Posted on Thursday 22nd February, 2024

Miami Masters Meet 2024 Report

Miami Masters 2024 Swim Tours Australia Swim Meet Report

Date of Meet: 17 February 2024

Venue: Miami Aquatic Centre

Introduction

180 swimmers from 30 registered masters swimming clubs entered the meet. Thanks to North Sydney Masters, Coffs Harbour Masters, Gympie Gold Fins, Hervey Bay Masters, Toowoomba Masters, Noosa Masters, Cotton Tree Masters, Pelican Waters Masters, Sunshine Coast Masters, Tuggeranong Masters and Oregon USA for travelling so far to attend our meet.

20 events and 709 event entries were held over the day, including 35 relay entries. We planned mixed relays to enable smaller clubs to engage with the fun of relays. In 2025, we may have the QMM Meet as a Relay Meet? Thoughts?

QMM has initiated the “Novice” category for swimmers who have not previously entered a registered masters swim meet. Pleasingly, 12 newcomers took up this challenge and were rewarded with a signed certificate presented by MSQ President, Susanne Milenkevich.

 

Results

While the host club Miami Masters understandably dominated the total point score with their 42 individual swimmers and 14 relay entries, below are the results of the point scores when divided by the number of swimmers from each club.

Large Club Award (7 or more swimmers)

  1. The Swim Academy Masters
  2. Noosa Masters
  3. Miami Masters
  4. Toowoomba Masters
  5. Rackley Swim Team Masters
  6. Aqualicious Masters

Small Club Award (1-6 swimmers)

  1. Belgravia Masters
  2. Tuggeranong Masters
  3. Gympie Gold Fins Masters
  4. Yeronga Park Yabbies Masters
  5. Ipswich Grammar Masters
  6. Genesis Aquatics Masters

All results can be found on the MSA results portal and the MSQ event page. 

In 2025 (lock in 15 or 22 February) we will ensure small clubs are 3-6 in size and have a prize for the winning clubs in both categories. Ideas welcome.

Records

8 Branch records and 3 National records were broken. That’s great swimming! Key record breakers were:

  • Miami Masters broke 2 (Mixed Medley and Mixed Freestyle) National 4 x 50m relay records in the 320+ age category. The Miami Masters Mixed Freestyle Relay team of Henry Vagner, Carole Simpson, Lindy Salter, and David Boylson unofficially broke the world record in that event.
  • State Record breakers included:
    • Lindy Salter (QMM) in the F80-84 50 Breast and 100 Breast
    • Nola Macauley (The Swim Academy) in the F55-59 50 Fly and 100 Fly
    • Allan Samuels (The Swim Academy) in the M60-64 100 Fly
    • Matthew Vincent (Gympie Gold Fins) in the M60-64 200 IM

Highlights

  • The handicapped “Dash for Cash’ where the fastest 50m freestyle male and female swimmers from 10-year age groups sprinted for $50 cash donated by McGaw Consulting. Great event with a few controversies typical of ‘professional’ racing! Thanks to QMM member Ross Beaton for coordinating the event and the 20 swimmers who competed with great spirit and camaraderie.
  • The Fin Swimming Demonstration coordinated by River City Masters Gillian O’Mara. QMM want to do ‘different’ things at future meets so please let them know your ideas.
  • The 12 Novice swimmers who swam at their first masters meet in 50m events in each stroke. We hope you learnt a lot and experienced the friendship, fitness and fun masters swimming is about.
  • The inaugural John Crisp Memorial Trophy for outstanding relay performance won by the Miami Masters 320+ mixed relay team and presented by 6 members of the Crisp family.

 

Thank Yous

  • A big thank you to all our Miami Masters set-up and pull-down volunteers. You bought a smile to my dial when, after the presentations, I walked back to the competition pool area to see all tents, chairs, tables, and boards cleaned up and put away. What a team!
  • The volunteer timekeepers, Miami Swimming Club Timing System gurus, Paul and Kathy Sawoniewski.
  • Our own masters swimming Meet Manager software Recorder, David Findlay for giving his time to and expertise to assist us on the day.
  • Our Masters Swimming Queensland Officials who work tirelessly on their feet the whole meet. Always with smiles on their face. We can’t do it without you: QMM member and Meet Chief Referee Michelle Burley-Jones, Liz Alfredson, Julie-Anne Tuxworth, Bruce Allender, and Brenda Laupland. Linda Daffy who volunteers in the thankless role of Chief Timekeeper and works against the odds to ensure our Meet gets finished on time.
  • Starter and QMM member, Endurance 1000 full points swimmer, Gordon Southam.
  • The peerless Announcer, QMM Head Coach, sport lover, and swimmer Ed Anderson.
  • The ‘Motley Crew’ marshals and check starters Lance Kunde, Hubie Abbott, and Warren Rowbotham.
  • QMM members who took on key roles and lead them beautifully, making my role as Meet Director so much easier:
    • Julie Stuart and Kathy Watt for setting up the BBQ, drinks, feeding officials. The officials love our Meet because they are treated so well.
    • Jodie Newman, QMM Endurance 1000 coordinator, for working so hard on the raffles with her team including Lindy Salter, current world masters swim champion and now an unofficial world record holder, for chasing so many raffle prizes and sponsors.
    • Peter Mitchell for setting up stopwatches, clipboards, water for officials, and behind-the-scenes tasks.
    • QMM Treasurer, Judy Grant for keeping us on track financially in so many ways.
    • Inspectors of Turns QMM members Lindy Brand, Jacquie Wilmott and David Salter who gave their whole day to help us officiate the meet. Thanks guys!
    • Colette Southam for photocopying and laminating signage.
    • Vanessas Teece for the brilliant photos and assistance with merchandise sales and presentations.
    • ‘Izzy’ Mathew Isbester and Jackie Bland and their team from Rackley Swimming City Venue Management for working with Miami Masters so well leading up to and during the Meet.

Thanks to our Meet Naming Rights Sponsor Ally Zillman and her business Swim Tours Australia, major sponsors 94.1 FM, Hutchinson Builder, and Ray Stephens our local MP.

Meet Sponsors

  • McGaw Consulting
  • QMM Swimmen Women
  • Eric Taylor and Family
  • Goldsteins Bakery
  • Rackleys Swimming


Raffle Donors

  • Sporty’s Warehouse
  • Funkita
  • Keihls Skincare Products
  • Chempro Chemist Mermaid Plaza
  • The Aqua Shop
  • Bei Capelli Hair Salon
  • Rackleys Swimming
  • Flannerys Miami
  • Gold Coast Organic Meats
  • Judy Gibson From QMM
  • Skindotcom Beauty
  • Super Butcher Mermaid Plaza
  • Swim Tours Australia

 

Lane Sponsors

Miami Masters Swim Club gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Lane Sponsors:

  • Freedom Pool Services
  • Rare Ovarian Cancer Incorporated Swim for Claire
  • Kirra Beach Apartments
  • Dexion Commercial and Industrial Shelving
  • Swim Tours Australia
  • QMM Swimmen Women 1
  • McGaw Consulting
  • Double Barrel Bar & Kitchen
  • QMM Swimmen Women 2
  • Top Sport Betting

BBQ Sponsors

  • Super Butcher Mermaid Plaza
  • Goldsteins Bakery

Finally, MSQ Business Manager Christina Scolaro and MSQ Director of Recording, Martin Banks. Your patience and efficiency were major contributors to our Meet.

Feedback and Ideas for 2025 appreciated. Peter Reaburn QMM Meet Director: preaburn55@gmail.com