SUN Masters will host the March madness Meet at the Long Center. Our group has hosted the Valentines Meet for many years and our reputation has spread throughout the swimming community.  This meet had about 250 participants this year who enjoyed the l super hospitality (free food!) and Meet Director Coach Joe's well run competition assisted by numerous members, friends and family of the SUN team. This year we had to change the date of our event which necessitated a name change too .. hence we now have the March Madness Meet which will take place March 10th and 11th - same Meet Director, same people, same hospitality, same friends and family, same location (the Long Center).  The pool is being renovated in the next six months so it should look brighter and shinier and maybe the weather will be that much warmer.! 

The LMSC Awards dinner is scheduled to take place that week-end at the Long Center

Mark your calendar

The Florida Aquatic Combined Team was well represented at the Worlds. We were able to field 14 relays with our 25 participants and all of us had fun together. Representatives from the chapters of SUN, 300 Club, HLJ, TBAC, SRAF, LCAM, SPCO and SWFA got together for dinners and their combined efforts were impressive.

Thanks are to FACT coach-of-the-meet, Chuck Slaght, of SWFA. He was on deck the entire meet, including open water the last day, and gave us encouragement and critiqued our swims  dont believe he missed a one! And to Joe Biondi, who was unable to attend, but spent many hours organizing the relay entries to give us "that edge"!

Congratulations to SUN Masters swimmers who competed:

Joan Campbell who managed to take 22 seconds off her seedtime, placing placed 6^th (1^st in the USA) in the 800FR!, 6^th (1^st in the USA) in the 400FR and 6^th in the womens FR relay in spite of the burns and broken toe that she suffered several days before the competition in an auto accident.

Don Puchalski who took 7^th place in 50BR, 100BR, 200BR and the 200IM. He was 6^th in the 400IM 1 minute faster than his seed time!

Beverley Tucker who is a SUN Masters swimmer swam for Canada and was 6th in the Open Water 3K; 7th in the 100 BR; 3rd in the 50 BR; 11th in the 200 BR and 16th in the 800 FR  She swam for Canada, but she is a SUN Masters swimmer.

Was attended by Joan Campbell who is on the Finance Committee reported the following:

• The finance committee struggled with a task force recommendation that we raise the dues this year to cover expenditures anticipated next year for the hiring of an Executive Director, employee benefits to our current paid employees and the initiating of on-line registration. Over the past five years we have operated under budget and have been able to put aside sizeable amounts as reserve. A decision was made to use some of those reserves to balance the budget for 2007 and to raise the registration fee in 2008 by $5.00 per year.
• "Hot Issues" addressed were the rules regarding watches in open water and pool swims. The open water rules were amended to allow watches but not pacing devices in OW swims. The rules for pool swims are to be the same as USA swimming clarification in June  the use of wristwatches is allowed if the officials determine it is not a pacing device.
• Registration for Nationals of 18 year olds who become 18 up to the day before the meet is allowed.
• In 2008 the SC Nationals will be held in Austin, Texas tentatively April 24-27. The LCM meet will be held in Mt Hood Oregon August 14-17.

• Dixie Zone Championships for SCM and LCM are to be Virtual Meets. Keep an eye out on the website for details.

Please keep our Sun Masters friends who are dealing with injuries and adverse health conditions in your thoughts and prayers:

Maria Reed is back and swimming well.

Elliott Schofield is anticipating heart surgery in the near future.

Roz Randall is doing well and expected to be back in Florida this month

Dave Gifford is playing tennis and biking following open heart surgery

Nancy Durstein is doing well following her recent surgery

Pat Cohen Crow is trained and ready to walk 60 miles as a participant in the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation 3-Day Walk on October 13-15th. Thanks to all the support I have received from my SUN MASTERS friends I have reached my fund raising goal .

Christine Hinton- 8^th in age group

Marianne Bradley 60-64- Sprint & Medium Pentathlons

Florence Delaney 60-64  All Freestyle Events

Joan Campbell 75-79  Long Pentathlon

Nancy Durstein 75-79  Sprint & Medium Pentathlons

Don Puchalski 65-69  Sprint Pentathlon

Beverley Tucker 70-74  Sprint Pentathlon

Sun Masters watch your e-mails for information about the Sunday morning open water swims that Joe will be scheduling periodically .  

For those wanting to get a FACT T-shirt or cap check with Joan Campbell.

Please e-mail all your accomplishments or any news you want shared with the SUN Masters Team to me at pcohen1@tampabay.rr.com so I can include them in the newsletter

Oct. 21: Tropical Splash (1K, 3K, 5K). Siesta Key Beach (Sarasota) FL. Information & Entry | Flier. Entry fee rises after October 10; race day entries accepted. This event will be USMS sanctioned