Members of the local Swim Club gather poolside after Saturday's Crazy Big Swim event. Held in tandem with the Wrangell Island Masters Swimmers, the event was a nationwide meet held to raise funds for cancer research.
A good turnout was had at the "Crazy Big Swim" meet, jointly held by the Wrangell Swim Club and Wrangell Island Masters Swimming.
Of 36 swimmers registered to attend, 32 were able to make it to Saturday's meet at the pool. Masters coach Bruce McQueen said the meet was the first involving both the adult and children's groups since Swim Club was rebooted in 2012.
Swimmers spanning eight decades pooled together for the swim, which is a virtual meet associated with non-profit Swim Across America. Since 1987, the group has raised over $60 million for cancer research, treatment and prevention through such open-water and pool events.
Across the country, swimmers participating in the fundraiser were able to compare times with each other, bringing a competitive edge to an otherwise friendly meet. For the purposes of the meet, all participants had to have a go at the 50-yard freestyle, but other individual events and team relays took place.
Competition among Wrangellites was close: less than five seconds separated all four 200-yard free relay teams.
"There wasn't a single swimmer under 18 that didn't swim at least one personal best time today," McQueen said afterward. "It may have been fitting that the 50-yard free was a required event because every single WSC swimmer posted a personal best time!"
McQueen noted there were also three new club records logged at the meet, and at the morning's end, the event raised over $750 for combatting cancer. The swimming group plans to hold its next meet Nov. 14.
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