The 2011 Winter Classic kicks off Thursday at 5 p.m., December 8, at George Mason University's McKay Natatorium in Fairfax. The annual holiday meet, hosted by the Potomac Marlins, is in its ninth year and has become a competitive alternative to the Tom Dolan Invitational, also taking place this weekend.
This year may be one of its fastest fields ever, with a whole slue of meet records set to be broken. Prelims begin at 8:40 a.m. (13 & over) and 1:15 p.m. (12 & under) on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; event finals begin each night at 5:40 p.m.
Favorites to break multiple records are York's Jacqueline Clabeaux (12), SNOW's Matthew Haupt (31) and Carrie Lee (14), Upper Main Line YMCA, Berwyn, Pa., teammates Nick Graesser (17), Shane Mckenzie (17), and Shannon Rauth (16), and Casey Hurrell-Zitelman (22) from Rappahannock Area YMCA, Fredericksburg, Va.
Clabeaux has one of the busiest schedules of the meet, entered in seven individual events, including all three girls 11-12 breaststroke events — 50 breast (30.96 seconds), 100 breast (1:08.71) and 200 breast (2:28.81), with a strong shot at meet records in each. She is ranked first in all seven events.
Coming off a strong performance at Winter Nationals in Atlanta this past weekend, Dec. 1-3. Haupt is seeded first in five events, which include all three men's open butterfly events — 50 fly (22.50), 100 fly (48.79), and 200 fly (1:47.12). He is currently qualified for Olympic Trials in the 200 butterfly.
Haupt's SNOW teammate, Lee, is seeded first in the girls 13-14 100 backstroke (56.20) and 200 backstroke (2:04.03), and will be aiming for the meet record in both. Lee was the youngest competitor from Potomac Valley swimming at last week's Winter Nationals. She also has a shot at a hat-trick in the backstroke events, but will have to go through Emily Cornell (13) of UMLY, who is the top seed in the 50 back (27.21). Lee is seeded .10 seconds behind her.
UMLY brings one of the strongest teams from outside the Potomac Valley-LSC, which includes top seeds Graesser in the boys open 50 (23.57) and 100 backstroke (50.29), Mckenzie in the boys open 1,000 freestyle (9:29.55) and 400 individual medley (4:00.21), and Rauth in the girls open 100 fly (56.58), 50 freestyle (23.19), and 50 backstroke (26.83).
Additionally, RAYS' Hurrell-Zitelman will be aiming for meet records in the girls open 500 freestyle (4:47.21) and 200 individual medley (2:00.33).
Hurrell-Zitelman will meet senior standout Laura Schwartz (17) from host team Potomac Marlins in both the 500 freestyle (5:0086) and 200 IM (2:05.21). Schwartz is seeded top three in five events, including the top seed in the 1,000 freestyle (10:20.18).
The Winter Classic attracts teams from New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virgina Local Swimming Communities (LSCs), with the majority of competitors coming from host LSC, Potomac Valley.
Click here for the complete psych sheet and meet timeline.
Tags: 2011 Winter Classic, Carrie Lee, Holiday Championships, Jacqueline Clabeaux, Laura Schwartz, Matt Haupt, Potomac Marlins, PVS, Rappahannock Area YMCA, Snow, Upper Main Line YMCA, York
Great coverage about this meet! Thanks!
Good Article – but don’t know why SNOW does not send their fast kids to the Tom Dolan Invitational – more suited to their level of swimming.
Great post on the meet. Looking forward to the results write-up!
Will you be doing one for the Tom Dolan too?
I have no idea if this is the case for Snow, but I think some teams (perhaps especially the “smaller” teams) like this meet b/c it is a team meet. Has some fast times compared to opens and other holiday meets, and has evening finals, but each team can take up to 80 swimmers and go as a group, rather than perhaps just a handful of their fastest swimmers going to Dolan because of the cut times.
Again, I don’t know if this is why Snow does it, but I have heard that this is why some teams select this meet. (Plus, imho, its a FUN, well-run meet with a good vibe!)
swimforfun…you got it right! This meet provides great competitive opportunities for more swimmers from our team. More swimmers get to return for finals and get the experience of second swims….esp the 11-12 age group, there is an additional heat at night giving many additional swimmers that opportunity. SNOW believes in developing every athlete to their own potential…whatever that level is.
This is one of the few meets around that address the needs of so many swimmers…fast swimming can be done anywhere if the timing and the environment is right!
It is a fun, fast, well run meet…well organized and planned out! We have been at this meet every year since its inception and will continue to be for years to come!
100% correct Teresa……my daughter swims for York and had an absolute blast this weekend, while competing in a fast, exciting environment. They bring back 1 heat of 10 & unders so they get to experience finals before JO’s, 2 heats of 11-12′s – just like JO’s. There’s a great ‘vibe’ and for York…it was fantastic as a parent to see the Senior swimmers hanging out and cheering on the 10 & unders who made it back – and vice versa – for the younger York athletes to watch the likes of Laura Branton, Luke Thorsell, MJ Ulrich, Jacquee Clabeaux and many more of their teammates have such great races and time drops at night!!!!
Those who know swimming should know better – fast swimming is fast swimming – shouldn’t matter at which meet you achieve the time….there’s time for that later in the season!