LIHU‘E — Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics hosted more than 140 swimmers at the YMCA pool during the 6th Annual Kaua‘i Classic swim meet last week. The meet, featuring athletes from the Special Olympics Kaua‘i and the Killarney Swim Club from Calgary,
LIHU‘E — Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics hosted more than 140 swimmers at the YMCA pool during the 6th Annual Kaua‘i Classic swim meet last week.
The meet, featuring athletes from the Special Olympics Kaua‘i and the Killarney Swim Club from Calgary, Canada, was the largest in SKA and YMCA’s history with swimmers competing over two days, states a SKA release.
Swimmers, in addition to the host team and the Canadian team also came from O‘ahu, Washington and California. The O‘ahu contingent represented Punahou Aquatics, and the Santa Clara Swim Club was affiliated with the American Renaissance Academy and the Hawai‘i Swim Club.
Swimmers vacationing on Kaua‘i joined the meet representing their respective swim clubs including the Bellevue Club Swim Team, Bainbridge Island Swim Club, Orange County Waves and Team Santa Monica.
Chad Okino, Joshua Iloreta, Sarah Peck, Katelin Heller, Lucas Moore, Pualani Rapozo, Katherine Tam, Kalea Snyder, Makani Kapua, Emily Sullivan, Mariana Munoz and Kylie Chang represented the Special Olympic Kaua‘i athletes who was the focus of swimmers and fans to open the event, Saturday.
SKA, in addition to being host to the Kaua‘i Classic, pulled off the win in total points over the two-day competition which was punctuated by a visit from Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., who dropped in following his return from the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival on the Big Island.
SKA walked off with top honors with 1,642 points followed by Killarney with 1,143 points and Punahou Aquatics with 1,047 points.
SKA swimmers combined for eight new state Qualifying times, 34 new Hawai‘i AA time standards, and 59 new Hawai‘i A time standards.
Dutch Fairbanks led the new state qualifiers in the 50 Yard Breaststroke followed by Kaira Ka‘ahihue (100 Yard Backstroke), Carolyn Price (100 Yard Backstroke, 200 Yard Backstroke), Julia Safford (200 Yard Individual Medley), Zach Safford (100 Yard Breaststroke), Malia Splittstoesser (50 Yard Backstrokd) and Akira Williams (500 Yard Freestyle).
Kaylee Russell marked AA times in all eight of her swims for a perfect meet to lead the AA time standard achievers. Others included Lani Alo (50 Yard Freestyle, 50 Yard Butterfly), Andrew Beeksma (200 Yard Backstroke), Tyler Elwin (50 Yard Freestyle), Andres Gonzalez (50, 100 and 200 Yard Freestyle), Alex Hashimoto (100, 200 Yard Breaststroke), Asa Hendrickson Komar (100 Yard Backstroke, 200 Yard IM, 500 Yard Freestyle), Victoria Hinkel (50 Yard Freestyle), Takeshi Komar (100 Yard Breaststroke), Kassy McCoy (50, 100 Yard Breaststroke), Asha McGinnis (50 Yard Breaststroke), Zoe McGinnis (50 Yard Breaststroke), Carolyn Price (50 Yard Freestyle), Xaveria Rodriguez (100, 200 Yard Freestyle), Zach Safford (200 Yard Backstroke), Henry Scherer (500 Yard Freestyle) and Riley Young (200, 400 Yard IM, 500 Yard Freestyle).
New swimmers marking their first swim meet include Andrew Beeksma, 15, Tyler Elwin, 16, Laieikakawai Smith, 9, and Carmen Swanson, 11.
For Killarney Swim Club who comes to train with SKA for two weeks every other year, the Kaua‘i Classic wraps up its 2013 tour for 22 swimmers.
Between the workouts at the pool, the Canadians were able to enjoy surfing lessons, lu‘au, beach trips and hiking.
Killarney coach Mike Meldrum, a swimmer for Canada in the 1988 Olympics, said his swimmers look forward to this experience to train and vacation on Kaua‘i.
“This is our third Kaua‘i Classic, and definitely the best, yet,” Meldrum said in the release. “Our two teams train so well together and have a great time both in and out of the water. We are already looking forward to 2015.”
SKA acknowledges the generosity of its sponsors who in addition to making the Kaua‘i Classic possible, allow the team to coach more than 100 keiki six days a week to encourage physical activity and water safety.
Sponsors include Capt. Andy’s Sailing, Lappert’s Ice Cream, The Kaua‘i Marathon, Arthur J. Hurley Co., Earthworks Pacific, the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa, Island Truss, Kaua‘i Beach Resort, David Pratt, Princeville “Prince” Golf Course, Wilcox Health. Event sponsor are Aqua Engineers, Jamba Juice Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i Community Federal Credit Union, Kaua‘i ‘Ohana YMCA, King Auto Center, the Kukui‘ula Development Co., Lifeway Pharmacy, Pacific Service and Development, Joan Pratt and NiuPia Land Co.
