Eighteen swimmers from the Bainbridge Island Swim Club qualified for Pacific Northwest Swimming Long Course Championships which took place at the King County Aquatics Center July 31-Aug. 3.

Forty teams competed at the meet.

Many of the BISC swimmers prepared for the meet by traveling to the Tacoma Titlow pool, a 50 meter outdoor pool several times a week this summer for long course training.

Andrew McCarthy edged out King Aquatic Club’s John Fulmer for first place in the boys’ 13-14 year-old age division 400 meter freestyle and also finished first in the 800 meter freestyle.

Kim Williams finished second in the girls’ 11-12 100 breaststroke, second in the 50 breaststroke and third in the 200 breaststroke.

Todd McCarthy finished second in the boys’ 11-12 200 individual medley and in the 50 backstroke.

Jack Peirano took third in both the boys’ 10 and under 100 butterfly and the 200 individual medley.

Julie Pendleton took third in the girls’ 15 and over 200 butterfly.

Several other swimmers also performed well at the championships.

Amanda Comeau took 11th in the girls’ 10 and under while Allison Brooks was seventh in the girls’ 11-12 200 butterfly.

Mikelle Ackerley was 15th in the girls’ girls 11-12 200 butterfly while Geneva Levy was 30th in the girls’ 11-12 200 backstroke.

Anna Peirano was eighth in the girls’ 11-12 50 butterfly while Kay Sterner was 10th in the girls’ 13-14 1500 freestyle.

Cameo Hlebasko took 24th in the girls’ 13-14 400 individual medley while Emily Sonnenfeld was 42nd in the girls’ 15 and over 100 backstroke.

On the boys’ side, Sam Alpaugh took sixth in the boys’ 10 and under 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke while Marcus Tonsman took 15th in the boys’ 11-12 400 individual medley.

Spencer Alpaugh was 11th in the boys’ 13-14 800 freestyle while Colin Chupik took sixth in the boys’ 13-14 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly.

David Ortyn was 15th in the boys’ 15 and over 200 butterfly.

Four of the top finishers at the PNS Championships from the Bainbridge Island Swim Club – Ortyn, Andrew and Todd McCarthy and Williams were selected to represent the Pacific Northwest Regional Swim team at the Western Zone Championships in Gresham, Ore last week.

At the Western Zone Championships 17 Regional teams representing the 13 western states will be competing at the Mount Hood Community College pool. There are four zones across the country. The four Bainbridge Island Swim Club swimmers were chosen for the team based upon qualifying times they achieved during the past year.

–With information supplied by Bill McCarthy