In the next two weeks, the Rodney Height Aquatic Centre is expected to be ablaze as preparation continues to welcome a record 389 swimmers from nine Caribbean countries including host nation Saint Lucia. The swimmers will converge on that facility to compete in the 20th edition of the RHAC Invitational Swim Meet scheduled for April 11 -14, 2019 with Monday,
(Photo: Anthony De Beauville)
April 15 being an Open Water event at Reduit Beach.
Bringing swimmers to our shores, the theme for this year’s event is – “Friendship through Competition”.
This annual event brings together not only local swim clubs but teams from all over the region including Antigua, Barbados, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
A total of 23 teams will battle it out in the 25 metre pool: – (1) Alpha Sharks Swim Club, Barbados 15 athletes, (2) Antigua Aquatic Club – Storm 4 athletes, (3) Black Sands Swim Squad, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18 athletes (4) Black Sails Swim Club, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6 athletes (5) Blue Marlins, Trinidad and Tobago 24 athletes, (6) Francois Natation Club, Martinique 3 athletes (7) Grenfin Swim Club Grenada 17 athletes, (8) High Tide Stingrays Swim Club 21 athletes, (9) L’Espadon C.N. Martinique, 17 athletes, (10) Lightning Aquatics Swim Club, Saint Lucia 24 athletes (11) Longvilliers Club of Lamentin, Martinique 20 athletes.
For the first time in the history of the swim meet (12) Marlins Swim Club, Trinidad and Tobago have entered 4 athletes. (13) Pirates Swim Club Barbados 6 athletes, (14) RHAC Swim Club, Saint Lucia 9 athletes, (15) Riptide Swim Team, Antigua and Barbuda 1 athlete, (16) RR Aquatic Swim Club, Saint Lucia 24 athletes, (17) Sail Fin Swim Club 11 athletes (18) Sea Jays Swim Club 48 athletes (19) Sharks Swim Club, Saint Lucia 57 athletes, (20) Shoelcher Natation 2000 Martinique 30 athletes, (21) Southern Flying Fish, Saint Lucia 18 athletes, (22) Wadadli Aquatic Racers, Antigua 12 athletes.
Last year the final results placed Sea Jays Swim Club (Saint Lucia) in first place with a total of 824 points. Marlins Swim Club (Trinidad and Tobago) followed with 574 points and Sharks Swim Club (Saint Lucia) rounded out the top three with 515 points.
There were 88 meet event records set. The most in the last few years! Jayhan Odlum Smith Sea Jays Swim Club, (Saint Lucia), fresh from Carifta, set three National Records in 800 meters Free with a time of 9:15.91, 200 metre Fly (2:19.24) and 400 Individual Medley (5:05.61).
