CONTRIBUTED PHOTO For the 16th year in a row, the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA has sponsored the Y State Swimming Championship, which will be held all-day Saturday and Sunday. A total of 435 girls will compete on Saturday and 421 boys will compete on Sunday. Marshalltown swimmers: front row: Sam Greazel, Nick Wise, Maisie Gummert, Alayna Frederick, Isabelle Boone, Faye Gilbertson, Addison Elmore, Cully Elmore, Luis Manuel Calderon. Middle row: Celci Waltermire, Lesli Waltermire, Charlie Gilbertson, Michael Lechnir, Adam Boone, Noah DeSotel, Joe Greazel, Asher DeSotel, Erin Stanley, Harper Wilson, Riley Robinson, Averie Wittkop, Samantha Propp, Jacob Seberger. Top row: Dane Petty, Beckham DeSotel. Not pictured: Jack Nelson, JP Jones, Cohen Thatcher, Alexis Crouch and Elise Imsland.

For the 16th year in a row, the Marshalltown YMCA-YWCA will host the Y State Swimming Championship, which has attendance of 2,000 people over the two-day event. It kicks off Saturday morning.

A total of 435 girls from around Iowa will compete on Saturday and 421 boys from all over Iowa will compete on Sunday. Twenty-six Marshalltown Blue Wave Swimmers will be competing in the Division 3 (mid-size) team race, with 38 individual races and 11 relays that have qualified. Thirty Marshalltown youth in totality qualified, but not all were able to participate in the championship.

Aquatics Director Shelley Lechnir said the youth have been hard at work for the past six months training for the big weekend. Two swimmers, Lesli Waltermire and Charlie Gilbertson, have been named Blue Wave Iowa All Stars.

“They excel in a healthy living style, social responsibility and also youth development,” Lechnir said.

Waltermire, 12, has been swimming for half her life. She said earning the honor of All Star makes her feel more a part of the team.

“I try to come to all the practices and I practice some weekends by myself,” Waltermire said.

A major undertaking, 150 people volunteer their time to ensure the two-day event runs smoothly.

The lap pool and recreation pool will be closed all day Saturday and Sunday to accomodate the championship. The gym will be closed Friday from 7 p.m. to close and all day Saturday and Sunday.

“(Marshalltown swimmers) are in almost every event over the two days,” Lechnir said.

The Y is always eager to spotlight its Linda Bloom Natatorium swimming facility and show its support of these young swimmers.

“We send in a bid letter to the Iowa Executive Swimming Committee — we don’t charge to host this meet — which is something the committee likes,” Lechnir said. “We do this because we love it and it’s good for Marshalltown. We have a beautiful facility, so why not show it off?”

Admission is free. Doors open at 7 a.m. with the meet beginning at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. A Parade of Athletes will take place at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.

For more information, Lechnir may be reached at shelley.lechnir@ymca-ywca.org

Economic impact

Marshalltown CVB Director Val Ruff said the championship makes an important contribution to Marshalltown’s economy. “How we calculate this is through the Regional Sports Authority Grant,” Ruff said. “The simplest calculator to use is to take your average daily attendance: participants, coaches/staff, spectators and volunteers, then multiply it by the number of days and then multiply that total by $142.” An estimated 2,000 people attending the championship over the course of the two days at the rate of spending approximately $142 per day amounts to $568,000 flowing into the community. “These are people eating in our restaurants, getting gas in their cars, shopping, staying in hotels, etc.,” Ruff said.

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at 641-753-6611

or sjordan@timesrepublican.com