YMCA Sending 16 Central Bucks Swimmers to Nationals

DOYLESTOWN - River Crossing YMCA has announced they are sending 16 qualifying Central Bucks Region (CBR) Barracuda swimmers to the national YMCA swim competition in Greensboro, NC.

Grace Petrakis, a senior at Central Bucks East H.S., achieved the top seed nationally in the 200-meter individual medley for the CBR Barracudas. Petrakis and her teammates will compete for national titles Mar. 30-Apr. 3 at the YMCA National Short Course Swimming Championship being held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

“I am very excited to swim with all of my teammates this week and hope that they can have a very joyous experience at YMCA Nationals,” shared Petrakis, who has previously been to national YMCA swim competition. “It’s always a very fun meet to compete at, and I hope my last one can be very memorable for both the team and myself.”

The CBR team’s head coach, John Foff III, shared that along with Petrakis, Gavin Allen, Lizzy Downey, Enna Durant, Eliot Foff, Louden Foff, Karl Linde, Richard Mahony, Cami Martin, Colleen Moore, Cameron O'Neill, Alex Pliss, Maisey Shaffer, Tori Sipperly, Luke Tomlinson and Ella Worby will represent the Barracudas in individual and team events at the competition. Worby, Moore, Martin and Eliot Foff all achieved individual national qualifying times, while the other athletes qualified as part of the relay team. Foff noted that the team will be competing in nine of the ten relay races happening at this year’s national competition, the most in recent team history. The CBR Barracudas practice at the Doylestown branch of River Crossing YMCA.

“I’m incredibly proud of our athletes heading into nationals this year,” Foff said. “They work very hard to get here, and we can’t thank our coaches and parent volunteers enough for all the support they provide to make it happen.”

CBR Barracuda accomplishments leading up to qualifying for nationals include placing second at the YMCA PA Eastern District championship meet for the second consecutive year, and third in state competition. Ella Worby won the PA state championship in both the 100m and 200m backstroke events.

The annual national YMCA swim competition brings together more than 1,200 elite YMCA swimmers, ages 12–21, for five days of competition across 38 individual and relay events. More 
than 30 YMCA championship alumni have gone on to compete in the Olympics, many earning medals and global recognition. This year’s event will feature notable alumni and leaders in the

swimming community. Expected attendees include U.S. National Team Member, Skylar Smith, who will be the guest speaker at the athlete dinner on March 30. The YMCA will also be honoring 
the first class of the YMCA Swimming Hall of Fame and YMCA Swimmer of the Year, Thomas Heilman.

Photo caption: Top row: Grace Petrakis, Maisey Shaffer, Tori Sipperly, Enna Durant, Cameron O'Neill, Richard Mahony, Louden Foff
Bottom Row: Ella Worby, Cami Martin, Lizzy Downey, Eliot Foff, Alex Pliss