Pacific Update Week of August 30th, 2021

Hello!   In this issue, you will find information on upcoming swimming events. If you are planning to participate in the August ePostal challenge, you only have ONE DAY left! Then we'll be moving on to the September challenge. Please don’t forget there are in-person events! For open water enthusiasts, you have a couple of choices with the Middle-Distance National Championships at Del Valle on Saturday, September 11th or the following Saturday, September 18th at the Keller Cove Swim for Kids' Sake event. Those who prefer to follow the black line can attend the 17th Annual Alan Liu Memorial Meet at the Eagle Park Pool in Mountain View, on Sunday the 12th. Check them out! The next issue of the Update will appear on Monday, September 13, 2021. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, September 8, 2021.    Stay fit, The Pacific Masters Swimming Committee

EVENTS AND CLINICS

400 Fastest Pull for Sebastopol: August ePostal Pandemic Challenge August 1-31 ONE MORE DAY! Sebastopol Masters LOVES to pull! Make sure to enter the Sebastopol Masters 400 Pull For Time to show us how much you love to pull, too! You can even enter both categories: with paddles/without paddles. The Top 3 fastest times in each category will be awarded a custom medal to commemorate their achievement. There will be an on-line event to announce the top 3 fastest pullers in each category along with all the winners. This year, the 400 Fastest Pull for Sebastopol is part of the Pacific ePostal Pandemic Challenge. Information and Registration

Close Encounters at a Masters Swim Workout A One-Act Play Thursday, September 9, 7 PM "Get wet" in the comfort of your home by joining us with a Masters swim workout presentation on Zoom! Elizabeth McCarthy and Meghan Ward, professional writers, have spent hours of rewrites and edits to share this evening of swim entertainment with you. We will take a look at the variety and camaraderie of Masters Swimming on September 9, at 7:00 PM Although you don't have to be, we'll be wearing swim garb! Register here: Close Encounters

2021 Del Valle Open Water Festival Saturday, September 11 Del Valle is back with both the 2.5k and the 5k, scheduled for Saturday, September 11. Please note that the 2.5k is the USMS Middle-Distance Open Water National Championship. This year swimmers can swim either the 2.5k or 5k, but NOT both. This event has a cap of 300 swimmers and is filling up fast! Register soon to make sure you get a spot! Click here to register and for more details.

17th Annual Alan Liu Memorial SCM Meet Sunday, September 12 Mountain View Masters is very excited to bring back the Alan Liu memorial SCM Meet on September 12! If you’re up for a challenge, enter the Animal Pentathlon - 400 IM, 200 breast, 200 fly, 200 back, and 400 free – some of Coach Alan’s favorite events. If that sounds too painful, we’ll also have our usual lineup of individual events and relays. This year’s registration is limited to 120 entrants, and we will not accept any mail-in or on-deck entries. Registration opened on August 12th and closes on September 8th. Information.

Richmond Plunge Masters: 11th Annual Keller Cove Swim for Kids' Sake Saturday, September 18 In what is traditionally the last local open water swim of the season, the Keller Cove event offers three distances: 1/2-mile; 1-mile; and 2-miles. This fundraiser swim benefits Richmond's youth USA swimming team, the Sailfish. We’re anticipating registration will open this week once the approval process is complete. Please check the Pacific Masters schedule for registration updates. Information

Pacific Masters Swimming: September ePostal Pandemic Challenge September 1 - 30 Our Pandemic ePostal Challenge Series will come to an end with this September Challenge: a 500 yard or a 400 meter free swim. Throughout the Challenge Series we have designated this event as your return-to-fitness benchmark. Swim it one last time in this competition or swim it for the first time and benchmark your current fitness level. Information and Registration For general information and current standings, check out the links below:  Challenge Series Information and Standings

USMS: 5K/10K ePostal National Championships May 15 - September 15 Go looooong with a 5K or 10K swim this summer in a long course pool of your choice. This event, hosted by Swim Kentucky Masters, runs through Sept. 15. Information and Registration

