WASC Newsletter

No. 222 – March 2016

See full report on page 6

Important changes to training starting 6th March

Training Squad will be moving to Splash Pool in Rushden on Sundays with land

training 17:30-18:00, swim 18:00-19:00. Performance squad will do land training

18:30-19:00, swim 19:00-20:00.

Land training is now available for all squads which is an important part of training.

Swimmers will enjoy the variety of training, and will really benefit from the

strength and conditioning - remember 30mins of land training is equivalent to 60

minutes in the pool!

WASC at theWilkinson Sword Gala

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WASC Championships Details – 5th March

Swimmers and Parents: Please note the registration times:-

Session 1 – 1:30 pm to 1:45 pm.

Warm up is at 2 pm and the competition starts at 2:30 pm.

Session 2 – 5 pm to 5:15 pm.

Warm up is at 5:30 pm and the competition starts at 6 pm.

Please go to the relevant table and sign in. These will be clearly marked. Late

arrivals will not be able to compete.

If you are swimming in BOTH sessions you only need to register at 1:30 pm to 1:45

pm. You don’t need to register twice.

Spectators: Please note that the spectator entrance fee is £2 per person – children

are free. If you can bring the correct change with you it would be much appreciated.

There will be a raffle with tickets being sold at £1 per strip. The raffle will be drawn

in the evening session and the ticket numbers for any unclaimed prizes will be put

onto the WASC website.

Any donations of raffle prizes on the day would be very welcome.

In addition, we have UK Online Swimwear in the foyer who will be selling race suits,

training costumes, paddles, short fins and goggles. Payment can be made be either

cash or card.

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County Championships – Corby International Pool

Weekend One – 23rd & 24th January 2016

WASC were 77 strong at the County champs long course meet at Corby Pool. The relays

were the absolute highlight of the 2 weekends. The open girls all swam PBs in the 4 x

100 free Alice Gammon, Hannah Brown, Rhianne Morin and Cerys Walker, placing

4th. The open boys were narrowly beaten into 3rd in the 4 x 100 medley Matthew

McNicholas, Dan O’Shea, Ashley Thomasson and Finlay Goodman. The 13 years and

under teams both took the silver medals – 4x50 free girls Caitlin Kelley, Isobel Young,

Freya Batkin and Grace Hughes, and the boys 4 x 50 medley Jack Underwood, Ethan

Cook, Max Balderson and Sachin Thethy. The 4 x 200 mixed team was a quartet of

Ashley Thomasson, Alice Gammon, Cerys Walker and Finlay Goodman who took silver,

and were a strong team with the boys both clocking 2:12 and the girls 2:26. The 13 and

under boys 4 x 100 medley were 2nd Sachin Thethy, Ethan Cook, Max Balderson and

Noah Wrightson. The girls 13 and under 4 x 100 free were also 2nd Isobel Young, Freya

Batkin, Caitlin Kelley and Grace Hughes. Again the open girls were narrowly beaten

into 4th place in the 4x50 free Kiri Channer, Hannah Brown, Grace Manning and Alice

Gammon. The boys open 4 x 50 medley swam fantastically to win sivler Tom Dudley,

Dan O’Shea, Oliver Martin and Ashley Thomasson.

Special individual mentions: new recruit Harry Andrew competed and won medals in

every single event, but the 100 back was particularly spectacular where he negative split

the 100m (35.03/33.81) showing real grit and determination. Caitlin Kelley won 10

silvers and 3 bronze medals, showing depth across all disciplines and strokes over the

two weekends. Cerys Walker stepped up to the plate in the 4 x 200 free mixed relay,

smashing her PB taking one for the team there! Cerys swam 3 x 200 freestyles in one

day! Bobby Phillips was 2nd in the 200 back, Grace Hughes won the 50 free, Alice

Gammon was 2nd in the same event, Matthew McNicholas, Rhianne Morin and Ashley

Thomasson all picked up bronze medals in the finals on Saturday night. Ross Balderson

won the 50m breast in a MQT 34.61, and Finlay Goodman took bronze. Ozzie Mills

won 3rd in the 200 IM, with Bobby finishing close behind.

continued over page…….

