Montreal – The largest Masters swim meet in Canada in 2006 featured four national records and swimmers doubling as volunteers to ensure the first inaugural Outgames ran smoothly.

Mark Gallop of Montreal A Contre Courant (MACC) organized his swimming so he swam on four days and volunteered on another two at the aquatic events of the Outgames. The swimming events were spread over six days and swimmers limited to a maximum of six individual events. “So many people I knew had put in hundreds of volunteer hours. I felt I wanted to take the opportunity to do my small bit for the cause.”

The Outgames grew out of a conflict and, ultimately, a nasty split in the organization of the Gay Games. The Gay Games were held almost at the same time in Chicago as the Montreal event.

For Gallop, a lot of the negative emotion had faded once the Outgames were underway. “Apart from the occasional competitor who was also in Chicago and provided commentary on that experience, everyone was happy to bask in the great Montreal atmosphere.”

In the end, the Games were about the athletes. In the Olympic Pool from the 1976 Games, four Canadian Masters records and one world Masters record were set, including a don’t try this time without training 100m backstroke record from Mark Tewksbury of MACC.

Tewksbury, 38, swam 1:01.8 (splits 30.12, 31.68). The world record in his age group is 59.91, set in 2000 by Eric Ericson of the U.S. Tewksbury was also juggling roles as the Games co-president and celebrity spokesman, not to mention his status as the 1992 Olympic 100m backstroke champion.

In his marquee 100m backstroke event, with a post race scrum that resembled an Olympic final, Tewksbury edged out Daniel Veatch, 41, of the U.S., who represented University of San Francisco Masters Swim Club. Veatch swam 1:03.58. They had competed against each other in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. For a clip of the Tewksbury-Veatch race, please see:

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Veatch dominated the 200 metre backstroke, however, setting a new world record of 2:14.83. The previous record was 2:15.49 for the men’s 40-44 division.

As well, two Canadian records were set in the lead-off backstroke legs of the 4 x 50 metre medley relays. Tewksbury swam 28.46 (men’s 35-39) while Kate Moore of Toronto’s Downtown Swim Club clocked 33.81 (women’s 40-44). Other individual national records were set by Gilles Beaudin of the Vancouver-based English Bay Swim Club in 2:55.63 for the 200 metre breaststroke (men’s 50-54) and Ken Ransom of MACC in 6:37.90 for the 400 metre individual medley (men’s 60-64). MACC also added five relay records to the national record books.

The inaugural Outgames attracted over 12,000 athletes from 111 countries, competing in 25 different sports and games. The 2nd World Outgames are scheduled for 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark.