We are proud of our Alaskan Olympic Trials 2000 swimmers-
(l to r) Robert Roosa,
Maria Reeves (Northern Area) and Andrew Tainter.
See Our Gallery for pictures!

MSST Report from 2001 Speedo / Alaska Swimming Senior Championships
(for the more, link to the MSST homepage at http://www.midnightsunswimteam.com)

Our five senior swimmers came back from Ketchikan victorious, achieving a rate of 78% best times in their races. MSST swimmers qualified for "big" finals 17 times ("consolation" finals 8 times). We won 4 events and finished 2nd in 5 others, achieved 3 Northwest Section Senior time standards (the equivalent of the old Junior Nationals qualifying times), 2 new Zone qualifying times, another Northwest Section Age Group time standard (previously known as Region XII cuts), and 5 team records. Coach Lemley said of the meet, "In my 23 years of experience as a head coach, this is the best performance by a team at a championship meet that I've ever coached.Congratulations to our swimmers for their commitment to train seriously for this meet and for finding ways to stay mentally focused and physically relaxed. They had a fantastic meet!"

The three MSST girls, 17 year old Mara Matheke, 13 year old Elise Alexander, and 14 year old Felina Rosadiuk, did so well that they were in 2nd place in the female team standings after the first day. They kept each other company throughout the meet making sure everyone had the support they needed, when they needed it. Coach Lemley said "I believe this kind of support is a direct result of our expectation that each swimmer encourage his or her teammates. Good things happen when you hear supportive words all around you."

First Day recap: Elise won the 100 yd Breast (1:10.76) with a double dipper - a lifetime best in prelims, and another lifetime best in finals! The very first event and the Northern Area strikes gold! Then Mara and Felina swam lifetime bests in the finals of the 200 yd Free (2:06.89 and 1:56.15 respectively) with two more double dippers. Felina achieved her first "Sectional" qualifying time of the meet in this event, in which she also broke an MSST Team Record. Fourteen year old Travis Williams contributed to MSST's first day's success with a best time in the 100 yd Fly (57.15) and a 4th place finish, and a best time in the 200 yd IM (2:11.60) and a 7th place finish. He also lead off one of the North's 800 yd Freestyle Relays with a best time (1:59.45). Fourteen year old Chris Humphrey swam to a best time in the 200 yd IM (2:16.35), a 6th place finish in the 100 yd Breast (1:07.12) and a lifetime best leading off another of the North's 800 Free Relays (2:01.79). Elise's had a 4th place finish in the 200 yd IM (2:22.13) and a 9th place finish in the 100 yd Fly (1:05.81), both lifetime bests, both double dips. Mara and Felina both swam best times in the 1000 yd Free (11:36.94 and 10:53.61, respectively) for 5th and 1st places. Day One was a complete success.

On Saturday MSST again swam well. Elise qualified 3rd in the 400 yd IM (best time) and 3rd in the 200 yd Breast (best time); Chris qualified 5th in the 400 yd IM (best time), 4th in the 200 yd Breast, and 7th in the 500 yd Free; Mara qualified 12th in the 200 yd Breast and 7th in the 500 yd Free; Felina qualified 1st in the 50 yd Free (24.99, a best time and Sectional cut) and first in the 500 yd Free; and Travis qualified 7th in the 50 yd Free (best time) and blasted to a 57.32 in the 100 yd Back, qualifying first for finals, achieving a 15/16 Zone time standard, and breaking John Roger's 13/14 100 yd Backstroke Team Record! In finals that afternoon, Elise swam another best time to finish 3rd in the 400 yd IM (5:03.62) and another best time in the 200 yd Breast (2:35.64) to move up to 2nd in that event. Mara finished 12th in the 200 yd Breaststroke (2:54.09) and 9th in the 500 yd Freestyle (5:38.60). Chris dropped 3 seconds from his morning swim in the 200 yd Breaststroke (2:27.12), moving up to 3rd place, and finished 8th in his 500 yd Freestyle (5:33.39). Travis swam another best time in the 50 yd Freestyle (23.48) finishing 7th and showed his morning swim in the 100 yd Backstroke was no fluke finishing 2nd with a time just slightly slower than his morning time. Felina won the 50 and then dropped almost 5 seconds off her morning swim in the 500 yd Freestyle (5:15.57), finishing in 2nd place by a fingertip to the premier distance swimmer in the state, NLSC's Christina Hickey. Felina had touched Hickey out by the same margin in the 1000 yd Freestyle on Friday evening. In her final swim of the evening Felina lead-off the North's 400 yd Medley Relay with a lifetime best, 1:03.33 100 yd Backstroke.

On Sunday, Elise finished the meet strong, double dipping in the 200 yd Butterfly (2:25.98) finishing in 3rd place. That gave her a sixth lifetime best and a sixth double dipper! Last year she barely made the qualifying time in the 100 yd Breaststroke. She still managed to sneak into consols with a 1:15+ effort. This year, at 13 years of age, she's a full 5 seconds faster and has become our new Senior 100yd Breaststroke Champion! Travis Williams DQ'd in the 200 yd Back on Sunday though he swam a fast 53.28 in his 100 yd Freestyle. He and Chris both swam legs on the 400 yd Freestyle Relay. Mara finished the meet with another life time best (19:22.21) finishing 5th in the mile. Felina finished her meet with another great day; she double dipped in the 100 yd Free achieving her 3rd Sectional cut of the meet (54.55), finishing in 2nd place by a whisker to Rachelle Kula, Alaska High School's 2000 Female Swimmer-of-the-Year. Felina then proceeded to "walk away" from her chief competition in the mile, Christina Hickey, finishing first by a margin of 10 seconds. Rosadiuk was named the 2nd place overall Female High Point winner of the meet and received an embroidered Speedo backpack.

Midnight Sun Swim Team
(Fairbanks)

Nome Northstars Swim Team
(Nome)

North Pole Aquatic Club
(North Pole)

Stingray Swim Team
(Fairbanks)