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We train hard week in week out for these personal best times, and I am so proud of all

of you who raced at Counties. WASC are the 2nd top team in the county and looked

great in our new logo (thanks to Dan for designing!) The finals were an exciting

dynamic, and although these made the days long and tiring, everyone dug deep to swim

even faster or move up places in the finals session. We now have 16 individuals who

qualify for Regionals, with about 9 more who could make the cut! Let’s go WASC!

……continued from previous page

Medals table from weekend one

at the Counties.

Weekend Two - 6th & 7th February

Two weeks later, and WASC returned to Corby for another great weekend of racing.

The relays were very exciting with the whole WASC team standing unified in blue,

cheering. The 4 x 50 open girls medley relay Hannah Brown, Caitlin Kelley, Rhianne

Morin and Cerys Walker were 4th, and the 4 x 100 free boys were 3rd Oliver Martin,

Dan O’Shea, Finlay Goodman and Ashley Thomasson – all of whom swam under the

60 second mark! The 13 years and under teams both took silver: the boys 4 x 100 free

Max Balderson, Luca Needham, Noah Wrightson and Sachin Thethy, and the girls 4 x

50 medley Lilly Mills, Caitlin Kelley, Megan Lingard and Isobel Young.

continued over page…….

……continued from previous page

Sunday started with 13 years and under 4 x 50 free Max Balderson, Luca Needham,

Ozzie Mills and Sachin Thethy who took bronze, and the open girls were 4th in the 4 x

100 medley Hannah Brown, Alice Gammon, Rhianne Morin and Cerys Walker. The

open boys team was 3rd in the 4x 50 free Oliver Martin, Dan O’Shea, Finlay Goodman

and Ashley Thomasson and the 13 years and under girls 4 x 100 medley team was 2nd

Lilly Mills, Caitlin Kelley, Freya Batkin and Grace Hughes. The relay team places were

hotly contested and WASC have fantastic depth with swimmers stepping in last minute

and still picking up team medals. Well done everyone!

Kye Broughton won the Multi-Disability 50 free in his first time in a 50m pool in a time

of 35.77. Harry Andrew won the 400 IM 5:20.94, Ross Balderson was 2nd in the 200

breast2:57.71, and Finlay Goodman was 3rd 2:43.13 (Midlands Qualifying Time). In the

finals, Caitlin Kelley took silver in the 50m breast 39.53 and 100 back 1:18.04 and 3rd

in the 200 IM2:47.45. Marcus King 3rd 50 free 28.77 (MQT), Ashley Thomasson 3rd

50 fly 27.63, in the 100 fly Harry Andrew won 67.43 and Luke Phillips was 3rd 1:12.23,

Alice Gammon was 3rd in 100 back 1:14.35, Ross Balderson 2nd 100 breast1:20.28,

and Finlay Goodman 3rd 1:13.55 (MQT). Bobby Phillips was 3rd in the 200 free

2:55.56, with Ozzie Mills 4th 3:01.83. Harry Andrew won the 50 back 32.35, 100 free

1:02.25 and 200 free 2:15.48, Ashley was 3rd in the 50 free 25.63, Ozzie Mills was 3rd

in the 50 breast 46.00, Bobby Phillips 2nd 100 back 1:29.10, Caitlin Kelley 2nd 100

breast1:26.14, Alice Gammon was narrowly pipped to 2nd 1:24.02 (MQT), and Freya

Batkin 3rd in 200 IM2:56.17.

County Distance Champs - 13th February 2016

Well done to the six swimmers who represented WASC at the distance champs on

Saturday evening. In the 800 free, Freya Batkin 11:35.09 (14 sec PB), Chloe Hartwell

11:38.94 (19 sec PB), and Rhianne Morin having been unwell all week did a fantastic

job 11:26.38. In the 1500m, Noah Wrightson smashed his PB 24:01.28, Finlay

Goodman 19:22.80 and Ashley Thomasson 19:16.67.

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Wilkinson Sword Gala, 30th January at Corby

WASC took a full complement of swimmers to the Wilkinson Sword Gala on the 30th

January at Corby International Pool. Junior Team Manager Fiona Morin was quietly

confident and rightly so! As defending champions of the runners up shield, we fought

hard in each and every race.

The first win for WASC came from the boys 9 yeasrs 4x 25 medley team, Tyler

Hollyman, Loic Wrightson, Louis Booker, and Logan Moody. Next to claim gold was

Emilia Cieszczyk in the 9 years 50 back followed immediately by the 10 years boys

Medlay Team of Morgan Norris, Jamari Hart, Boris Pateman and Thomas James. Ozzie

Mills and Jamari Hart both won the 50m breast in the 11 years and 10 years

respectively. Emilia also won the 9 years 50m butterfly.

Each and every swimmer played a part in the team’s tremendous efforts, and these

swimmers gave it their all. Winnie Mills, Lilian Morley, Lucy Poole, Lauren Kelley,

Freya Allen, Lilly Holmes, Aimee King, Jess Lines, Elsa Morley, Holly Moultrie, Bobby

Phillips, Josh Mander and Coby Lewington.

Never has the field been so wide open! Northampton SC have won the sword (yes it is

an actual sword!) for about 38 years…but the other county clubs were very strong, and I

think next year, we might have edge! Fantastic result Fiona, swimmers and coaches,

and helpers, well done!

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Ever fancied trying Water Polo – then Northampton Water

Polo Club might be a good place to start !

If you have never seen water polo it is basically basketball, rugby and swimming in one.

You need to have a good awareness of space, your position in the pool, your speed

relative to your defender and the strength to catch and throw one handed and wrestle

with your opponent.

Northampton Water Polo Club started in 2012 and has been growing each year. They

have various teams - 3 x under 12, 2 x under 16, 1 x U21, Female and 2 x male senior and

each year they enter Regional and National tournaments.

If you need more information or plan to come and try please contact

jon@northamptonwaterpolo.co.uk or call 07718 525 607 or visit The Northampton

Water Polo website.

Consuming alcohol on swimming pool premises

During one of our recent gala’s, some WASC parents were found consuming alcohol

on the swimming pool premises. We would respectfully ask for our members to wait

until they have left the pool before drinking. Thank you for your consideration.

Rugby and Nuneaton Open Meets – Help required please

Officials and poolside helpers are needed for the Rugby and Nuneaton Open Meets.

Rugby is on the 15th / 16th / 17th April and Nuneaton is on the 2nd / 3rd April. If you

can help, please can you email Richard at Openmeet@wasc.info.

Thank you to those who have already volunteered.

What a night at the Northampton SC Pentathlon Gala – 16th January

For the second year running WASC entered the above gala held at the Corby

International Pool. Peter Thompson, Fiona Muir and myself accompanied nine

swimmers from the Training squad who had entered this competition. As the name

suggests the competition comprised 5 different events, namely 25m Fly, 50m in the

Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle and the 100m IM.

The swimmers aged between 8 & 12, albeit were a little apprehensive at the start as

this was their first gala, fully engaged with what was to come by participating in the

poolside warm up exercises followed by the warm up swim.

All the swimmers were enthusiastic giving each other support and encouragement and

it was clear to see that they were enjoying themselves. The event was well organised

with the members of Northampton Swimming Club making sure everyone was ready

for their event.

Now to the results, Kathrine Muir who has been nursing a shoulder injury over recent

weeks was determined to swim and was unlucky to finish 4th in her age group. For

the remaining swimmers 8 medals were awarded, comprising 2 gold medals, 3 silver

medals and 3 bronze medals.

Gold - Sophie Mayall (2003) and Jessie Trasler (2007).

Silver - Shelby Bamford (2004), Morgan Norris (2006) and Loic Wrightson (2007)

Bronze - Lillian Morley (2007), Louis Booker (2007) and Katie Moultrie (2008)

Congratulations to each and everyone it was a wonderful evening.

