Frank and Jurgen

2013 US Masters Swimming Summer Nationals 

 [August 7-11, 2013; Marguerite Aquatic Center, Mission Viejo, Ca.]

Frank Piemme at the LAC back in 2009

Long-time Lompoc resident Frank Piemme and his pal - former Valley denizen Jurgen Schmidt had somewhat pedestrian weeks (for them) down south. Frank took 1st in all 5 of his individual races, while Jurgen had three 1sts and two 2nd-place finishes. Oh, and then there were the two WORLD RECORDS that they helped destroy in the mixed relay. All the races were held in a 'Long Course, Meters' format.

Frank Piemme [88 yo] competing in the 85-89 yo age bracket was 1st in the 50 M races for all 4 strokes (Free, Fly, Breast. Back) and the 100 M freestyle. Although he wasn't able to set any records, no one else was able to touch his National marks in the 100M Free, 200M Free, 400M Free, 50M Breast, or 50M Fly either. [He entered the contest holding 27 of the 53 age group records (15 of 18 in Short Course, Yards).]

Jurgen Schmidt [90yo] competed in the 90-94 bracket Freestyle events from 50-800M, finishing 1st in the 50M, 100M and 400M. He placed 2nd in the 200M & 800M, losing both times to 91yo Masters legend Williard Lamb.

Schmidt broke his own record in the 400M, but Lamb broke Schmidt's National Records in the 200M, 800M, & 1500M as part of his 5 record-setting performances at the meet.

Both former founding members of LOST (Lompoc's Other Swim Team) then participated in the 200M Freestyle and 200M Medley Mixed Relays with fellow Mission Viejo Masters Swim Team members Maurine Kornfeld (92) and Rita Simonton (95). Both performances were spectacular. In the 360-399 total age bracket 200M Free they posted a time of 3:36.7 shattering both the USMS Record of  5:26.80 set in 2003 and the currently posted World mark of 4:18.13 set by a Japanese squad back in 2005. [FINA World Record listings are only updated a few times per year - the next update is likely to be in November.]

Their 360-399 total age bracket 200M Medley time of 4:19.30 is also like to be a WR when the postings are made since there is no current listing. The foursome posted US record times earlier this year in the 400M Free, 800M Free, and 400M Medley which might also qualify as WR's.

The team competition was essentially a two horse race, despite having almost 1400 swimmers that qualified to represent 100+ teams from across North America. The duo combined for 106 of Mission Viejo's 1085.5 points as the club took a narrow 46.5 point victory over San Diego on the Men's side. They then each added an additional 11 Mixed Relay points, but MVST up 106 points short in the overall numbers