To check what races she competed in last weekend, Haines Dolphin swimmer, Tia Dombrock, glimpsed the fading Sharpie ink on her forearm, denoting E H L (event, heat, lane) and corresponding information.
A marked-up arm is a swimmer’s trick and the easiest way to keep 33 students organized throughout the three-day Winter Games meet in Haines last Friday through Sunday, said Dolphins’ Coach, Jackie St Clair. Juneau Glacier Swim Club and Whitehorse Glacier Bears competed in the three-team meet, filling the pool with 95 athletes over the weekend.
Lucia Chapell, Emery Tipkemper-Wolfe, Anica Tipkemper-Wolfe and Pacific Ricke posted standout performances, each cutting times off their events and qualifying for Age Group Champs next month, St Clair said.
Chapell said she earned her best time swimming in the 1,650-yard freestyle, which she raced for the first time. Her time qualifies her for Age Group Champs in Anchorage next month.
Emery Tipkemper-Wolfe dropped five seconds off his already quick 200 freestyle time, according to St Clair. “He’s one of the fastest 9-year-old boys in the State of Alaska,” she said. Tipkemper-Wolfe already held the second-fastest time in that event for his age group.
Juneau’s Emma Fellman earned a “zone time” in her 100 breast stroke race. The performance qualifies her for competition on the national level. St Clair said Fellman’s performance was “exciting for our swimmers to see.”
“Fun events like this are a great way to introduce competition to our younger swimmers, but also present high-caliber competition opportunities for our older swimmers who are working on qualifying for state and national meets,” St Clair said.
The Haines Dolphins will compete next in April at meets in Whitehorse and Juneau. Eligible athletes will go the Age Group Champs in February.
A swim-a-thon fundraiser will be held in February.