California Swimmers Set 10 Short Course Masters World Marks at IGLA Championships; Spieker Notches Five
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By Nancy Ridout
STANFORD, Calif., August 26. THREE swimmers from Tamalpais Aquatic Masters (TAM) combined to set five short course (25 meter) Masters Swimming world records while Tod Spieker of the San Francisco Olympic Club (TOC) set five all by himself at the International Gay and Lesbian (IGLA) Games held August 22-24 at Stanford University.
The International Gay and Lesbian Aquatic Championships is an annual event that has been held in cities throughout the world. The event drew more than 1000 swimmers, synchronized swimmers, water polo players, and divers from five continents. The Championships is open to all competitors, both gay and straight.
Spieker, who just moved up into the 55-59 age group tore through the freestyle records in his new age group like a tornado in an Alabama trailer park. He clocked record times in the 200m free (2:06.20), 400 free (4:28.73), 800 free (9:13.50), 1500 free (17:35.21) and, for good measure, the 200 back (2:21.80).
TAM's Rich Burns and Ed Cazelet, both competing in the 60-64 age group, combined for four world records. Burns set new standards in the 50m backstroke (31.51), 100 m backstroke (1:08.85) and the 200 m backstroke (2:34.17). Cazalet’s world record came in the 400m individual medley (5:34.43). Cazelet also set two United States Masters Swimming national records in the 1500m freestyle (19:40) and the 200m individual medley (2:35.95).
Burns had five first place finishes and Cazalet had four wins.
Also setting a new Masters Swimming world record was Laura Val, who broke her own mark in the 200m freestyle with a 2:14.44 effort. Laura swims in the 50-54 age group. Laura won four events at the competition.