Saratoga News Photograph by George Sakkestad West Valley Swim Club stars Tracy Kinsch (left) and Jancy Thompson each placed at the prestigious Far Western Long Course Swimming Championships. Kinsch, Thompson among swimming's 'best of best' By Dick Sparrer The meet was for the "Best of the West," and West Valley Swim Club members Tracy Kinsch and Jancy Thompson proved to be among the best of the best. Kinsch and Thompson finished among the top placers at the Far Western Long Course Swimming Championships held recently at the Cowell Community Swim Center in Concord. The 18-year-old Kinsch, competing in her last Far Western, breezed to victories in the 100-meter breastroke in 1:15.14 and the 200 breast in 2:44.74. Kinsch, a former Prospect swim star, ranks second in each event on the Pacific Swimming Top 10 list. Thompson, 16, was fourth in the 400-meter freestyle in 4:36.29 and fifth in both the 400 individual medley in 5:19.43 and the 200 free in 2:11.29. Thompson is a junior at Mitty. Rachel Stratton, Lisa Cristol and Aleshia Reutlinger were other stars for the West Valley Swim Club in the recently completed summer season. Stratton is a former Los Gatos High star who is now at West Valley Community College, and Cristol is a senior starring for the girls water polo team at Los Gatos. The three swimmers were all named to the Pacific Swimming All-Star team. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, October 28, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.