USMS Adult Learn to Swim (ALTS) Instructor Certification Sunday, October 3, 2021, Davis, CA  SAVE THE DATE! For the first time in over two years, USMS will be holding an ALTS Instructor Certification course for Pacific Masters! When: October 3, 2021, 9AM - 3PM Where: Davis Civic Center Pool, 599 B St., Davis, CA. 95616 (Free parking) Cost: $250 (Good for life) Class size: Limited to 12 participants Format: 3-hour classroom lecture, 30-minute lunch (Included), 2-hour in-pool training USMS Instructor: Cokie Lepinski Registration Due to COVID concerns, only pre-packaged snacks, water, and Starbucks boxed coffee will be provided. Attendees are responsible for any special needs and more substantial lunch, if desired. Please note: If you received an ALTS Grant in 2020 or 2021 and did not redeem your free “ALTS Instructor Certification”, please contact Kim Elsbach at [email protected] for a coupon code. Please include documentation of your ALTS Grant in your email.

2021 USMS Long Course Championships October 7-10, Geneva, Ohio The 2021 USMS Long Course National Championship is planned for October 7-10 at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. This event, renamed from Summer Nationals just for this year, was postponed from August 5-8 due the coronavirus pandemic. Precautions will be in place, though unlike Short Course Nationals the meet will not be split into sessions, spectators are welcome, and we are planning to include relays! We look forward to safely welcoming Masters swimmers back to this annual championship. Entries are now open. The deadline to enter is September 7 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Late entries will not be accepted, so don’t delay! Click here for more information.

PACIFIC MASTERS NEWS

Adult Learn-To-Swim Mentors Available If you are interested, the ALTS Programming Committee at USMS is offering mentors to help start or grow ALTS programs in the Pacific Masters region. For more information, please contact Carrie Stolar at [email protected]. Nominations Open for Pacific Masters Awards Due October 1 Do you know a Pacific Masters member who has gone above and beyond this past year? Nominations are open for our 2021 Service Awards. Pacific Masters is a vibrant community with swimmers and non-swimmers who enjoy officiating, organizing, or supporting the community in many ways. At our annual meeting, we recognize those who participate or contribute in an exceptional fashion. We convey: Personal Achievement Award Nancy Ridout Award for Distinguished Service Contributor of the Year Award Appreciation Award Peggy Lucchesi Award See the Nomination Guide for details of each award. Past award winners are here. Whom do you know that is deserving? Please think about this and send nominations to our Chair by October 1st.

Pacific Masters Monthly Meeting September 15, Doors Open at 6:45, Meeting at 7 PM Join us Wednesday, September 15 for the monthly meeting beginning promptly at 7:00 PM via the Zoom platform. If this is your first time Zooming, we suggest you sign on a little early to ask questions and address technical issues. Even if you are familiar with Zoom, sign on early to say "hi" to your fellow swimmers. All members are encouraged to participate. Our monthly meeting reminder email will provide the Zoom link. If you are not on that list and would like to attend, please contact Chris Ottati, Administrator, for details.

Pacific Masters Annual Celebration and Meeting  November 14  SAVE THE DATE for the Pacific Masters Annual Celebration and Meeting: Sunday afternoon, November 14. The meeting will be virtual again this year. More information to come!

Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club Seeks Masters Coach Los Gatos Swim and Racquet Club is looking for a new enthusiastic Masters Coach for their MWF 5:30-6:30 am group. The pool is a unique 33.3 yards long, and the USMS masters group is a good mix of triathletes, long-time swimmers, and new members. The job includes use of the club and the option to coach Saturday morning Masters. Anyone interested needs to be CPR certified and can e-mail [email protected] to apply.

The Olympic Club Seeks Aquatics Director The Aquatics Director will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Aquatics staff, facilities, events, and programs, including Masters. For a full description of the expected duties and application process, click here.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Editor's Note Yet Another Reason to Love Swimming We are all aware of the mental benefits of exercise such as reducing stress, depression, and anxiety. But did you know that swimming in particular provides a bigger boost to brain function than other aerobic activities? It's true! Check out this article from the academic site, The Conversation.