David Curtiss And Ashley Twichell Highlight TAC Titans Blizzard Blitz

2023 TAC Titans Blizzard Blitz

• December 7-10, 2023
• Triangle Aquatic Center, Cary, NC
• SCY (25 yards)
• MM: “2023 TAC Titans Blizard Blitz Meet”

Some of the top swimmers along the East Coast competed earlier this month in Cary, North Carolina. Highlighting the meet was David Curtiss on the men’s side and Ashley Twichell on the women’s side. Both swimmers train out of Cary with the TAC Titans.

After leaving NC State this fall, David Curtiss has joined the TAC Titans to train ahead of the Olympic Year. Last weekend, Curtiss won the 50 freestyle in a 19.16. His best time in the event stands at a 18.74 from 2022 ACCs. He has been under the 19 second mark seven times over his career, so he was just off of that here. His 50 free was also faster here than it was in the middle of November as he swam a 19.59 then. In addition to the 50 free, Curtiss also swam the 100 fly posting a new personal best of 47.90 in prelims before scratching the event in finals.

Coming off of gold at the Pan Am Games in the 10K Open Water event, Ashley Twichell won the 1650 freestyle in Cary. Twichell posted a time of 15:52.61. She has not competed in the event since 2020 when she swam a 15:47.96. Her best time in the event is from 2019 when she swam a 15:30.95.

14 year old Carolin He of TAC Titans won four 13-14 events at the meet. Her biggest swims came in the 200 breast and 400 IM as she swam personal bests in both events. She swam a 2:17.57 in the 200 breast, a best by half a second, and a 4:26.53 in the 400 IM, a best time by over four seconds.

Ivy League Champion and Princeton graduate Nikki Venema of Tide Swim Team won all five of her individual events. She won the 50 free in a 22.85, the 100 free in a 48.86, and the 200 free in a 1:46.06. She also swept the fly events swimming a 53.51 in the 100 and a 1:58.98 in the 200. Her 200 fly was a personal best and her first time under the 1:59 mark.

On the boys side of the meet, 14 year old Aidin Muminovic highlighted the 13-14 age group winning five individual events. Muminovic swam best times in almost all of his races. He dropped over two seconds in the 200 free to swim a 1:41.25, over a second in the 100 fly to break the 50 second barrier posting a 49.85, and swam a 21.38 in the 50 free, also a best time. He also dropped over a second in the 100 free to swim a 46.25. His final win was in the 200 IM as he swam a 1:57.41.

Other highlights include:

• 15 year old Ryan Quinn of SJAC won the boys 15&Over 100 fly in a 48.33. Quinn had not been under the 50 second mark coming into the meet.
• 2024 Olympic Trials qualifier David Wahlen won the 15&Over 100 back in a 47.16 and swam a personal best in the 200 back with a 1:44.55
• 13 year old Lane Francis of NOVA of Virginia won the 13-14 200 back in a 2:00.05, a best time by over two and a half seconds
• Shelby Hutchinson of SJAC (13 years old) posted a best time in the 100 back of a 56.10, a best time by a second and a half