Landis wins Elk Lake swim race

Tom Landis won yet more races at Elk Lake last month. photo courtesy of Dean Potter.

Camp Sherman's Tom Landis notched three wins at Elk Lake last month.

Competing in the Masters 5,000-meter Open Water National Championships, held the last weekend in July, Landis took first place in the 60-64 age group with a winning time of 1:12:58.

Thirteen states sent over 150 swimmers to the competition with Virginia being the furthest state competing in the championship weekend.

Besides his 5,000-meter win, Landis also took first place in the 1,500-meter race and 500-meter time trial at the weekend events and the overall championship with three wins in three races.

"The water was 72 degrees," said Landis. "This is the warmest I've ever seen at Elk Lake."

Landis swims with COMA (Central Oregon Masters Aquatics) and trains at the Juniper swim pool in Bend. There are over 100 COMA members in the program.

"I enjoy swimming in my age group, with good competition and also competing with the younger swimmers," said Landis.

"I'm a role model for the younger guys on our team and enjoy that job."

Landis has been a busy swimmer over the summer having gone five-for-five with victories at Applegate Lake (200-, 400-, 800-, 1,500- and 3,000-meter races) earlier in the summer.

He also won the 10K Portland pool race and the 200-meter Corvallis pool meet, setting state and northwest zone records in the event.

Landis also scored state and zone records in the state July games held in Portland for the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley (freestyle, breaststroke, back, butterfly) events.

"I'm trying new events to see how well I can do," said the gifted freestyle champion.

Tom was also on the relay team that set a National record at Mt. Hood Community College this summer.

Tom and his wife Madeleine are presently vacationing in the Sierras on a backpacking trip.

He'll be back in action for the Sisters High Cascades Off-Road Triathlon (mountain biking, running, swimming) at Suttle Lake on Sunday, September 7.