Archive for Thursday, July 16, 2009
Photo by Matt Stensland
Seven-year-old Kyle Kagan eats of a breakfast of fruit and Finnish pancakes Tuesday in the Yampa River below Rich Weiss Park. Kyle was joined by fellow Team Lightning swim team members at the park for their end-of-season banquet, which traditionally includes a Finnish pancake breakfast made by coach Essi Kenttala. There were about 130 members on the swim team this season.
Swimmers dominate in Craig, prepare for Grand Junction
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Eleven-year-old Finn O'Connell shakes Team Lightning swim coach Essi Kenttala's hand after getting his ribbons during an award ceremony Tuesday morning in Rich Weiss Park, where the team was having its end-of-season banquet.
ABC Craig swim meet
Steamboat's top point finishers in the ABC Craig swim meet held July 10 to 12
Top-three finishers in the Summer Club Qualifier division, by age category:
Girls
7 and younger
Anna Terranova, first
Hannah Miller, second
8 and younger
Avery Harrington, first
Amanda Walker, second
Parker Kortas, third
9 and 10
Keala Fraioli, first
11 and 12
Margaret Lichtenfels, first
Samantha Terranova, second
Katie Brodie, third
13 and 14
Marley Loomis, first
Lucy Newman, second
15 and older
Amy Brodie, first
Luci Franklin, third
Boys
7 and younger
Lucas Coon, first
8 and younger
Johnathon Kaminski, first
Teague Burger, second
Ben Hoefer, third
9 and 10
Luke Borgerding, first
Tyler Terranova, second
11 and 12
Harry Wilson, first
Brenden Carta, second
Top-three point finishers in Western Slope Qualifier division:
Girls
7 and younger
Emily Craig, first
8 and younger
Isabel Rillos, second
Lily Starkley, third
9 and 10
Claire Thorp, second
Tatum Burger, third
11 and 12
Shannon Ross, first
Kathleen O'Connell, third
13 and 14
Cara Piske, first
15 and older
Haley Piske, first
Katie Ross, second
Boys
7 and younger
Kevin Kaster, first
Lucas Coon, second
Gabe Rabanal, third
8 and younger
Lucas Rowse, first
Ben Hoefer, second
9 and 10
Bryan Gilbertson, first
Jacob Taulman, second
Charlie Harrington, third
11 and 12
Finn O'Connell, first
Willy Gunn, second
Jack Craig, third
13 and 14
Brad Hoefer, third
Top-three point finishers in the C division:
Girls
7 and younger
Kelly Strotbeck, second
Lauren Ehrlich, third
8 and younger
Caitlin Smith, third
9 and 10
Libby Lukens, second
11 and 12
Kathleen O'Connell, first
Piper Rillos, second
Sabrina Berend, third
15 and older
Mallory Hoots, first
Mallory Richey, second
Lexie Baden, third
Boys
7 and younger
Kyle Kagan, first
Lowen Epstein, second
9 and 10
Jacob Gilbertson, second
Jack Strotbeck, third
11 and 12
Nicholas Kidgell, second
Christopher Kaminski, third
Steamboat Springs — When Steamboat Springs Team Lightning club swim team coach Essi Kenttala said last weekend's ABC meet in Craig would serve as a home event, she wasn't kidding.
Steamboat took 103 swimmers to the meet, and when Kenttala sorted out the awards for a Finnish pancake breakfast Tuesday, the coach had 103 of them for local swimmers.
"Our kids were winning left and right," Kenttala said. "We were so beyond everybody else."
Because of the number of competitors, the meet was sorted into various levels of competition. Steamboat won the meet with 103 points. Craig came in a distant second with 31 points, and Platte Canyon rounded out the top three with 17 points.
Although the numbers at the meet were down, Kenttala said Steamboat's performance certainly wasn't.
The results prove her point.
Steamboat had nearly all the top point-getters in each division.
Because there were several other meets around the state, the Craig event didn't bring a lot of the top competition. Still, Kenttala said the meet allowed a good portion of the Steamboat team to attend - even some members who had never swam competitively.
"At the Finnish pancake breakfast, it was so amazing," Kenttala said. "It was amazing to see the biggest smiles on their faces."
The team now will take 53 swimmers to this weekend's Western Slope Open in Grand Junction. There, Steamboat will compete against larger, more competitive teams that swim year-round.
Although she wouldn't go as far as saying that she expects Steamboat to dominate like it has for most of the season, she did say she was as confident heading into the meet as she has ever been.
"I believe we're bringing one of the strongest teams ever to the Western Slopes," she said. "It's exciting to bring that many kids. I think we'll place real well."
For full results from the Craig meet, visit www.steamboatpilot.com.
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