Whirlwind Divers Victorious at YMCA Nationals; Darien Divers Bowtell, Christensen, Luz, O'Donnell, Kreutch, and Stevens Assist in Win!

The New Canaan YMCA Whirlwind Diving Team has done it again!  They returned from Ft. Lauderdale, FL this past Sunday with the team championship banner from the YMCA National Diving Championships.  This is not a new story, as the Whirlwind team has won this National meet every time they have attended since 1997.

“I love this meet because even though diving is an individual sport, our JO team comes together and forms a great bond in trying to pursue the YMCA National Diving title,” states head diving coach Joe Somma.  “Our kids really stepped up and were successful in winning another title even though we were out numbered by a large Schroeder (Wisconsin/Illinois) team.”

Whirlwind took 26 divers down to FL for the three-day event consisting of competition on 1 Meter, 3 Meter, and platform.  Medal winners for Whirlwind included Kevin Bradley (1st place on 1M and 3M, and 2nd place on platform), Kylie Towbin (1st on 1 M, 2nd on 3M and platform), Bobby Ross (2nd on 1M and 3M), Kirsten Parkinson (2nd on 1M, 5th on 3M), Rachel Burston  (3rd on 1M, 6th on 3M), Jake Bowtell (3rd on 1M and 3M, 4th on platform), Lee Christensen (4th on 1M, 5th on 3M, and 3rd on platform), Andrew Bologna (5th on 1M and platform, 4th on 3M), Claire Ross (5th on 1M and 3M, and 6th on platform) Timmy Luz (4th on 1M, 5th on 3M, and 3rd on Platform), Owen Stevens (6th on 1M and 3M, 4th on platform), Liam Simmons (7th on 1M and 3M), Alison Courtney (4th on 1M, 7th on 3M), Cameron Rind (7th on 3M), Griffon Edmonds (8th on platform), and Steven Kreuch (8th on 1M).

Other Whirlwind competitors at YMCA Nationals included Anne Farley, Katherine Kushner, Sophia Rapp, Anabelle Pollack, Olivia Park, Caleigh Kupersmith, Melinda Henesy, Tanner Blank, Kyle O’Donnell, and Matthew Mintz.

In April Whirlwind also sent a select group of qualified divers to the USA Diving Junior East National Championships in Largo, FL.  This meet included the top 30 JO divers in each age group from the eastern half of the United States.   Standout divers for Whirlwind at this meet were Kylie Towbin who finished in 6th place on 1M and in 3rd place on 3M, Kevin Bradley who finished 10th on 1M and 6th on 3M, and Bobby Ross who finished 12th on 1M and 14th on 3M.  Other Whirlwind divers who competed at this elite meet were Lenin Hibler, Claire Ross, Timmy Luz, Owen Stevens, Wiley Schmidt, Alison Courtney, Jake Bowtell, Rachel Burston and Kirsten Parkinson.

After a short seasonal break this week all Whirlwind divers are back on the boards gearing up for the next round of National qualifying meets which begin in early June.