YMCA masters swimmers defend title

 By Peter Pan Contributing Writer for Narragansett Times (Mar 28, 2025 Updated Apr 4, 2025)

It wasn’t unexpected, but the ease in which the defending championship team from South County won, was what could be considered quite a wipe-out. YMCA Waves Masters Team coach Fred Bartlett had his 63 swimmers tuned up for the seven-day marathon event. It was the second straight year that the team dominated the US Masters New England Short Course and Colony Zones Championships at Harvard’s Blodgett Pool. Over 650 Masters swimmers from all over the northeast competed.

Local swimmers competed in many categories, including butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and medleys which included all four strokes. As is usually the case, it was the women who earned the most points for the team. The YMCA squad managed to win every category, including the overall Men’s, Women’s, and Combined Points titles. At the end of the final day, there was over a 1000 point spread between the South County team and the rest of the pack.

The big local winners with individual high points, included Eliza Anderson of Narragansett, who earned 178 points in the 25-29 Years category. Claire Thomas of South Kingstown took the 35-39 Years division with 190 points. Julia Girman of Narragansett won the 40-44 Years with 169 points. Carolyn Kiely Kilpatrick of Providence collected 158 points in the 60-64 Years division. 

Area men who placed included Pat Reyes of Narragansett, who racked up 191 points in the 30-34 Years category, and Jason Dahl, who took the 45-49 Years title with 172 points.

“This was one of the premier swim events of the year,” said Fred. “Thanks to the co-directors, Rick Osterberg and Doug Sayles, it is so well organized and efficient, that everyone looks forward to returning, year after year.”