Prep swimming: CIF swim prelims today

BELMONT SHORE - Newport-Mesa District boys and girls swimmers will

be among those competing for berths in the CIF Southern Section Division

Finals, when preliminaries begin today at Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool.

Division I hopefuls, including Newport Harbor High boys standout Aaron

Peirsol and top Sailor girls, Nicole Mackey and Carly Geehr, will begin

pursuit of one of eight berths in the championship finals, when prelims

begin at 10 a.m.

The Division II prelims, including swimmers from Corona del Mar and Costa

Mesa, start at 4:30 p.m.

In addition to eight spots in the championship finals, eight swimmers,

and/or relay teams, will qualify for a consolation final in each

division.

The Division I Finals are scheduled Friday at 6 p.m., with the Division

II Finals set for Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Both are at the same site.

Peirsol is the defending Division I champion in the 100-yard backstroke.

Geehr, a sophomore, set Division III records en route to titles in the

200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle last spring, representing

Mayfield High of Pasadena.