UKIAH, Calif. – Ten members of the Lake County Channel Cats swim team braved the blisteringly hot temperatures in Ukiah last weekend to compete in a swim meet hosted by the Ukiah Dolphins.

The meet drew swimmers from all over California and was a highly competitive event.

According to Agustin Merodio, “This meet was a real success for our core competitive swimmers because every single swimmer, every one, achieved at least one new personal best time.”

He added, “This signifies their determination at practice and their drive to improve their skills. I was quite proud of all of them.”

Tanya Vasquez, 11, the youngest Channel Cat at the meet, swam a personal best in the 25 yard Freestyle and finished as high as 8th in the 100 Back.

Danielle Erickson, 13, achieved personal best times in the 200 Freestyle and the 100 Breast and finished as high as eighth in the 200 Freestyle.

Nicole Hanson, 14, swam a personal best in the 500 yard Freestyle and finished as high as third in the 100 Butterfly.

Lauren Rudnick, 14, accomplished “A” times in all of her events, swam personal bests in the 50 Free, 200 Free and 100 Back and swam to 1st place victories in all of these events as well as the 200 Backstroke.

Iris Vasquez, 16, swam a personal best in the 100 Freestyle and finished second in that event.

Sarah Merodio, 17, swimming in her last meet as a Channel Cat, accomplished a personal best in the 100 Breaststroke event and finished in 1st place in all events she swam. Sarah will be leaving soon to swim at Monmouth College in Illinois. The Channel Cats wish Sarah the very best and look forward to following her swim achievements while she is at college.

For the boys, Nick Dobusch,13, swam four personal bests in the 500 Freestyle, 50 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle and 100 Butterfly events – while also receiving 4 first-place victories in these events.

“Nick has been swimming incredibly strong in practice and that effort is paying off at the meets,” Merodio said.

Diego Tejeda, 15, swam personal bests in every event he entered – scoring a first place victory in the 100 Butterfly event.

Owen Lawler, 15, swam personal bests in the 100 Freestyle, 100 Butterfly and 200 IM and finished 1st in the 200 IM event.

Tim Peterson, 15, swam personal bests in five different events and received four 1st place victories in the 100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke and 100 Breast events.

The Lake County Channel Cats will be wrapping up their summer season at the end of August and will start a fall program in September.

For more information on joining the Channel Cats, call 707-263-3131.