Wolverines Turn Up the Fun at Water Carnival

Saturday, September 30

Ann Arbor, Mich.

11:00 AM

Michigan

Michigan Water Carnival

9/30/2017 2:39:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving

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By: Brad Rudner

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Canham Natatorium)
Event: Michigan Water Carnival
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., Oct. 13-14 -- at SMU Classic (Dallas, Texas), TBA

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's and women's swimming and diving programs brought the fun to Canham Natatorium on Saturday (Sept. 30), hosting the Michigan Water Carnival alongside Oakland and Calvin College.

"The whole point of this meet is to have fun, and show how enjoyable these sports can be," said head swimming and diving coach Mike Bottom. "Our team was looking forward to this all week, and I think they'll be begging to bring it back next year."

Kicking off the competition was the cannonball contest featuring Bottom, head baseball coach Erik Bakich and even a surprise attempt from head football coach Jim Harbaugh, who upped both of them by doing a jackknife off the five-meter platform.

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Jim Harbaugh with solid form, but questionable attire off the platform (via @umichswimdive) pic.twitter.com/E3Bh3vw4Ce
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 30, 2017

Opposing coaches from Oakland and Calvin College also participated, getting rousing cheers from their own teams, while Harbaugh, head women's basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico and new head women's lacrosse coach Hannah Nielsen were on the judging panel.

Longtime former diving coach Dick Kimball took over from there and stole the show as he always does. Alongside current members of the team and current diving coach Mike Hilde, the 81-year old Kimball put on his patented clown diving show, utilizing costumes and props (including a bicycle) off both springboard and platform.

There were eight swimming events going on concurrently in the competition pool. Individual winners included Will Roberts in the 300-yard butterfly with fins (2:43.60), Jon Burkett in the 50-yard freestyle underwater with fins (17.89), Jacob Montague in the 100-yard IM (51.83) and Charlie Swanson in the 300-yard IM (2:56.76). Paul Powers got the last laugh in the 50-yard freestyle knockout, outlasting James Peek (9.17/9.58).