The men’s and women’s swim teams won’t be facing the harsh Midwestern weather this holiday season.

The teams will be traveling to Fort Lauderdale, Fla,. for a 10-day training and competition session known as the College Swim Forum.

“It is kind of a training trip. There is some competition there,” head coach Ray Padovan said.

Over 2,000 swimmers and divers will attend the forum for intense training and to have a little competition, Padovan said. Eastern’s teams will not be competing in many competitions so they can concentrate on the training.

Since the swimmers do not have classes to worry about during the trip, Padovan said he is having them do four hours of practice every day.

Padovan has been bringing the swim teams to the forum for over 20 years and has always found it to be helpful.

“We train hard, we come back, and we see people going to the next level,” Padovan said.

While the trip to Florida is not mandatory because students cover part of the cost themselves. Padovan said it is an important trip, since they only have six weeks of competition left when they return from winter break.

The competitions at the forum will be for both swimmers and divers and will include a mile ocean swim.

The men’s (4-2-1) and women’s (5-2) teams will be going to the competition with one more win under their belts.

Both teams were able to swim past Butler Monday, with the men’s team finishing 162-84 and the women’s team finishing 160-84.

Judging by the previous meet times of Butler’s team, Padovan said the Eastern team was expecting a win.

“Butler was not as strong of a team,” Padovan said.

Senior Josh Kercheval finished first in two events for the men’s team, winning the 200 back (2:00.55) and 400 IM (4:11.73).

Junior Jordan Sherbrook led the women’s team by winning three individual events. Sherbrooke finished first in the 1,000 freestyle (10:57.72) 100 breast (1:10.97) and the 200 breast (2:33.51).