB” times in the 100 breast, 100 back, and 50 backstroke events.  Toby Rosen swam to a BB time in the 50 meter back and dropped over a second in the event.  Michael Dickey dropped five seconds and placed 8^th in the 50 fly, and took a new “BB” time in the event.  David DeJarnette place 4^th in both the 8 & Under 50 and 100 breast events.  Both of them were “BB” times.  Trey Lower achieved a new personal best time in the 50 free by cutting off over eight seconds.

Eight and Under girls Natalie Hill, Molly Beckman, Rachel Minore, and Amanda Lamb had some great swims at the qualifier.  Natalie Hill swam to over a two second time drop in the 100 free.  Rachel Minore had vast improvement on her 50 backstroke.  Amanda Lamb gets mad “props” for her first ever 50 fly and an 8 second drop in the 100 free.  Molly Beckman achieved her first ever “B” time in the 50 backstroke on Sunday.

Other great performances were turned in by Matthew and Phillip Ahlers, Alex Boddie, Aaron Powell, Savannah Currens, Rebecca Gardner, and Sage Watkins.

Excellent job at Qualifier RSA!  Now it is on to JO’s!