Members of the Aberdeen Swim Club won a variety of events at the recently concluded High Point Meet at the Aberdeen Aquatic Center.
Evelyn Brudvig led the Stingrays by winning seven individual events as well as swimming on a first-place relay squad.
“She did great. She’s a very strong swimmer,” said Megan Rosendahl, President of the Aberdeen Swim Club. “She comes from a family that is very supportive. … She’s just a really funny, really good little kid who works really hard and really enjoys at her time around the pool. She’s been pretty great to have on the team.”
Competing in the girls’ 7-8 division, Brudvig won the 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 IM, and also was a member of the 8 and Under mixed 200 freestyle relay along with Briggs North, Clara Neys, and Camden Evenson.
Other ASC double event winners on the weekend were Lula Karst in the girls’ 13-14 4100 IM, 1,500 freestyle and 200 IM, and Rayna Anderson in the 6 and Under 50 breaststroke, 50 backstroke, 50 freestyle, 50 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle.
Karst is an accomplished swimmer who can swim a variety of distances, according to Rosendahl.
“Lula is another one that just works incredibly hard,” Rosendahl said. “Every time she gets into the pool you can just see the effort she’s putting into every race. … The depth of field that she brings is really incredible. Not only is she a fast sprinter, she also really excels in those long races like the mile.”
In all, the Stingrays had a memorable meet considering it’s the first long course competition for many of the swimmers.
“Coming into the meet and seeing a lot of them race for the first time this summer, it was eye-opening,” Rosendahl said. “It was really encouraging to see all the success they had early on. The long course session is a very short season. We’re looking at the state meet a month from now.”
Rosendahl credited the entire coaching staff for their hours of work with the swimmers, noting that the Stingrays produced many state qualifying times and even some national motivating times.
“Overall, I think a lot of kids snagged state times, a lot of kids snagged personal bests,” Rosendahl said.
The meet featured 416 swimmers from a three-state area.
This year’s Mike Miller Family Relay had a record number of 59 teams. A total of $900 was raised to assist in cancer research.
“Having 59 teams register for the Family Relay Saturday night, that’s huge,” Rosendahl said. “That just shows how many parents and siblings are willing to literally get in the pool and support their kids.”
The race is held in honor of long-time swim supporter Mike Miller, who lost his battle to cancer in 2014.
“We ask for a free-will donation and people are very generous with that,” Rosendahl said. “We hear time and time again, every year, how much they’re looking forward to coming back so they can swim in that family relay.”
Here are the complete results from the three-day meet:
