WaveRunners post impressive showing at Gator Holiday Classic Invitational

Twelve members of the Lakewood Ranch YMCA WaveRunners swim team competed at the Gator Holiday Classic Invitational Dec. 3-5 in Gainesville.

Shannon McCarthy obtained five Florida Senior Championship times (200 freestyle-2:00.60, 100 butterfly- 1:00.85, 200 individual medley- 2:13.54, 50 free-24.77 and 100 backstroke- 1:03.49) in the female 15-16 age group. McCarthy also placed in the top 12 in three of her events: 50 free-fifth, 200 IM-seventh and 100 fly-11^th. McCarthy’s freestyle time also qualified her for the 2011 National YMCA Short Course Swimming and Diving Championship Meet April 5-8 in Ft. Lauderdale. McCarthy is the first-ever Lakewood Ranch YMCA swimmer to qualify for a national level swim meet.

McCarthy’s younger sister, Maya McCarthy, also achieved a qualifying senior championship time in the female 15-16 age group (100 breaststroke- 1:15.36) while teammate Kevin Berkenbusch (male 15-16 age group) achieved the honor in the 50 free-24.35. The Florida Age Group Championship Meet will be held Feb. 24-27 in Orlando.

Sebastian Aguirre shaved 16.40 seconds off his 100 fly time (1:24.86) finishing 11^th in the male 10 and under division. Aguirre also qualified for the Florida Age Group Swimming Championship Meet Feb. 17-20 in Clearwater. The 10 and under 200 free relay team of Sydney Cusick, Abigail Ernst, Chloe Millard and Savannah DeCastro also had a strong showing, posting 16^th overall.