Last Saturday was a perfect spring day. The pools at the Noosa Aquatic Centre sparkled as swimmers, officials and supporters arrived for the 21st Anniversary Noosa Masters swim meet. Meet director Ian Tucker sighed with relief. Two days earlier, Noosa had caught the tail end of storms that caused havoc to the south.
The spring weather worked its magic. Swimmers from 29 clubs came from near and far, including one competitor each from Townsville, Sydney and Auckland. This was the largest number of clubs to gather in Queensland this year, apart from at the state championships. And Noosa’s 40-strong team was the largest at any masters’ event in Queensland in 2022.
There were races in all strokes from 50 metres to 200 metres, together with freestyle and medley relays. Swimmers could compete in five individual events to score points. Dozens of club volunteers worked behind the scenes – marshalling, timing, recording and providing refreshments to officials and workers. The program moved along briskly, culminating in a barbecue at which individual and club awards were presented.
Not surprisingly, the large Noosa contingent amassed a huge points total. But, in true sporting spirit, the club presented trophies based on the average points won per entrant. Among the larger clubs, the always-competitive Miami Masters won the trophy.
The trophy for smaller clubs was won by the relatively new Gympie Gold Fins Masters. This team of five, with an average age of only 33, put on an impressive display of powerful swimming. They reflect an emerging trend in masters’ swimming. Young adults, moving on from elite competition, are finding a welcome niche in the clubs. At meets, they produce fast and fascinating clashes in the pool.
Two swimmers among the medallists at the meet broke records. Cotton Tree’s Caleb Langelaan (45) swam 2:31.39 to shatter the identical state and national age records in the 200M Breaststroke (2:36.17). He’d set those records only a month earlier! Beerwah’s Lene Knudsen (45) swam a superb 1:10.65 to break the state age record in the 100M Butterfly (1:12.58). Lene just missed Shane Gould’s current national record (1:10.15).
It’s not surprising that few records were broken. In masters’ competition in Queensland this year, 235 individual and relay state records have already been broken. Clearly, the bar is being raised, the challenge increased.
Anyone interested in joining Noosa Masters is invited to a free Come and Try Day on Saturday morning 22nd October. Email Bob Morse bmandwm@bigpond.net.au to enquire or register.
