Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics Sets Masters World Record In 800 Freestyle Relay
TUCSON, Arizona, June 7. A foursome representing Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics took down a Masters long course relay world record by nearly five seconds tonight at the Southwest Classic.
Terry DeBiase (2:06.45), Patrick Brundage (2:07.27), Kurt Dickson (2:06.03) and Jeff Utsch (2:03.97) combined for an 8:23.72 to beat the world record of 8:28.04 set last year by a team from Italy. The swimmers, average age 47, had some help as they were in a race with another team from Tucson Ford comprised of swimmers aged 20 years old and younger. That squad posted an 8:23.43 in the same heat.
Despite getting the world record, the four will not claim the U.S. Masters Swimming national record, which stands at 8:15.15 by Team TYR from 2006. FINA, the international governing body for all aquatic sports including Masters swimming, did not begin ratifying world records in the 800 free relay until 2006, so many USMS records set before that time remain faster than the official world record.
Splits for DeBiase: 29.53, 1:00.59 (31.06), 1:33.25 (32.66), 2:06.45 (33.20)
Splits for Brundage: 2:34.98 (28.53), 3:06.86 (31.88), 3:39.92 (33.06), 4:13.72 (33.80)
Splits for Dickson: 4:41.74 (28.02), 5:13.22 (32.48), 5:46.44 (33.22), 6:19.75 (33.31)
Splits for Utsch: (50 split not available), 7:20.11 (1:00.36), 7:52.04 (31.93), 8:23.72 (31.68)