USSR will be different second time around

It’s a very different Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that Old Town-Orono YMCA swim coach Norm Palmer will visit this fall than the one he left behind a year ago.

Returning to Russia as part of a three-year exchange program through the state YMCAs and the Bridges for Peace program, Palmer and Kennebec Valley YMCA girls swim coach Vicki Bernier will take 10 Maine swimmers to Syktyvkar in Komi Province, where they will compete with teams from Germany and Canada, and four from the Soviet Union. The Maine swimmers constitute the USA team.

The group leaves Boston Nov. 23 and arrives in Moscow the next day. The “International Swim Cup Competition of the Sport Club-Olymp” will be held Nov. 29 through Dec. 1. The following day the group will fly to Zurich, Switzerland, and spend two days before returning to Boston on Dec. 6.

The swimmers are housed with local families in Skytyvkar. Palmer recently heard from the people with whom he stayed during his first visit. “They said if I thought the food situation was bad last year, I should see it now,” he reported. “It’s just a shame what hardships they’re going through. They’re such a great people.”

Old Town-Orono YMCA Director Doug Springer said the swimmers representing the USA will include the three Old Town High School boys swim team captains and a swimmer from Bangor High School. The Old Town captains are distance/freestyler Shawn Talon and breaststroke/individual medley swimmers Brian Talon and Brett Stoyell. Bangor High junior Cate Splane swims the breaststroke and freestyle events.

A male and female swimmer will represent the Piscataquis Regional YMCA in Dover-Foxcroft. Andrea Barr is a 14-year-old from Millinocket who commutes to Dover-Foxcroft daily to swim in that program, and Kelly McKenney is a freshman at Foxcroft Academy.

Katie Swan will represent the Portland YMCA. Emily Anderson and Todd Boutin swim with the Auburn-Lewiston YMCA, and Seth Thornton and Dan Noblet for the Kennebec Valley YMCA.

“I’m very excited about going back a second year,” Palmer said. “I made numerous friends there, and it’s going to be great taking a different group of kids.”

The Russian swimmers return the visit next April. That two-day meet will be held at Bates College in Lewiston.

One interesting aspect of this exchange is a direct result of the recent political events in Russia.

“As communism dwindles away,” Springer said, “the area sports complexes won’t be run by the government. We’ve talked with people over there and are offering to help them become a YMCA. In April, when the Russians come here, we’re hoping to have someone stay for three months to learn about our YMCAs and how they function; then I’m hoping to go there and spend time helping them get organized.

“Their present sports complex and our YMCAs are parallel organizations in that they offer gymnastics, track, and weightlifting in addition to swimming in their 50-meter pool,” he said.