Issue date: September 09, 1998
Three members of the local SOLO Swim Club were named to the Pacific Swimming All Star team and participated in the Western Zone All Star Meet in Seattle August 11-15.
Pacific Swimming won the meet, crushing second-place Pacific Northwest Swimming Association by more than 100 points.
Team member Karl Erickson provided this report:
The meet attracted 17 all-star teams from California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii. In all, 961 swimmers competed.
Menlo Park residents on Pacific Swimming were Danielle Hildebrandt, 10, Gina Merlone, 14, and Karl Erickson, 15.
Hildebrandt placed eighth in the 50-meter freestyle, sixth in the 100-meter freestyle, and fourth in the 200-meter individual medley.
Merlone placed seventh in the 100-meter breaststroke, sixth in the 200-meter breaststroke, and swam on a relay that finished second in the age 13-14 girls division.
Erickson achieved best times in five of seven swims. He participated in two relays in the 15-16 boys age group, which placed third and sixth. Individually, he took third in the 200-meter freestyle and first in the 400-meter freestyle.
Far Western meet
Merlone achieved a junior national record time in the 100-meter breaststroke, and placed second and fifth in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke, respectively.
Hildebrandt placed among the top eight swimmers in the age-10 and under division in six events.
An age 15-16 boys relay team -- consisting of Erickson, plus Joe Merlone 16, and John Norton, 15, both of Menlo Park -- swam in the 400-medley relay and 400-freestyle relay.
Erickson placed eighth in the 1,500-meter freestyle. In addition, Menlo Park residents Sara Sinicropi-Yao, 10, Kaitlyn Ramirez, 15, and Erickson each swam personal best times in several events.
SOLO Swim Club is coached by Tom McRae, Ricky Silva, Jim Dyer and Alan Wiseman. Club members swim at several locations, including Burgess Pool in Menlo Park.
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