Blog 401: 9 Swimmers Complete 100x100s Challenge Set

Congratulations to the following swimmers who completed a 100x100s challenge set over the session on Friday evening and Saturday morning.
Andy Noyes
Steven Barratt
Kate Williamson
AImee Baxter
Beatrice Roberts
Ryan Cendrowski
Matt Glover
Tyler Black
Lucy Parsons

Blog 400: Club Championships

Provisional programme on the board at West Park - hopefully on the website next week.

Warm Up times on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st will be 5.30pm both days.

Lots of volunteers needed on the night

Safety Stewards report to David Calland and Competitors Stewards to Angela Hidle at 5.25pm please, and Officials report to Steve Tremain at 5.40pm.

Not helped before? - well this is the ideal opportunity so make yourself known to any of the above.

On Saturday June 13th there will be Time Trials (warm up 6.30pm) giving swimmers an opportunity to get times for distances that they have not swum this season. During this session there will also be an opportunity for the 8/u to have the second attempt at the 25m events they entered in the Club Championships.

Blog 399: Teamsheets

Teamsheets for the Diddy League A Team's League Final, Diddy League B Team 3rd round gala), and 2 teams for the Jamie Rigby Memorial Gala will be on notice boards tonight. Most squad swimmers in the club have been selected for at least one of these galas, so please indicate your availability as soon as possible.

Blog 398: Elite Squads 100x100 Challenge Set

This weekend there will be a reduction in training due to the bank holiday. In order to maintain your fitness over the weekend there will be a 100x100m Challenge Set for Elite Squad swimmers, split as 60x100s on Friday evening (7:30-9:30pm, WP) and 40x100s on Saturday morning (7:30-9am, WP). Challenge sets give a great sense of satisfaction when you complete them - should you complete the set you will look back on it in years to come with pride! With this in mind please make every effort to attend. Note that there will be an opt out set on Friday for swimmers in ES, Senior and Junior Squads who do not wish to attempt the set.

Blog 397: Racing Swimsuits

Over the past year international swimmers have begun wearing a new generation of racing suits , the most high profile of these being the Speedo LZR. These suits enhance race performance, however to age group swimmers this is so small that I would not recommend them to the majority of swimmers in the club. However if you choose to purchase one, you need to be aware of the ruling yesterday by FINA (the international swimming governing body). They have released a list of approved performance suits for use in competition, which can be found by clicking here. The Speedo LZR is on the list, however the Blueseventy suit has been declared illegal in international competition. This ruling will most likely be adopted by the ASA, so if you are planning to purchase a suit do not purchase a Blueseventy as you will most likely be unable to wear it in competition in the near future.

Blog 396: Long Eaton Speed into Diddy League Final

Long Eaton A Team won their 2nd round gala at Clay Cross to qualify for the Diddy League final on Sunday 21st June.

Long Eaton A 188
Rykneld 174
Falcoln 137
Sutton 95
Belper 95

Long Eaton recorded a total of 23 wins from the 47 events with Beatrice Roberts leading the way with 5 wins (2 individual & 3 relays). Both Tyler Black and Oliver Davidson followed close behind, taking 4 wins (2 individuals and 2 relays each). Other individual race winners were Chantelle Ridgway (2 individuals & 1 relay), Elle Pryce (1 individual & 2 relays), Gabriel Calland (1 individual & 2 relays), Francesca Harris (1 individual 1 relay), Romani Kakad (1 individual 1 relay), Alex Baxter (1 individual 1 relay), Joshua Langfield (1 individual 1 relay) and Oliver Severn (1 individual).

The performance was a great team effort with most swimmers contributing to at least 1 win. Other swimmers to win races as part relay teams were Jo Parker (2), Molly Sheehan (2), Amy Hawthorn (2), Matthew Cartwright (2), Matthew Groves (2), Simon Barnatt (2), Kathryn Parsons (1), Lucy Parsons (1), Maria Wood (1) and Bethany Sharples (1).

Meanwhile the B Team were in action in Sutton, and Long Eaton were yet again the only club strong enough to field a second team, with Chesterfield B pulling out of the gala. The B team held their own against other clubs' A teams, with race wins coming from Josh Bestwick, Hatty Brown, Alice Kimmit, Adam Pick and Corbin Archer. Corbin was joined by Matthew Watson and Imogen & Lydia Marshall for a second win in the 9 years Freestyle Relay.

Bramcote 213
Etwall 182
Long Eaton B 147
Chesterfield B DNC

Well Done to everyone who took part. The Final for the A Team is on the 21st June. It will be a tough event, but if we have a full team we have an outside chance of winning this league. Please make yourself available if selected, as EVERY swimmer will make a difference!

Blog 395: Racing Tough, and Amazing Turns

I thought some of you may be interested in the video of Michael Phelp's first comeback race after the Olympics. The thing that struck me was how, even though not fully fit, he still manages to hold his technique and stroke length all the way through. Look aswell at his turns - there are swimmers in this race who are as fast as him through the water, but he destroys them with his underwater fly kicks on every turn. This is why your coaches are always telling you how important stroke technique and turns are!

Click here to view the video.

Blog 394: Club Championships

Have you entered? Closing date to-day Sunday 17th.

See Blog 385 for link to entry form

e-mail to me at john.hidle@ntlworld.com

remember 8/U have a chance to do their events twice. The other time will be on Saturday June 13th - waiting confirmation of booking.