Riptides Splash into Long-course

Riptides Splash into new Season
The Myrtle Beach Riptides swim team splashed into the new swim season at the 2015 City of Charleston Southern Marlins Racing Team long-course Invite held April 11-12.  The “long-course” season represents competitions held in 50-meter long pools, equivalent to international and Olympic swimming venues.

For the Riptides, twenty-one swimmers participated in the meet, several swimmers for the first time.  When the water settled, Riptides had garnered 41 personal best times, 23 SC Swimming State Championship qualifying times and 7 team records.

Peyton McWhorter led all swimmers with 7 personal best times, 3 SC Swimming q-times and even set a new team record in the 100-meter backstroke.  Mackenzie Angwin, Jake Flahery and Ella Speir were next with 6 personal best times each.  Flaherty also led the Riptides with the largest improvement of over 97 seconds in the 400-meter freestyle.

Eddie Bateson, Andi Chruchill, Connor Churchill, Danielle Flaherty, Kailey Habib, Ethan Nechemia, Maddi Pannell and Yianni Paraschos each achieved multiple best times.

Several swimmers competed in their first-ever long-course meet.  Dan Henington achieved 3 SC Championship q-times and a team record in the 100-meter backstroke.  Hannah McDonough achieved one new State Championship q-time.  Ian Morgan led all Riptides earning 7 new State Championship q-times and five new team records.  Jenn Paul earned 5 new SC Swimming Championship q-times.  Matthew Key, Ireland Rose and Chloe Stampfle also competed in many long-course events for the first time.

Chad Bateson and Chase Teasley rounded out the squad to Charleston.

“Despite only being back to practice for only a week following a Spring Break, the Riptides did a great job,” said James Smith, head coach of the Riptides.

The success of Riptides continues from the short-course season, where Riptides has seen growth of more than 200% in terms of qualifying swimmers and entered events to the SC Swimming State Championships since 2012.  This tremendous improvement ranks Riptides among the top 3 programs in SC Swimming.

“Our success is due to the desire of the athletes, guidance of our coaches and support of our parents,” Smith commented.