Traralgon Rules the Pool at LaTrobe City Cup

July 22, 2013

Traralgon Swimming Club LCC Champions

Traralgon Swimming Club started off the 2013/14 swim season in great style with 106 members winning the Annual La Trobe City Cup against some of the best swimmers from around Gippsland and the metropolitan area.

The all powerful Nunawading with over 96 entrants and Surrey Park 50 added great depth to the meet with some fierce competition.

On the day Traralgon finally came out winners scoring 1185 points to next nearest rival Nunawading with 702 and Surrey Park third with 482.

On a day of great racing Traralgon swimmers broke 17 Gippsland Records and had a number of Age Group Champions. Young 12 year old speed machine Alex Tsebelis had a great day with 7 Gippsland Records – 100 Free (59.73), 50 Back (30.44), 50 Breast (35.62), 100 Back (1.05.93), 50 Free (27.96), 50 Fly (30.60) and 200 Individual Medley (2.25.09). He of course also won Age Group Champion.

National Age medallist Mikaela Cornelissen (15) broke 4 Gippsland records with wins in the 50 Back (29.64) and 100 Fly (1.04.34). She is the first girl ever from Gippsland to go under the 30 second mark for the 50 back.

Georgia Tsebelis made a stunning return to racing winning the “Kathleen Froud” Memorial 100 metre Backstroke event for girls and breaking 2 Gippsland records with a time of 1.03.94.

Another National medallist Ellodie Reid broke the Open 1500 metre Free event in a time of 17.59.49 which has stood since 1998, a terrific achievement for a 13 year old.

Finally, Traralgon’s relay swimmers broke 4 Gippsland Records – the Boys 12 years 4 x 50 Free team with Alex Tsebelis, Locke Degaris, Oscar Harry and Chance Doultree breaking the record by 1.27 seconds, the 12 Years Medley team with Jye Da Ros replacing Chance in a time of 2.15.71 breaking the old record by 6.55 seconds and the Girls 16 years and Open Gippsland record for the 4 x 50 medley in a time of 2.02.27. Georgia Tsebelis (Back), Fabienne Schoutens (Breast), Mikaela Cornelissen (Fly) and Maggie O’Keefe (Free) combined to break the old record by 1.22 seconds held since 2007.

Captains for the 2013/14 season were also announced by Senior Head Coach, Brian Ford, at a special ceremony prior to the meet. Girls Captain for the upcoming season is Maggie O’Keefe, Vice Captain is Erin Roberts, Male Captain will be Trent Morrow and Vice Captain Caiden Gill. The Club looks forward to another successful season with the Victorian Country Short Course Championships in Wangaratta in middle August its first priority followed by the State Short Course Championships at the end of the month. Ford commented ” The swimmers have been in full training now for 2 months with the next 5 weeks available to bring them to hopefully a peak where we can again win Countries for the 7th year in succession and achieve Top 10 at States. We look forward to the challenges ahead.”