Records Fall at IGLA
D.C. Aquatics and West Hollywood Aquatics
maintain positions as the world's top LGBT swimming and water
polo teams
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Photos courtesy of IGLA 2005.
Check their website for more photos.
The pool competition was as hot as the Atlanta weather
during the 15th International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics
Championships, where short course 25-meter swimming records
fell by the dozens and the top LGBT aquatics clubs
maintained their dominance.
Atlanta Rainbow Trout hosted this year's IGLA Championships
from July 21-25 in the Olympic pools at the Georgia Tech
Aquatic Center. The Trout previously hosted the IGLA
Championships in 1999.
The record-setting swimming in 2005 was in keeping with the
"Reflections" theme chosen by the Trout to pay tribute to
past IGLA championships. From IGLA's beginning in 1987, the
fastest swimmers have set mark after mark, making the IGLA
championships the world's premiere annual LGBT aquatics
event.
Women participants broke 32 IGLA records and the men set 52
new IGLA marks. Another 15 IGLA records were set in
relays. Equally important, countless personal bests were
achieved in all age groups and ability levels.
Swimmers' times were certified by the Georgia Local Masters
Swim Club Registrar for United States Masters Swimming.
Full results are available at
www.igla2005.org.
"We had 11 IGLA records set in the 18-24 age group this
year," said Sean Fitzgerald, outgoing IGLA Co-President and
2005 IGLA Championships Meet Director. "Breaking records is
nothing new at the IGLA Championships, and it's always great
to see the emergence of youth carrying on the tradition."
Showing, however, that age is not a barrier to achievement,
this year's world Masters record was swum by Cav Cavanaugh,
70, competing for Nadadores de South Florida. Cavanaugh set
a new mark of 1:04.58 for the Men's 70-74 age group in the
100 m. freestyle.
Along with 559 swimmers, 147 people from 10 teams contested
water polo. Twelve divers and 13 synchronized swimmers kept
the action going in all corners of the Olympic facility.
IGLA's championships are held in swimming, diving, water
polo and synchronized swimming in each of the three years
between the quadrennial Gay Games. IGLA is the governing
body for aquatic sports at the Gay Games. Gay Games VII
will be held in Chicago in July 2006, followed in May 2007
by the 16th IGLA Championships in Paris.
Team New York Aquatics won the Pink Flamingo entertainment
event for the first time since 1992. TNYA's "Britney Spears
Through the Years" used the "Reflections" theme to pay
tribute to West Hollywood's 1996 winning Pink Flamingo
entry, "Madonna Through the Years." Ten "pregnant" TNYA
swimmers danced hip-hop in outfits such as Schoolgirl
Britney, Catsuit Britney and Flight Attendant Britney. A
squadron of doctors helped deliver the babies after which
the Britneys performed a synchronized swimming routine. The
popular runner-up entry was from Long Beach, "Snow White and
the Seven Grunions."
Out to Swim London had wanted to host the IGLA Championships
this year but the one appropriate facility was torn down as
part of the city's Olympic bid plans. The Atlanta Rainbow
Trout volunteered to host IGLA again and lived up to their
1999 reputation for excellent logistics. Out to Swim London
now hopes to organize an IGLA Championships in the city's
new Olympic aquatic facility, perhaps in 2009.
"Atlanta stepped forward to host this year and it was great
to be able to rely on my teammates, who never knew how to
say no, said Fitzgerald. "I think we're all a little tired
now but it definitely gave our team a boost."
IGLA board members praised Atlanta's efforts and the Olympic
facility, including the Georgia Tech staff led by Debbie
Dorsey, and the numerous volunteers and sponsors of the 2005
IGLA Championships.
"Once again, the Atlanta Rainbow Trout showed us what
southern hospitality is all about," said Bruce Hopson,
incoming IGLA Co-President. "Summertime in Atlanta has been
a great success for IGLA two times now and we look forward
to returning someday."
Swimming
During some years IGLA's swimming competition is conducted
25 meters short course, as it was in Atlanta, and other
years 50 meters long course, such as the 2004 meet in Fort
Lauderdale. But the course length hasn't mattered much
lately in the battle for the top team award.
For the fourth time in a row and eighth total, the District
of Columbia Aquatics Club won the large team category (25 or
more participants). DCAC's 2279 points easily outdistanced
the runner-up Long Beach Grunions with 1249.5. Swimming
competitions occur at other predominantly LGBT competitions
such as the Eurogames but other teams have yet to match the
talent and number of swimmers across all age categories that
swim for DCAC.
KY Liquid-Swim Kentucky won the small team category (eight
or fewer) with 281.5 points over Minnesota ICE with 207.
The FINS Aquatic Club from Philadelphia was particularly
delighted to capture a division title for the first time.
They took the medium team category (nine-24 swimmers) with
655 points over Ohio Splash with 496.
"We've come to this for years and years and years and never
won a thing, so it's very gratifying after working so hard,"
said Joan Buehler of the FINS. "It means the most to our
coach, Jim Robles, who founded the team in 1988."
As the IGLA Championships' reputation has grown for fast
swimming, excellent organization and a fun atmosphere, a
number of "guest" competitors have chosen to make it one of
their main competitions in any given year. Two years ago at
Stanford, longtime United States Masters Swimming stalwarts
and world record holders Laura Val and Tod Spieker took
part.
