Last weekend the Vashon Seals Swim Team participated in the Pacific Northwest Swimming Winter Challenge series. The first swim meet of 2020 for the team was held at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma. The Vashon Seals were represented by 18 swimmers ranging in age from 10 to 16.

“I was very pleased with how well our kids swam over the weekend,” said head coach Randy Turner. “They’ve all been working hard in practice and it’s nice to see them be rewarded with so many new best times.”

Two standouts at the meet for the Seals included 14-year-old Saffron Hinz and 16-year-old Ethan Choo.

Hinz won the girls 13 and over age group 100 backstroke with a personal best time of 1:06.07. She also broke the all-time Seals team record for the 200 backstroke, placing second at the meet with a time of 2:23.01. In addition, Hinz broke the Seals 13-14 age group team record for the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:10.36, placing fifth at the meet.

Choo won three events, including the 50 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 500 freestyle. In the 200 backstroke, Choo achieved a new personal best time, breaking his own Seals all-time team record with a swim of 2:08.72. During the 500 freestyle, he also swam to a new personal best time of 5:13.18.

All 18 of the Seals attending this meet achieved at least one new best time and included: Jamie Choo, Wylie Haug, Haley Hopper, Isabella Hopper, Ellie Jackson, Gus McSheehy, Rob Prince, Lena Puz, Flora Richards, Aliya Ricks, Neko Rogneby, Finn Stetson, Natalie Vickers, Nola Watson, Frankie Weber and Molly Wing.

Next on the Seals team schedule is the Daffodil Classic Swim Meet, which will be held Mar. 7 to 8 in Tacoma.

The Vashon Seals Swim Team is starting its Seal Pups-Learn to Swim program on Monday, Feb. 3. For more details, visit vashonseals.org. The team is also accepting swimmers into its Levels 1, 2 and 3 programs.

— Karl Stetson is the assistant coach for the Vashon Seals.