Winterfest Championship Swim Meet

The YMCA’s National Winterfest swimming invitational championship was held from January 11^th to 13^th at the University of Maryland. Winterfest brings together the highest level of YMCA competitive swimmers in the North East.

The local participants included Abby Stauffer, Karlee Metz, Nick Wertz, Chandler Desotelle, Caleb Gayman, Bryton Zook, Daniel Callis, Chandler and McKenzie Johnson; Elena, Daniel, Eli, and Jacob Fierer; Danielle and CJ Pong; and Marget, Nick and Rece Shelly.

Chambersburg’s esteemed nationally-ranked swimmer Marget Shelly, entered in the 100 fly, 100 back, 200 IM, and the 50, 100, 200, and 500 freestyle races, placed high enough in prelims to swim in all seven finals, entering finals with four number two seeds and three number one seeds.  In the final session, she won all seven of her events on her way to setting five 11-12 Charger records.  Her times of 25.14, 54.10, 59.11, and 1:00.71 in the 50 free, 100 free, 100 back, and 100 fly, were all team records.

In her 15^th and final race, she dropped four seconds in her 200 IM, breaking Abby Stauffer’s open team record with a time of 2:10.31. The seventh grader picked up two new National Cuts in the 100 back and 200 IM, giving her three total with her best 200 free time of 1:55.59.

Abby Stauffer, both a CASHS Trojan and Chambersburg YMCA Charger, qualified for finals in three of her seven events, swimming six 200’s on Saturday.  Abby lowered her open Charger record in the 200 IM to 2:10.67, before it was broken later in the meet by her teammate Shelly.  In Abby’s final 200, she broke an open 200 breast record by going 2:29.50 and won a consul heat by 3 seconds.  Abby placed 12^th in the 400 IM, lowering her open team record in that event to 4:40.82.

The other finalist for the Chambersburg Chargers was Danielle Pong. Danielle won the 100 13-14 breast consolation heat with a personal record of 1:10.12 and finished 9^th place overall. 

Thirteen year old Chandler Desotelle finished 26^th overall in the 13-14 boys 500 freestyle, breaking Jordan Metz’s 13-14 age group record with a time of 5:19.98.

The girl’s open 200 Medley Relay team finished in 9^th place in 1:54.33, including teammates Marget Shelly, Danielle Pong, Abby Stauffer, and Karlee Metz.

The boy’s 10 and Under finished 4^th place in the 200 free relay with a time of 2:03.52 and 5^th place in the Medley relay in 2:25.68. The relay consisted of Caleb Gayman, Nick and Rece Shelly, and CJ Pong.

CJ Pong also finished 5^th in the 10 & U 100 free in 1:06.79, while Rece Shelly finished 8^th in the same event in 1:07.73. Caleb Gayman finished 9^th in the 10 & U 100 back, lowering his team record by 5 seconds to 1:18.58.

Despite Winterfest not having an 8 and Under age bracket, Nick Shelly broke two personal records allowing him to compete in the 10 and Under category.

Finally, Nick Wertz competed in his first YMCA Championship meet this weekend. He swam in three 11-12 year-old events and set three personal best times.