Riptides Wrap-up Short-course Season!

Myrtle Beach Riptides Swim Team Wraps up Season
The Myrtle Beach Riptides swimming team wrapped up it’s first season of competition during the month of March. The Riptides competed in four meets over a three week period, travelling from Cary, NC to Orlando, FL. The Riptides also had a swimmer competing in the NCAA D-II National Championships in Houston, TX.

The 2009 NCSA Junior National Championships were held March 17-21, in Orlando, FL. The Riptides sent four swimmers, the largest squad of swimmers to ever compete at the meet in the history of Myrtle Beach. According to meet management, it was the largest meet since its inception in 2002, hosting over 1,600 swimmers from around the United States. It was also the fastest meet and had the deepest amount of talent.

Four swimmers from the Myrtle Beach Riptides competed in the meet.  Lauren Campbell, Megan Kingsley, Keenan Lineback and Phil Mustert.

Lauren went six for seven in personal best times, leading the team. Megan, Keenan and Phil earned a best time in at least one event as well.

The competition at the meet was the fastest in the meet’s history. The swimming was tight. Pick any of the heats and the difference between the fastest swimmer and 8^th-place swimmer in the heat could be as little 0.05 seconds. As you moved up the meet program to the fastest three heats, the difference between the fastest swimmer and the 24^th place swimmer might be as little as one second.

While one group of swimmers was in Orlando, FL, the Riptides had sent another group to the 2009 Augusta Invitational in Augusta, GA, March 20-22. Representing the Riptides were Mackenzie Angwin, Chad Bateson, Eddie Bateson, Danielle Flaherty, and Jessica Kemp.

C. Bateson earned four new South Carolina Swimming State Championship qualifying times. The combined effort of all the swimmers led to a 72% improvement in personal best times.

The 2009 Age-group Sectional Championships was hosted March 12-15 in Charlotte, NC. The meet hosted over 700 swimmers, ages 14-years and under from around the southeast.  Representing the Riptides was Julia Campbell.

Campbell swam to three best times in the 200-yard breaststroke, 400-yard IM and 1000-yard freestyle and four Top-16 finishes.

Hunter Lineback (U. Of Tampa, FL) competed in the 2009 NCAA D-II National Championships. Lineback is the first Myrtle Beach area swimmer to compete in an NCAA National Championship.

Lineback competed in four individual events: 500-, 1000- and 1650-yard freestyle events and the 400-yard Individual Medley. Lineback earned best times in each and became a two-time NCAA All-American by finishing in the Top-8 in both the 400-IM and as a member of the 4x200-yard freestyle relay. Lineback’s time in the 400-IM, 3:56.1, was a USA-Swimming US Open Championship qualifying time, the highest level of competition a swimmer can achieve in a non-Olympic year.