Upcoming Events
October 14, 2023, USMS Fall One Mile Swim Challenge, Bentonville, AR
December 16, 2023, MOVY Short Course Meters Meet, Lees Summit, MO
January 19, 2024, First Chance Long Course Invitational, Little Rock, AR
January 20-21, 2024, Arkansas Masters Short Course Meters Invitational, Little Rock, AR
For a full listing of events around the country, visit the USMS Events Calendar.
For events happening within our zone, visit the South Central Zone Event Calendar Page.
Interested in hosting a meet? Here’s a Meet Checklist to help!
USMS One Mile Fall Fitness Challenge, Bentonville
No tricks here, only treats for the 2023 Fall Fitness Challenge! It is a 1-mile swim that takes place on October 14th from 11am-1pm at the Bentonville Community Center with a social afterwards at Bentonville Brewing Company. Participants must have an active USMS membership. The link for registration is HERE
The Fall Fitness Challenge can be done in any manner desired: straight through, as a member of a relay, or even with fins.The fee is $10 for registration before September 15th and $12 afterwards.
Registered swimmers receive a cool event swim cap in the mail from USMS. Proceeds fund USMS Adult Learn-to-Swim grants. Fees for daily access to the Bentonville Community Center will be waived.
There will be two lanes available starting at 11am. There will be two start waves, and swimmers will draw numbers for which wave in which they will swim. The second wave will start approximately 5 minutes after the end of the first wave. If participants would like to warm up prior to the 11am start, they should arrive early and use the public lap swim lanes.
Please direct questions to Mark Jechura, 302-229-298
OZ Mile Swim Recap
The Walmart OZ Mile Swim, hosted by SWIM OZ, did it again! It was a fun-filled festival weekend with over 300 participants, ages 13 – 76! Almost 200 swimmers from all over Arkansas and over 100 from all over the country came together in the heart of the Ozarks at beautiful Beaver Lake to participate in an open water mile swim. Some swimmers completed 2, 3, or even 4 waves giving them a 4 mile swim! That is one of the special things about this event. This year, courtesy of Pabst Blue Ribbon, they were able to bring in Michelle Weber, two time open water Olympian from South Africa, for an informative clinic on Saturday before the race.
The overall male winner, 15 year old Max Spory from Edmond, Oklahoma, was inspired last year by former American record holder and winner, Chad LaTourette. His father shared with the event directors that “he has been training all year for this event!” The Spory Family is very excited to be awarded the winner’s trip to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, to participate in the Midmar Mile. The female winner, two time Olympian Michelle Weber, was thrilled to have won her first open water competition in the United States.
Below is a list of Arkansas Masters Swimmers who won their age group (hopefully we didn’t miss anyone):
Men 30-34: Tom Bullock
Men 45-49: Bryan Carlson
Men 55-59: Mark Jechura
Women 55-59: Lori Terlouw
Men 60-64: Scott Halliburton
Women 60-64: Mary Llew Anders
Thank you to al the Arkansas Masters swimmers who participated and helped raise funds for the Rampy MS Research Foundation and The Joys Of Swimming! Make sure to put this event on your calendar for next year – the last full weekend of September!
USMS Convention, 2023
Scott Halliburton was the Arkansas LMSC delegate for this year’s convention. He reports the following:
This year’s convention was in Houston, TX and it was the first in-person convention since COVID. Attendance was split evenly between those participaing online vs. in-person. As a result of the elections for officers, Ed Coates, our South-Central Zone Chaiman, was elected President. This was well deserved as he has served in a variety of roles for a long time. A full list of elected positions are shown below:
President: Ed Coates – (Austin, TX)
Vice President of Administration: Julie Dussliere – (Colorado Springs)
Vice President of Community Services: Kenny Brisbin – (Brea, CA)
Vice President of Local Operations: Crystie McGrail – (Longmont, CO)
Vice President of Programs: Robin Smith – (Newport Beach, CA)
Secretary: Carrie Stolar – (Chanhassen, MN)
Treasurer: Jill Gellatly – (Bryan, TX)
The delegates adoped some new rules, and also voted to update our Membership and Mission statement, which was needed, as it was written in 1970!
Of course convention is also the time to recognize many who devote time and talents to USMS
Captain Ransom J Arthur MD Award (for outstanding service) – Barbara Dunbar (La Jolla, CA)
Coach of the Year – Rick Walker (Sarasota, FL)
If you’d like more details, all the meeting minutes can be found on the USMS website. Or if you have any questions, please let me know.
Arkansas Masters Swimming 