John, Peter and Fiona

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Masters News

Oops, an omission! I failed to report previously on the gritty performances of five of

our swimmers who took part in the 'Nippy Dip' races at Box End Lakes last Boxing

Day. Four took part in the 125m race, in still water, at a bracing 6 – 7º C. Whether due

to strategic positioning at the start, or just hell-bent on getting on with it, all finished

well up the field of 38 competitors. Positions as follows: Mark Reeves 2nd; Tom

Longstaff (ex-WASC) 5th; Paula Thomas 8th and Paula's partner, Colin Smith (a

confirmed non-trainer) came a creditable 12th. Wet-suited Marketa Payne took part in

the 250m race, finishing 8th in a field of 48. Well done to all.

Both in the pool and open water, plans are being hatched for the coming season.

Mean-time, Dan O'Shea, along with our Seniors (18-24 years) has been competing in

the county championships.

continued over page…….

Left to right:- Tom Longstaff, Mark Reeves, Paula Thomas and Colin Smith

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Entries for the European Masters Championships in London in May opened on 8th

January and were full within 48 hours with a 14,000 competitors cap. Clearly an

underestimate by the LEN organisers. With a revised plan, including the use of two

pools at the Olympic Park, entries have re-opened and 13 WASC Masters have signed

up to swim relays and individual events. Thanks to Chairman Craig for organizing the

former. Prior to the Europeans, several will be competing at the British Masters

Championships (Long course) at Sheffield in April.

After the recent club re-enrolment we have some 40 Masters (25 yrs+) and a dozen

Seniors on the books. Several swimmers have not re-enrolled and we wish them luck

in their future endeavours. Especial thanks to departing Vicky Jessop who, apart from

being a keen open water swimmer and Tri-Athlete, was the club's Treasurer for several

years. Vicky is now taking an interest in matters equine and has bought a horse.

To compensate for the losses we have several 'prospects' trialing us at the moment.

Training session attendances are currently going well with Saturday mornings

becoming increasingly popular. By contrast, Friday nights at Oundle (a useful long

course training facility) have only several Masters training there.

Here are some dates in the Masters calendar for consideration :-

Staffordshire Masters, Wolverhampton, 19th March

British Masters Championships (LC), Sheffield, 1st –3rd April

LEN Masters Championships, London, 25th -29th May

EMASA Masters Challenge Gala, Alfreton, Derbyshire, 12th June

Midland Open Water Championships, Bosworth, 3rd July

ASA Masters Open Water Championships, Rother Valley, 23rd July

Midland Masters Championships, Leamington, 1st & -2nd October

ASA Masters Championships (SC), Sheffield, 28th – 30th October

ASA Inter-County Competition, Rugby, 20th November

Jim Peto, Masters Coach

……continued from previous page

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Upcoming Events

Please visit the WASC Calendar on the websitefor the latest information.

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Raise funds for WASC everyday!

Please use this search engine and shop online through Easyfundraising.

Rules for all Spectators and Swimmers

The use of MOBILE PHONES including the taking of photographic images is strictly prohibited

in the changing rooms and on the poolside. At some galas, depending on promoters’ and venue

conditions, film or digital images may be taken provided the registration book at the entrance has

been completed in advance.

Useful Links and Information

WASC Head Coach: Karen - 07966 591700 / Secretary: Jean – 01933 226649

WASC Website

Swimming with ASTHMA

The problem with VERRUCAS

Taking care of your SKIN

FOOD for swimming

Child Protection

Swimline 0808 100 4001

Child Protection information and guidance about clubs’ and members’ responsibility towards

Children and young people in the sport.

Signposting Help Desk - email signposting@swimming.org

NSPCC Adult Helpline - Tel: 0808 800 5000

Child Line: Tel: 0800 1111

CYBER BULLYING & online safety: Kidscape / ANTI-BULLYING helpline for parents 08451 205 204

DRUGS banned in sport which can include prescription and over the counter drugs and remedies.

WASC Sponsors

Impact Recruitment Services - Tel: 01604 239555

Just Racing UK - Tel: 01933 353 216

KDK Business Consultancy Limited - Tel: 01933 228091

WASC is run by volunteers and seeks support from parents, friends and local

companies. Please contact our Secretary if you would like to join our

volunteers or business sponsors.