Ralph’s a Record Breaker Pioneer Swimming Club Dominate Pool At Cannonvale Carnival

Pioneer Swimming Club travelled to Cannonvale for a weekend of competition from January 21-22.

The club’s attendance was high, with 43 swimmers attending to challenge the local teams in a short course carnival hosted by Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Club.

The Dolphins swam strong, swam confident and swam with pride!

Many of our swimmers achieved personal bests with many bringing home quite the loot of medals.

Recently, a hot topic and focus for several swimmers has been to attain a qualifying time/s to attend the State Sprints to be held at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre on February 11-12.

More Dolphins met these qualifying times, swimming strong at the Cannonvale Carnival, and will now join the State Team.

The highlight of this carnival, and one all swimmers look forward to in the swim calendar, is the “Skins” Events.

The fastest 6 swimmers for each stroke (Backstroke, Butterfly, Breaststroke and Freestyle) in the age groups 8-9 years, 1012 years and 13+ years for both females and males are invited to swim in an elimination style process.

The races are 25m and the slowest swimmer is eliminated after each heat until there are 2 – the final being the decider. Each of the 6 finalists are awarded cash, increasing for each heat, the winner receiving the most prize money.

The following Dolphins were finalists and some even taking out the win for their event: Kylie Smith, Jade Bounden and Viktor Lee for 13+ years; Georgie Brand, Madison Malagueno, Alex Moss and Henry Porter for 10-12 years; and Olivia Smith, Makenna Malagueno, Ava Corrigan, Ralph Traeger and Isaiah Espartinez for 8-9 years.

What a representation and dominance by Pioneer!

Pioneer Swimming Club wishes to thank Cannonvale Cannons for hosting such a successful and fun meet.

Our calendar continues to be busy with Mirani Swimming Club hosting a carnival this coming weekend.

If you have a child who is interested in giving swimming a go, please reach out by emailing our Club Secretary secretary@pioneerswimclub.com.au or via our socials (Facebook or Instagram).

Contributed by Tahnie Malagueno

Swimming

What a year this superstar Dolphin has had!

Not just one record broken but two in the 2022-2023 season, and at the ripe young age of eight years old!

Ralph Traeger is a regular at swimming competitions for Pioneer Swim Club but his most memorable to date would have to be Caribeae Beef City Swimming Carnival held in Rockhampton on October 29, 2022 and the Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Carnival held in Airlie Beach on January 21-22, 2023.

At each of these meets, Ralph broke records – a feat reserved for swimming royalty.

At Caribeae (a Central Queensland event), Ralph broke a Beef City Record for 50m backstroke – previously set at 47.99 seconds.

Ralph swam the event in 47.07 seconds. Then on the weekend just gone, Ralph shocked the local swimming community again, breaking a Swimming North Queensland record for 25m backstroke –previously set at 20.60 seconds.

Ralph swam the event in 19.79 seconds. Watch this space because Ralph will continue to be a hot topic for our Club and the Mackay Community.

We have no doubt his aspirations include a path to future Olympics.

We congratulate Ralph on such amazing achievements.

We are incredibly proud of Ralph’s swim journey and honoured to call him a Pioneer Dolphin.

Contributed by Tahnie Malagueno