Winsford Swimming Club

Hen Chick kicked us off on Day #1 with the 200FL.  Having qualified 78th out of 79 athletes Hen
was determined to improve her standing despite struggling with illness the weeks prior, taking it
out fast, leaving the rest of her heat in her wake and getting the commentator really excited. 
She held on for a new lifetime PB despite an abundance of lactic acid hurting the last 50 and
moved up the rankings from 78th to 45th overall (22nd out of the Juniors). The Junior Final is
firmly in her sights for next year.

Siena Oxby also started her campaign on Day #1 and had a fantastic week despite also
struggling with illness prior. She swam wonderful PB’s over the week and made the MC A Final
in both 100m Breaststroke and 100m Freestyle and the MC B Final in the 200IM. The highlight
of the week was the 100m Breastroke, Siena stormed it finishing 2nd out of the S14 category
and 6th overall out of all MC’s. Well done on an incredible week and we look forward to having
you race Regionals with us this weekend.

Kate Schillinger started her campaign on Day #2.  Last year Kate had been unfortunate with the
seeding in the 100BK, effectively swimming on her own and just missing the Junior Final. So
with unfinished business to attend to this year she promptly dropped 2 seconds off her 100BK
entry time to qualify for the A Final. In 3rd place. In the lane next to Lauren Cox.  That’s a string
of sentences you don’t get to write very often.  She matched her heat time in the final to finish
6th in GB and we hope she gets the call up for the European Junior Championships - she
certainly hit the time requirement.

Amy Kenworthy also started her campaign on Day #2 with the 1500FR where she promptly
produced a 7.5 sec British PB and moved up the field to finish 13th in GB.  I say “British PB” as
during a gruelling training week in Florida her University of Vermont Coaches joked about
entering her into a local 1500m race, Amy being Amy promptly entered it and went nearly 2
seconds quicker! It shows what’s possible when you are relaxed and have no expectations!

Lois Inch raced on Day #3 in her signature event - the 200BR.  Going into it Lois knew she
wasn’t in the same peak condition with as many hard metres behind her as when she set her
lifetime best, blowing away the competition at last year’s Regionals.  But as one of our most
experienced National level swimmers you could be sure she would raise her game and raise it
she did setting a season best by 3 seconds. Well done Lois!

Day #3 also saw Kate in action in the 50BK, qualifying for the Junior Final, where she swam
under 29 seconds for the first time but agonizingly was pipped into 2nd on the touch by just
0.02.

Day #4 saw Kate back in the pool for the 50FL where qualified for the Junior Final in a new PB
of 27.85, adding slightly in the final.

Hen returned for Day #5 and the 100FL.  Having adjusted the race plan to better manage lactic
and back end speed we were confident.  Unfortunately an error on the dive cost Hen well over a
second as she surfaced behind the feet of the rest of her heat. She didn’t quit, stuck to the race
plan and scythed through the tiring field on her last 25m to set a new lifetime best and moving
up from 78th to finish 56th out of 93 athletes.  But for the error Hen would have made the Junior
Final. But that’s racing for you.  To say she was furious would be an understatement - Hen has
serious unfinished business to attend to next year.

Day #6 saw both Kate and Amy back in the pool.  Fortunately they didn’t get their events mixed
up. Kate setting a new PB in the 50FR but just missing out on the Junior Final.  Amy setting a
‘world’ PB in the 800FR, coming close to breaking the 9 minutes barrier in 9:01.21 and finishing
an impressive 6th in GB!

Fantastic swims from everyone, so much learning and experience gained too.  Well done to all
of you, you should be proud of yourselves.  We certainly are!

Andy and Molly