Winsford Swimming Club

On Saturday 24th June Winsford Swim Team took 12 swimmers to the Salford Quays to race in the annual North West Open Water Championships.  The standard and number of competitors each year gets higher and larger, with swimmers travelling from all over the North West of England.  In previous years we have done superbly well but I think this year has been our most successful to date.  The reason being we had swimmers battling out at the front of the packs in each and every single age and distance accumulating in 11 of our swimmers picking up a top 3 place, and gaining a place at the National Open Water Championships at Rother Valley in Sheffield in early August.  It was fantastic to see us picking up so many medals and gaining a National slot but for me it was wonderful to see all of our swimmers competing and racing with such tremendous skill, determination and fight.  Open Water requires great fitness, skill, tactics, preparation and most of all a positive mental attitude and our swimmers had a superb attitude all day.  All swimmers did fantastically well but I would like to mention Theo Oliver, Alex Clarke and Jonny Mullett for whom this was their first taste of the Regional Open Water Championships, from what I could see all loved the new experience, Well Done.  
I know even more of our swimmers will take up the challenge of open water swimming next season and race in the picturesque Salford Quays at the North West Regional championships. 

The results were as follows:

Lottie Howman (13) GOLD North West, GOLD Cheshire
Abbie Christopherson (14) GOLD North West, GOLD Cheshire

Theo Oliver (12) SILVER North West, GOLD Cheshire
Rory Armitt (13) SILVER North West, GOLD Cheshire
Oscar Jolliffe (13) BRONZE North West. SILVER Cheshire
Alex Clarke (13) 4th North West, BRONZE Cheshire
Jonny Mullett (14) SILVER North West, GOLD Cheshire

Alissa Blackshaw (15) GOLD North West, GOLD Cheshire
Abbey Brown (15) BRONZE North West, SILVER Cheshire

Henry Oliver (15) BRONZE North West, GOLD Cheshire

Alex Moss (16) SILVER North West, GOLD Cheshire

Becky Alderman (19+) GOLD North West, GOLD Cheshire

With the Top 3 in the North West region gaining a place at the National Open Water Championships, Winsford Swim Team now have a fantastic 11 swimmers qualified for the open water and now a total of 16 swimmers competing at either the British Summer Championships, Home Nation Summer Championships and/or National open Water Championships.  An incredible achievement and thoroughly deserved for our swimmers and club, Well Done to all swimmers who wear the famous orange. Dan.