Behind the coaching of Olympian Mark Warkentin, a quartet from the Santa Barbara Aquatics Club won an event at the inaugural USA Swimming Open Water Challenge in Long Beach.
The team of Michelle Dockendorf, Shannon Slaught, Courtney Nuttall and Reagan Eickert, nicknamed the Rocket Scientists, captured the 2-kilometer (1.2 miles) team pursuit in a time of 31 minutes, 52 seconds. The race required all four athletes to swim together as a group and their final time was determined by the last member to cross the finish line.
“Working together, the girls swam a very smart race to beat out their primary competitors from Mission Viejo by over two minutes,” said Warkentin, who competed in the open water swims at the 2008 Olympic Games. “It was the first time any of these girls have swam an open water race, so it was encouraging to see them swim confidently as a group.
“I think they’re all going to swim the 1 mile and 3 mile races at Semana Nautica and hopefully I can get them more and more excited about the sport of open water swimming.”
Warkentin also got into the water and won the 4k solo race in 49:30.47
