Meet report by Ian Hampton
We had ten swimmers who headed to the NSW Relay Championships on 3 July 2011. In 2010, our Vikings team did really well at this meet last year which was long course and included 4x200m relays. The meet has a good vibe and this year we were keen to do well in a short course format meet in the SOPAC diving pool.
This year, the meet consisted of relays for male, female and mixed teams of 4 x 100m Freestyle and Medley, 4 x 50m Freestyle and Medley, and 4 x 25m Freestyle and Medley. With ten swimmers, we entered eleven relays, meaning everyone had at least four swims and four of the stalwart “girls” had five swims. There were a lot of excellent efforts and swims and overall this was a meet with a good team atmosphere – everyone “had a real go”.
Overall our team did just great – finishing 12th overall out of 17 clubs with 187 points. The meet was won by Warringah Club who had 46 swimmers and scored 856 points. Our club finished 5th overall in terms of points/swimmer.
Some observations on a good overall effort by each of our swimmers:
Being a relay meet – it is ALL for the team and some swimmers were asked to swim outside of their normal “comfort zone” – congratulations to Caroline Makin swimming 100m Breaststroke in 1:35.92 and Luke McGowan leading off the mixed 4x100m Freestyleteam in 1:07.88. Thanks go to Ann Reid who put in five freestyle legs on the day including two 100m efforts of 1:19.55 and 1:19.78.
Kristen Leydon had good swims all day including a lead off 50m Backstroke in 45.89
Philippa Rickard -swam a great butterfly and freestyle legs throughout the day including a 100m Butterfly in 1:14.54 and anchor leg in the women’s 160+ 4x100 Freestyle in 1:07.32.
David Bale put in a PB in a lead-off 50m Freestyle in 30.97.
Watching Atsuko McGowan swim backstroke is worth the price of admission – grace and seemingly effortless pace. Atsuko also put in a fine lead-off leg in the women’s 160+ 4x100m Freestyle in 1:13.22.
Pam Munday swam a nice 50m Breaststroke in 46.88s and iron woman swim of 1:39.03s over 100 fly in the last relay of the day. Look for Pam to become our first World top ten swimmer – for her 200m butterfly win at the National Championships in Perth.
Annette Britten had not been well all week – nevertheless put in 4 solid swims including 100m Freestyle in 1:19.61s.
Ian Hampton took notice of some freestyle coaching provided by Annette in the warm-up, to put in a 50m Freestyle leg of 33.88.
Vikings Team at NSW Relay Champs 2011
… and some awsesome overall relay team performances:
Tattersalls Club men’s 200+ 4x100m Freestyle team set a new WORLD RECORD of 3:48.95 including a lead-off leg of 1:04.37 by 65 year-old Alan Brown, and with last leg by ex-Olympian Chris Fydler in 50.20!!!
Our own Vikings 160+ Mixed 4x25m Freestyle team of David Bale, Kristen Leydon, Ann Reid and Luke McGowan also “broke-the-minute” with 59.73.
Another wonderful relay was our girls putting on a “clinic” to win the 160+ 4×100 medley relay by 6 seconds in 5:31.31 – as follows: Atsuko McGowan – 100m Backstroke 1:21.07; Caroline Makin – 100m Breaststroke 1:35.92; Philippa Rickard -100m Butterfly 1:14.54; Ann Reid – 100m Freestyle 1:19.78.
Another first place by our 200+ Mixed 4x100m medley team who won in 5:51.07, as follows: Caroline Makin – 100m Backstroke 1:28.64; Ian Hampton – 100m Breaststroke 1:34.18; Pam Munday -100m Butterfly 1:39.03; Luke McGowan – 100m Freestyle 1:09.22.
Full results for the Masters Swimming NSW Relay Meet are up on the Masters Swimming NSW website at www.aussimastswimnsw.org.au.
