Bears Finish Out 2021 In Style

BERKELEY – In what has become an end-of-the-year tradition for the Golden Bears, the Cal women's swim team hosted its final meet of 2021 with a series of rare and unusual events Saturday morning at Legends Aquatic Center. With UC San Diego as the opponent for the non-scoring competition, races included such events as the 300-yard backstroke relay, the 600-yard freestyle and the 300-yard individual medley in which strokes could be swum in any order.
 
The eight individual races produced eight different winners, all from Cal. Ayla Spitz took the 600 free relay in 5:56.85, with Elise Garcia prevailing in the 150 free (1:20.90) and Isabel Ivey winning the 300 IM (3:07.59). The 50 free featured back-to-back races one minute apart, and the person with the lowest combined time was the winner. Freshman McKenna Stone claimed the title in 48.22.
 
The others to reach the wall first were Alicia Wilson (150 fly, 1:28.47), Annika McEnroe (150 back (1:28.82), Rachel Klinker (300 free, 2:54.83) and Maddie Ward (150 breast, 1:40.55).
 
The meet concluded with the 250-yard relay, which consisted of legs of 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards, and teams could go in any order they chose. The Cal squad of Wilson, Ivey, Garcia and Ema Rajic came through in first with a time of 2:01.43.
 
The Bears return to action after the start of the year when they host San Jose State at noon on Jan. 17.