Hard Work Pays Off with 2011 Team Title!

ch1raoul — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 20:06:14 +0000

USMS “Really Cool Website of the Month!” for June, 2010

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OPEN Wins 2011 OMS Open Water Championship for Three-peat!

Happy OPEN members holding their 2011 team championship banner. L-R: Lynn, Dan, Keith, Lou, Robin, John, Charlie, Jackie

August 14,2011-OPEN member’s hard work this season paid off with the OMS 2011 Small Team Division Championship today at Cottage Grove Lake. This is the third year in a row we won the open water championship. Can you say THREE-PEAT!!! More details in the Team News page.

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OPEN Swims well this summer!

OPEN swimmers are swimming well so far this season. Charlie was the lone Narwhal to attend the Lincoln City/Devil’s Lake open water and completed the 800 and 1500 meter swims. Charlie and Lou competed with good results in the Gil Young Memorial/NW Zone Championships pool meet at Mt Hood Aquatic center. At the Foster Lake USMS National Championship 1-mile cable swim, Keith and Jackie each placed 6th in their age group. Charlie cramped up big time in the 2-mile and was unable to do the 1-mile championship swim. Colder than normal open water temps have affect all the open water events so far. OPEN is now focusing on getting a “three-peat” at the open water championships in Cottage Grove on August 14th! The OPEN Narwhals will be ready!

Keith (middle) in the finish chute at the Foster Lake USMS Championship 1-mile cable swim.

OPEN Prepares for Open Water Season!

It’s now June and most OPEN Narwhals are ready for the open water season to start. Most of us skipped Hagg Lake due to cold water temps, but we’re going in force to Lincoln City and the rest of the open water events this summer! Will OPEN repeat for the third time as open water team champs? Ask any Narwhal and they’ll say “Hell yeah! That’s why it’s called OPEN water swimming!” ; )

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OPEN Swims Well at OMS and NW Zone Championships!

OPEN members swam to best times and, as always, had the most fun at the OMS Championships, as well as the Northwest Zone Championships the following weekend in Federal Way, WA in April. We were competitive in the medium team division at the OMS Championships, but fell short of winning the championship. New Narwhal Brian made his first appearance for OPEN and Ryan came up from the SF Bay area to join us for the big meet again. Many of us had PR’s and enjoyed the Saturday banquet together. The following weekend, Charlie and Lou joined other OMS members at the NW Zone Championships and improved on their times from the OMS Championships the week before. May and June had some of us swimming well at the Hood River SCM and Corvallis LCM meets.

Keith, Lou, and Ryan next to each other in the 200 Free.

Lou doing the "Narwhal Spout" in Federal Way

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OPEN Narwhals going strong in early 2011 while building up to OMS Championships!

So far in 2011 OPEN members are on track and building up for the big OMS Championships April 1st-3rd. Charlie competed in Chehalem in January, Keith, Lou, and Charlie did the Canby Animal meet in February. Then on President’s Day weekend, Charlie and Keith made the trip up north to compete in the meet in Kirkland, WA. Today (March 13th) Robin did his first meet since having hip replacement surgery, John did his first pool meet, while Keith and Charlie continued to work on their events at the Mt Hood Blast meet. Now we’re all focusing on the BIG meet in three weeks!

Lou in action during the 400IM at the Canby meet.

Robin during the 200 free at the Mt Hood Blast Meet

Keith off the blocks in his 200 free at Mt Hood Blast Meet.

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OPEN WINS 2010 OMS Open Water Championships to repeat as Team Champs!!!

Elite Narwhals win team title for 2nd year in a row! L-R: Charlie, Jackie, John, Robin, Lynn, Dan, & Keith

OPEN rules at Applegate Lake July 17 & 18, 2010! See Team News for more info!

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OPEN members Lou and Charlie set PR’s and have great meet for Oregon at 2010 USMS Championships in Atlanta!

Scoreboard welcomes the swimmers to Georgia Tech

Oregon Masters Swimming (OMS) finished a surprising 6th place after a great meet in Atlanta. OPEN’s Lou and Charlie were there! See Narwhal Team News for more details and the photo page for some great photos!

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Narwhals continue swimming strong in 2010!

After having some great swims at the 2010 OMS Championship meet last month, your OPEN Elite Narwhals continue to build for a successful and FUN spring and summer season! Lou and Charlie will be the OPEN representatives in the strong Oregon Masters deligation to the USMS SCY National Championships in Atlanta, GA (site of the ’96 Olympics) in two weeks. Keith and Jackie just returned from strong open water swims in Arizona, while Dave is training strong for his English Channel swim in July. Many other OPEN members will be joining us for the OMS open water swim series and summer pool meets. WE ARE: the Elite Narwhals!!!

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Elite Narwhals Win Both 2009 Team Titles!

2009-YEAR OF THE NARWHALS!

OPEN added to the pool championship won in April by taking FIRST PLACE in their division at the recent OMS Open Water Championships held at Eel Lake in August. (Photo below)

We also have members who also became Pacific Northwest Zone Champions at the recent Gil Young Memorial/NW Zone Long-course championships held at the Mt. Hood CC Aquatic Center! Check out the Team News page for details!

OPEN Wins 2009 Open Water Champsionship!

OPEN wins 2009 OMS Association Championship Medium Combined Team division title! Look for more photos and story in the Team News and other pages on this site!

Charlie and Keith proudly display our new championship banner!

Cheers and see you in the pool!

Charlie

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Welcome to the official site of the OPEN Narwhals. We are a masters swim team of men and women who enjoy the benefits, sport, fun, and comradery of swimming. We are part of Oregon Masters Swimming (OMS) and United States Masters Swimming (USMS). Masters swimmers are age 18 and older who enjoy swimming for fitness as well as competing in sanctioned swim meets & open water events. If you want to be part of a great group of people, then why not become a valued member of OPEN? Then you can proudly tell everyone that you’re an OPEN Narwhal! Click on the “About” link to learn more about OPEN. Swimming for life!

OPEN Swim Team

Who is OPEN?

ch1raoul — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:00:53 +0000

So, what’s a Narwhal anyways? And, who is “OPEN” Swim?

Ask your Doctor if OPEN is right for you:

· Have you ever tried to do a relay by yourself?

· Have you experienced the sweet taste of victory but had only your cat and your mirror to share it with?

· Do suffer from feelings of loneliness at swim meets or open water swims because you have no team?

· Are you finding that therapy and beer are just not the right answer all the time?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then OPEN may be for you.

Who should not join OPEN?

Swimmers with a diminished capacity for fun….Etc., etc. Ask your doctor if OPEN is right for you!

What is OPEN?

The OPEN Narwhals are an un-coached group of swimmers whose primary focus is to grow participation in Oregon Masters Swimming (OMS) while promoting competition and camaraderie.

How does OPEN work?

By activating the brain’s “Fun Centers” with regular opportunities for fun and socializing, OPEN encourages involvement in swimming meets & in open water swims and can place you on a relay team.

OPEN members also work with each others strengths and weaknesses by coaching each other within the group and tailoring workouts to meet the current needs and goals of the members.