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Perpetually claiming to be 39, Jack Benny would have failed miserably at it. o _ But 50â€"yearâ€"old Kay Easun swears by it, 35â€"yearâ€"old Olenka Graham is enjoying it like never before, and thousands of others in Canada and the United States are taking to it like (groooan) fish to water. Perhaps because it provides the chance to be Saturday‘s hero regardless of one‘s talent level, the Masters Swim Program is taking root across the continent. Local devotees had their first chance to sing their song last weekend when the inaugural Kâ€"W Masters Swim Invitational was staged at Waterloo Family Y pool, and as greybeards compared stopwatches, spectators shreiked encouragment and clubmates needled each other‘s efforts, it quickly became obvious that the Masters Program is not only here to stay for a long time, but also a good time. The numbers, especially locally, are not overwhelmâ€" ing, but certainly representative of a genuine interest in the sport. According to Easun, chairman of the Ontario Masters Swimmers Committee, there are some 10,000 Masters registered officially across the United States. She estimates the Canadian contingent at about oneâ€"tenth of that, but growing,. especially here in Ontario where meets and programs have encouraged swimmers to come out of the woodwork. Or wherever. At the Kâ€"W level, there are three pockets of Master swimmers, who for informal meets must be at least 20 years of age, but for recognized competitions must be 25. The Region of Waterloo Swim Club has a somewhat low profile group, while the Waterioo Y and Kitchener Forest Heights Masters programs boast combined memberâ€" ships of approximately 40 swimmers, half of whom swim competitively. Forest Heights and Family Y jointly sponsored Friday‘s firstâ€"ever Masters competition here in the Twin Cities, and it appears the love affair will be blossoming into a full amailgamation later this year to afford members the opportunity of increased pool time each week at the two facilities. "With the Masters program, you have two levels, the participation level for those just interested in swimming and keeping in shape, and then there are those interested in competing," said Graham, one of the founding members of the Y Masters program three years ago this past January. ‘"That‘s one of the main reasons we ran this meet last Friday, to expose some swimmers to the type of competition we have, those people who otherwise might be too timid to go to meets say in Toronto."‘ Though the competition factor is evident, there is no need for any swimmer to feel intimidated, according to Easun, a competitor at the 1950 British Empire Games in New Zealand, and threesport Hall of Famer at University of Western Ontario ‘‘That‘s the main thing we emphasize, in these type of meets you don‘t swim according to age groups, but according to your swim time," said the effervescent Although last Friday‘s Kâ€"W Master Swimâ€" mers‘ Invitational had lots of competition to offer, witness Cynthia Walker of (top) and J. Fink {right) in the 50m freestyle event, it is also a family fun and social event, as Karen Campbell and eightâ€"monthâ€"old daughter Sheri would testifty to as they tak in the action cheering for Cambfldgz Aquatic Club. Forget the golf tournament, these Masters like Cynthia Walker are in the swim ... Thornhill resident, a member of the North York Masters club. ""So many of these races you‘ll see 20â€"yearâ€"olds swimming against 30â€"yearâ€"olds because they all have comparative times. That way everyone‘s close in competition and nobody feels badly about finishing way behind." _ In officiallyâ€"sanctioned competitions, swimmers are grouped according to fiveâ€"year age increments, for example 30â€"34, 45â€"49, and so on. No wonder both Easun, at RICK CAMPBELL WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1982 â€" PAGE 21 50, and Graham, at 35 are tickled pink about not only competing this year, but also about freely divulging their age, a trait seldom seen among the fairer sex. _ _ ‘‘Sure, I‘m 35, I just turned 35 and it‘s been the biggest bonus for me since I started (with the program)," said Graham in a phone interview from her Waterloo phone Monday. "Last year I was 34 swimming against 30â€"yearâ€"olds, now I‘m competing (in official meets) against 39â€"yearâ€"olds. It‘s been a sort of ego trip, I guess." Officials of Friday‘s meet were surprised with the turnout, considering the weekend date and the fact the Ontario championships just recently concluded at University of Toronto. Nearly 100 took part as actual numbers swelled at meet time from those estimated, but events went off quickly without a hitch. Prevalent throughout was an infectious camaraderie that Easun predicts is bound to catch on within every club. "I‘ve been five years with the program, I was feeling out of shape, just feeling terrible and knew I had to do something, said Easun, who started in university in basketball and volleyball as well as swimming. ‘"These competitions are just a spinoff of the fitness level one develops over d period of time, they‘re a measure of fitness, a measure of performance not against others, but against yourself. a a alata tanel2"a acain