Nova Tech Explosion Review
The first meet of the Spring/Summer Championships season and the final meet of the Nova Tech season: The Nova Tech Explosion! 32 SWAT swimmers from the Waves groups made their first appearance racing outside of the HRM in Truro for their final opportunity to showcase their skills and improvement. In total, SWAT collected 92 Best Times and swam 47 new events for the first time. We welcomed 1 swimmer to their first competition of the year. 3 swimmers met criteria to join the Level 2 Nova Tech competition next year. 4 swimmers earned AA criteria swims and one of those swimmers completed their AA Qualification. That swimmer will get to race at AA Spring Champs June 6-8 at Dalplex.
The Miniwaves groups sent 18 swimmers to the event.12 swimmers raced in the Participation category, kicking off the meet with some really good performances. The other 6 swimmers joined the Tidalwaves swimmers in the Level 1 and Level 2 competition sessions. Miniwaves earned 41 best times together and added 32 new events, mostly 50m events. Simone swam in 4 new events getting her toes wet in each stroke for the first time. Meredith had 1 best time and 3 new events including the 50 Free. She took off 7 seconds in the 50 Back. Beckett also swam in some 50m events. He has 3 new best times and 1 new event. EunSeul made her SWAT racing debut and hit each stroke for 25m for the first time and looked very strong and will start next year in the Level 1 category. Miles had 2 personal bests including a 4 second improvement in the 50 Back. He also added 2 new events to his repertoire. Kyle added some 50m events to his list. He had 3 pbs including his first sub-60 50 Back after slashing 14 seconds in the event. He also cut 7 seconds from his 25 Fly. Malia swam her first 50 free and added 3 new times including a big 8 second improvement in the 25 Breaststroke. Alexa bested 2 of her old times and added 2 new events. She bettered her old 100 IM time by over21 seconds. Leah included 50s into her list for the first time and her first 100 IM. She had 1 best time as well. Evei included 50s for the first time as well and had 2 best times at the end of the meet. Charley earned 3 new personal bests including 6 seconds in the 25 Fly and 4 in the 25 Breaststroke. Mahek had a similar session with 3 best times and 1 new event. Jackson swam in the Level 1 category and earned a best time in the 50 Back swimming under 1:00 for the first time in the event. Henry posted his first sub 2:00 100 IM time after taking off 16 seconds in the event. He also cracked 1:00 in the 50 back after a 7 second best time. Madeleine was a perfect 5-for-5 on the weekend. She improved her 100 IM by 4 seconds and her 50 Breaststroke by 5. Peyton G worked to 3 new PBs including 4 seconds in the 100 IM and a sub 1:00 50 Breaststroke. Payton H was also 5-for-5 Best times. She had a massive drop in the 50 Fly dropping over 20 seconds! Colden made his Level 1 debut and had 2 best times and 3 new events as he added 50s to his list. He took off 4 seconds from his 50 Back and then another 3 in the 100 IM.
14 Tidalwaves filled out the SWAT contingent at the Explosion. As a group they put together 51 best times and 15 new events. Many of those new events were the inclusion of 100m stroke events for swimmers moving into the Level 2 competition ranks. Four swimmers made Age Group graduation times with one of them completing their graduation into AA. Starting strong, Patricia earned 3 best times and added 3 new events including the 200 Free which she made the graduation criteria and completed her move to AA competition with her 100 IM time. She took off another 4 seconds in that 100 IM event and swam under 60 for the first time in the 50 Breaststroke. Marshall was perfect 5-for-5 for best times. He took off a big 5 seconds in the 50 Free. Yashod took a big swing at making AA but came up short by the slimmest of margins: less that 1 second in his first 200 Free. He took off 8 seconds in the 100 IM to meet the criteria in that event. He also took off 11 in the 50 Breast as part of his 3 best times. Alex E was a perfect 5-for-5. He broke 2:00 in the 100 IM for the first time after a 9 second best time and moving into Level 2 for next season. He also raced under 60 in the 50 Fly for the first time. Liam swam some of the longer Level 2 events and left with 2 personal bests and 2 new events. He took 4 off both the 50 Back and the 100 Free. Victoria was another Level 1 5-for-5. She had a massive drop in the 50 Breaststroke cutting more than 10 seconds and she took of another 6 in the 50 Free. Evan also dipped his toe into 3 new Level 2 events and made 2 new pbs including a 5 second improvement in the50 Breaststroke. Freddy left the meet with 2 best times highlighted by his first sub 60 50 Breaststroke after dropping 4 seconds in the event. Olivia finished the weekend 5-for-5. She had a 9 second improvement in the 100 IM dropping her under 2:00 and setting her up for Level 2 competition next year. She also cut a big 11 seconds in the 50 Breaststroke. Evelyn made 4 new personal records highlighted by a 4 second pb in the 100 IM. Xavier had the meet we had be waiting for with a perfect 5-for-5 qualifying for Level 2 after a 12 second pb in the 100 IM, and then 7 and 8 second improvements in the 50 Free and Breaststroke respectively. Kai earned 2 new best times with matching 4 second improvements in the 100 IM and 50 Free. Natalie also made her Level 2 debut and wasted no time getting her first AA criteria in the 100 IM. She also had a 6 second best time in the 50 Breaststroke. Lesi rounds out the group with a 5-for-5 weekend taking the step into Level 2 after an 8 second pb in the 100 IM. He also took off 7 seconds in the 50 Breaststroke and swam his 50 Back under 60 for the first time.
The Explosion marks the end of the season for Waves swimmers. It has been a fun year of training and racing. Our new AA swimmer races June 6-8 at AA Spring Champs in Halifax. Other Waves swimmers can now look forward to the awards banquet on June 26. The first look at schedule and potential groups will be presented there.