| | Published July 20th, 2011
| The Spirit of Competition Alive at 45th Annual Lafayette City Meet
| | By Marissa Harnett |  | | Photo Doug Kohen
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For the last forty-five years, six teams--Springbrook, LMYA, Sun Valley, Rancho Colorados, Las Trampas, and Oakwood take to Acalanes' Heaston Aquatic Center in mid July for heated competition.
The Lafayette City Meet, a two day event, marks the mid-point of the season.
At the end of the first day- Springbrook had the lead, followed by LMYA, Rancho, Sun Valley, Las Trampas, and Oakwood.
There were many sensational swims by Saturday's participants. The 50 yard freestyle delivered feverish races with razor thin margins. In the girls' 9-10 age group LMYA's Sophia Cavalli touched first posting a winning time of 30.2. Jewel Roemer of Sun Valley was just .22 behind her with Jackie Geannacopulos (LMYA) just another .17 back for third place.
An even tighter 50 free competition was waged in the 11-12 boys age group. Brad Robinson (Rancho) emerged victorious with a time of 27.03, but right on his heels was Nate Welcomer (Springbrook) coming in just .04 seconds behind. Only .03 seconds separated Sean McKenna (Sun Valley) and Matt Vollman (LMYA), finishing third and fourth place respectively. With a fifth place time of 27.73, just .4 seconds behind the winner was Casey Conrad (LMYA).
Four new records were also set. All of the broken records came in the Relay categories, always the exciting finish to each day. No race was more dramatic than in the girls' 7-8 age group where Sun Valley's strong foursome of 8-year-olds - Jessica Davis (backstroke), Sophie Lurie (breaststroke), Anika Thompson (butterfly), and Chloe Goddard (freestyle) - raced their hearts out knowing that the 26-year old record was within their reach. They posted a winning time of 1:12.68 and realized that, by a mere .01 of a second, the record was now in their possession.
"Before we thought we weren't going to make it" said Thompson, through a huge smile.
Head coach Warren Wallace said of the girls, "They knew if they worked hard they could do it." And work hard they did, spending lesson time working on starts and turns which can make or break a successful relay record quest. (see sidebar for other records broken)
The Lafayette City Meet often has a predictable winner in Springbrook Swim Team (winner of the past two years), but it is also a time for all Lafayette swimmers to showcase what they've been working so hard on this summer.
Springbrook head coach Joe Natina said, "This meet is a great mid-season meet for the kids to let loose, get excited, and swim fast...we are not feeling the pressure (to win). Just having fun, swimming fast, and looking forward to more."
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A Heartwarming Moment at City Meet
Jennifer Lurie dropped us a note after the City Meet to share a special anecdote: "The girls 15/18 relay team from Springbrook were awarded the outstanding girls relay award for beating the record they set last year by a whopping 4-5 seconds. When they came to accept the award the relay team took the microphone and essentially said, 'We think it is so much more amazing that the girls 7/8 relay team broke a 27-year old record, than us just breaking our own record from last year, that we want to give the girls 7/8 medley relay team our awards,' and they called up the 7/8 girls and handed over their plaques to the younger girls. It was an amazing act of sportsmanship and many present were moved to tears. It left a huge impression on everyone." Photo Kelly Wood
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Combined Team Scores
1. Springbrook Swim Team 1204
2. Lafayette Moraga Youth Assoc. 985
3. Rancho Colorados Swim Team 831
4. Sun Valley Rays Swim Team 667
5. Las Trampas 485
6. Oakwood Athletic Club 44
Record Breakers
Sun Valley Rays Swim Team - 'A'
#27 Girls 7-8 100 Medley Relay
LCM Record: 1:12.68Y
Jessica Davis 8, Sophie Lurie 8, Anika Thompson 8,
Chloe Goddard 8
Lafayette Moraga Youth Assoc. - 'A'
#30 Boys 9-10 200 Medley Relay
LCM Record: 2:19.67Y
Jack Larsen 9, Reider Martinsen 10, Beck Jurasius 10,
Christopher Rogers 10
Springbrook Swim Team - 'A'
#35 Girls 15-18 200 Medley Relay
LCM Record: 1:51.92Y
Nora Vance 16, Barbara Lanier 17, Kathryn Hill 16,
MollyE Quinn 16
Lafayette Moraga Youth Assoc. - 'A'
#76 Boys 9-10 200 Freestyle Relay
LCM Record: 2:01.44Y
Christopher Rogers 10, Reider Martinsen 10, Jack Larsen 9, Beck Jurasius 10
Individual High point winners
6 & U girls Allie Lurie Sun Valley Rays Swim Team 30
6 & U boys Evan Wells Springbrook Swim Team 33
7-8 girls Caitlin Smith LMYA 27
7-8 boys Jack Wood Springbrook Swim Team 29
9-10 girls Jackie Geannacopulos LMYA 30
9-10 boys Beck Jurasius LMYA 33
11-12 girls Madison Stewart Springbrook Swim Team 31
11-12 boys Brad Robison RC 31
13-14 girls Helene Hollidge LMYA 33
13-14 boys Brady Aiello Springbrook Swim Team 31
Brendan Supple RC 31
15-18 girls Nora Vance Springbrook Swim Team 31
Megan Schussman LMYA 31
15-18 boys Ryan Connolly Springbrook Swim Team 33
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 | | Photo Doug Kohen
|  | | Photos Kelly Wood
|  | | Outstanding Boys Relay (Dual Record Breakers), LMYA 9/10 Boys, Christopher Rogers, Beck Jurasius, Reider Martinsen & Jack Larsen
|  | | 1st Place Team Overall Springbrook
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA