The launch of the long-course season was a good one for members of the Nickel City Aquatics (NCA).

The 37 athletes on hand for the NEOR (Northeast Region) #4 Meet combined to accumulate 85 top-eight finishes, including no less than 42 of which cracked the podium with top-three placements.

Among the highlights for the NCA crew was a quartet of new swimmers who posted qualifying times that will allow them to attend the Jeno Tihanyi Long Course Championships in June, with Lauren Buchowski, Barbara Ceccon, Stephan Suorineni and Blake Gough all turning the trick.

Somewhat underaged as a nine year old in the 10 and under grouping, Matteo Ceccon still managed to register four first place finishes in his five events, while Dorothy Dong went 5/5, achieving her long-course Festival times in both the 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley.

Both Jayda Hartley and Finn Loewen laid claim to five new personal best times over the course of the weekend, with Hartley earning a top-three ribbon in every single one of her races, a feat that was also matched by NCA veteran Keegan Lepage.

Looking very strong in both the 50m and 100m freestyle events, Georgia Lepage finds herself currently ranked #1 in the region and within a second of reaching the standard for Festivals.