FCST Races in Open Water Championship!

First Colony Races in Open Water Championships!

63 athletes competed in the Annual Gulf Swimming Open Water Championship, held Sunday, October 6, at Twin Lakes Scuba Park in Manvel, TX.  Open water swimming is an alternative to pool swimming and can provide new avenues of opportunity and success in an aquatic venue (river, lake, ocean, etc.). Gulf swimming sponsors 2 open water events annually, once in the fall and once in the spring.

This meet also served as a qualifying meet for the Gulf Swimming Open Water All-Star team. Those qualifying will compete in the 12^th annual Open Water Festival and LSC Challenge in Ft. Myers, FL on April 13, 2014.

FCST Swimmers making the all-star team include:

Schuyler Mathews (1^st, 11-12 girls, 1 mile)

Jacey Hinton (4^th, 11-12 girls, 1 mile)

Peyton Quattlebaum (2^nd, 13-14 girls, 2 mile)

Ashley Harmon (3^rd, 13-14 girls, 2 mile)

Claire Donovan (4^th, 13-14 girls, 2 mile)

Josh Fruge (6^th, 13-14 boys, 2 mile)

Will Schuler (7^th, 13-14 boys, 2 mile)

Chris Yeager (1^st, 15-18 boys, 2 mile)

Swimmers earning a top 3 finish in non-qualifying distances include:

Sal Contreras (2^nd, 13-14 boys, 1 mile)

Ryan Dang (3^rd, 11-12 boys, 800m)

Corey Duke (2^nd, 15&O boys, 800m)

Keith Elgar (2^nd, 10&U boys, 800m)

Mazan Hassan (1^st, 11-12 boys, 1 mile)

Taylor Linhart (2^nd,11-12 girls, 800m)

Taylor Reed (3^rd, 10&U boys, 800m)

Alex Remy (2^nd, 15&O girls, 1 mile)

Chris Yeager (1^st, 15&O boys, 800 & 1 mile)

24 swimmers from First Colony competed in their first open water race ever! An applause for trying something new and more challenging goes to: Omar Abu El Azm, Nicholas Anthony, Eva Beiga, Megan Brandt, Sal Contreras, Tyler Dang, Ryan Dang, Keith Elgar, Joelle Garrett, Norah Hay, Ashley Linhart, Taylor Linhart, Kara Lien Madelozo, Noelle Marsh, Aiden Neireiter, Thuc Nguyen, Demeatria Olah, Keegan Pho, Josh Romero, Reed Taylor, Kenedy Thaman, Payton Sanislow, Matthew Sze, and Krishnan Vellore.

Special congrats as well to Chris Yeager and Alicia FInnigan for also competing in the Snapping Tortuga 5K open water race later that afternoon!

Way to go FCST!!!