Cav Cavanaugh decided to participate this year after his
wife, Debbie, competed in the 2004 IGLA Championships at the
Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex. Cav made the most of an
opportunity to swim in the Olympic pool with a world Masters
record in the 100 m. freestyle for Men 70-74 (1:04.58). He
also won the 50 m. freestyle, 200 m. freestyle, and 100 m.
individual medley.
Last year's world record setter, Brian Jacobson of Minnesota
ICE, managed to win all five of his events in Atlanta (30-34
age group). Other men winning their five maximum allowed
events were: Win Chesson (San Francisco Tsunami, 18-24);
Craig Pickering (KY Liquid-Swim Kentucky, 25-29); Audy
Oktavian (Liquid Assets-New England Swim Team, 25-29);
Lorenzo Benucci (Atlanta Water Jocks, 35-39); Steven Czekala
(San Francisco Tsunami, 45-49); Kieran Kelleher (DCAC,
55-59); John Zeigler (Georgia, 60-64); Herbert Lugert (Paris
Aquatique, 65-69); and John Kiley (Team New York Aquatics,
75-79).
Women who won five individual events were: Tanya Hanson (Nadadores
de South Florida, 40-44); Debbie Cavanaugh (Nadadores de
South Florida, 45-49); Merrill Hilf (FINS Aquatic Club,
45-49); Michelle Martin (Atlanta Rainbow Trout, 55-59);
Karen Klisch (DCAC, 60-64); and Patricia Nielson (Long Beach
Grunions, 70-74).
After a successful open water swim at the 2004 IGLA
Championships in Fort Lauderdale, competitors were
disappointed when this year's event was cancelled following
a breakdown of the truck carrying equipment to the course,
the one logistical problem marring this year's event.
Participants will now reset their sights for the open water
swim race in Lake Michigan at Chicago's 2006 Gay Games.
The Rick Windes Memorial Award for Outstanding Male and
Female Long Distance Swimmers went to Steven Czekala (San
Francisco Tsunami) and Karen Klisch (DCAC).
Among the more outstanding relay swims was a new IGLA record
set by the Philadelphia FINS Aquatic Club women in the 4 x
200 m. freestyle relay in the 160-199 age group, breaking a
mark held by West Hollywood Aquatics since Gay Games IV in
1994. The FINS quartet was Joan Buehler, Jill Burke,
Merrill Hilf and Michele Huyette.
While the top swimmers earn the most attention, inspiring
stories occur throughout all abilities and age groups. As
an example, in remarks at the championships' closing
banquet, Chicago's Gay Games organizers recognized Steve
Padgett of Team Detroit Aquatics, who has been swimming just
three years. Steve was competing at the 2005 IGLA
Championships in honor of Alan Speer, a 1994 Gay Games
participant who helped Steve learn to swim and who died of a
heart attack on deck at a swimming meet earlier this year.
Water Polo
West Hollywood Aquatics continued its dominance in water
polo, winning for the fourth consecutive time and tenth
overall. West Hollywood was the only undefeated team in the
both the qualifying and championship rounds. However, the
final over the San Francisco Tsunami was close, 11-9. In
the bronze medal game, Team New York Aquatics won by 9-7
over Queer Utah Aquatics Club (QUAC) from Salt Lake City.
QUAC had an excellent result in what was only their second
IGLA Championships water polo participation.
Other teams in the water polo tournament were from the
Atlanta Rainbow Trout (A & B), Chicago Riptide, San
Francisco Tsunami (A & B), Toronto Triggerfish, and the
Washington (D.C.) Wetskins.
Diving
R. Scott Smith of Minneapolis was the outstanding diver of
the meet, not only taking first place in the 40-44 age group
in the 1- and 3-metre springboard and 10-metre platform
events, but also scoring the highest point totals among all
divers. For the first time at an IGLA Championships, divers
performed in 1- and 3-metre synchronized diving
competition. Andrew Kasney of Philadelphia and Paul
Reynolds of Salt Lake City won at both heights.
Synchronized Swimming
Solo, duo, trio and team competition took place in
synchronized swimming this year. In solo competition, John
Fay of Paris won in the 45-49 age group and Kasaia Luckel of
San Francisco took gold for 35-39. Betsy McCall & Wayne
Rodgers of San Francisco took the duo title for 35-39, and
Richard Pacheco & Bob Wheeler of San Francisco won for
40-45. Betsy McCall, Stephen Houghton and Stuart Hills of
San Francisco won the trio event, and the team title also
went to San Francisco.
IGLA Annual Meeting
IGLA team representatives elected two Co-Chair positions and
filled the one-year unexpired term of the Secretary. The
2005-06 IGLA board is:
Co-Presidents: Bruce Hopson (St. Louis) and Erik Scollon
(Long Beach)
Co-Chairs: Brad Hise (San Francisco) and Chris Politan
(Washington, D.C.)
Treasurer: Bernie LaFianza (West Hollywood)
Secretary: Charlie Carson (New York)
Federation of Gay Games Delegates: Jon Bauer (West
Hollywood) and Neill Williams (Washington, D.C.)
Webmaster: John Fay (Paris)
