From left, Tori McGill, Coco Langer, Haven Storer and Emery Russell formed one of the relay teams at the 12 & under swim meet on Oct. 22 in Pukalani.

LAHAINA — Lahaina Swim Club has emerged from the pandemic restrictions with renewed vigor and intensity, as the Maui Age Group Swimming Association moves into the homestretch of the 2022 Short Course season.

With the Hawaii Age Group Swimming Association State Championships scheduled for February of 2023 in Honolulu, LSC appears poised to post a strong performance at the elite competition.

Led by a veteran, dedicated staff headed up by Tom Popdan and assisted by Jen Wiseman, Gabby Lindblad, Ericka Gaastra, Jack Pope, Alicia Wintermeyer and Ryan Martinez, the Lahaina program has weather the pandemic closures to regain its stature as an elite contender at the state level.

Coach Wiseman reports that the West Side program has some 122 registered members ranging in age from five to 18 years old.

Lahaina Swim Club is one of the largest in Maui and consistently has a waiting list for youngsters to join the team.

The Short Course season is in full swing, and LSC’s youngest swimmers showed great results at a recent 12 & under meet in Pukalani on Oct. 22. For some of the youngsters, it was their first competition.

Eight-year-old Gwen Cappello and seven-year-old Maverick Wheeler finished first in the 25 Backstroke and 25 Freestyle events, respectively.

In the current year, LSC had new club records in several events, and six of the aqua athletes have the club’s top times in the Short Course record book.

In the Sept. 24 event at Kihei Aquatic Center, Emily Gorokhovsky set the 11-12 girls 100 Butterfly mark with her 1:03.51 effort, and Legend Storer set the standard in the 11-12 Boys 50 Freestyle with a time of 22.35.

Three other LSC records were set in the last Hawaii Short Course State Championships held at Pahoa on the Big Island on Feb. 27, 2022.

Jake McGill set the Boys 13-14 50 Free club record with a time of 22.80; Noah Caiserman posted a 27.45 clocking in the 13-14 Boys 50 Backstroke; and Cruz Storer set the mark in the 11-12 Boys 50 Back with a time of 29.88.

Additionally, Sacha Salem holds the 11-12 Girls 500 Freestyle mark set at Lahaina Aquatic Center in 2021.

Coach Wiseman expressed the club’s appreciation to the families of the swimmers, as well as the community organizations and the Lahaina Aquatic Center for their support.

In particular, she recognized the LSC board of directors, including Kari Alexander, Bob Dezotel, Susan and JD DeLoria and Jane Gorokhovsky, for their support of the club.

“Now, we can look forward to and prepare for the coming meets in Kihei and Lahaina, as well as the state meet in February. Thank you to everyone for helping us in fundraising for our travel to Oahu for the state meet,” Coach Jen concluded.