Dunedin Challenge, Bridge of Don September Splash, Cults Otter Bibby Offshore Challenge - 3-4 September 2011

Swimmers from South Mainland Amateur Swimming Club competed in three competitions last weekend in two different locations. Fifteen year olds Kirsty Laurenson, Sarah Keay, Karl Eldridge and Donnie Price travelled to Glenrothes to compete in the Dunedin Challenge, a competition that provided a broad range of races.

Donnie had opted for 10 events and had excellent swims producing 9 personal best times (pbs) in total and gained 7 gold and 3 silver medals, making him the outstanding swimmer in the 15 and over age group. The times Donnie was most pleased with were his 100m and 200m breaststroke; a 1.12.68 and a 2.34.74 and a terrific 5 seconds improvement in his 200m backstroke with a 2.17.27.

Karl was kept very busy swimming 13 races overall including 50m sprints in addition to the 100s and 200s. He had several good swims but his most successful were a super 4 second pb in the 100m backstroke with a time of 1.14.95 and a 2.36.61 in the 200m backstroke. In the 100m butterfly he once again produced a pb with a 1.19.28.  Kirsty also raced a mix of all the distances. Close to entry times in her events, she managed to produce pb times in the 100m breaststroke when she  took off 2 seconds for a 1.34.00 and in the 50m freestyle a half second improvement resulted in a 31.10. Her highest place was 6^th in the 50m backstroke just a fraction of a second behind team mate Sarah who finished 5^th on her pb with a time of 37.88. Sarah also came 5th in the 50m breaststroke, again very close to her entry time.

Meanwhile in Aberdeen, 8 younger swimmers swam at the Bridge of Don September Splash and the Cults Otters Bibby Offshore Challenge. Over the two days there was a mixture of highs and lows, disappointments and successes, but each and every swimmer achieved at least one good personal best time and three of the team managed to win medals.

The highlight for Darin Eldridge, 14, was winning the 100m breaststroke at the September Splash in a very good pb time of 1.27.68. He was closely followed by 13 year old James Morris whose superb 6 second improvement with a 1.29.86 earned him a well deserved silver place. Throughout the weekend, James consistently showed improvement, making pbs in 5 out of 6 events.  Likewise, Philip Hilditch, 14, achieved pbs in all but one race at the Splash with a 3 second pb for a 1.28.21 in the 100m backstroke, and 4 seconds in breaststroke with a 1.34.36. Once more it was in the breaststroke where there was the biggest improvement when Scott Riise, 13, also improved his time for a 1.38.89. In addition, Scott gained pbs in the 100m IM and 100m freestyle. Last, but not least of the boys, Eddie Price, 12, swam all 6 events at the Cults Otter gala and was South Mainland’s only medallist for the day. He achieved pbs in breaststroke with a 1.28.58 and in the 200m IM with a 2.43.51 and in both came 2^nd. Eddie also took silver place in the 100m freestyle and the 400m freestyle, making him overall runner up in his age group.

After putting in a good performance in the 100m IM, Cara Steven, 12, showed a huge improvement in her 100m butterfly. The following day she successfully smashed her entry time for her 100m breaststroke and with a 5 second pb time of 1.32.41 finished 6^th. This also ranked her overall 10^th in the 11/12 year age group. Curstaidh Mackay, 12, produced good swims and her highest place was a 4^th in the 100m butterfly at the Splash. At Cults the following day after a well paced 400m freestyle finishing on her entry time she went on to gain her best time of the weekend with a pb time of 3.06.59 in the 200m IM.

Sophie Morris, 11, had 4 races at the Cults gala and produced two pbs.  In the 100m butterfly, she took a second off her entry time with a 1.28.36, and in the closing event of the afternoon swam an excellent 1.11.73 in the 100m freestyle gaining 7^th place.

South Mainland ASC would like to thank NorthLink Ferries, Mainlands, and Freefield Pharmacy for their support.

North District Open Championships - 4-5 June 2011

Representing South Mainland ASC, brothers Donnie and Eddie Price competed at the North District Open Championships at Westhill last weekend. 14 year old Donnie swam 12 events and gained several personal bests over the two days. His first PB came with a 4.20.31 in the Men’s 400m freestyle, a time just inside the qualifying mark for the National Youth Squad. It was also good enough to place him in reserve position for the final. Due to one swimmer withdrawing he then raced the final where, although unable to improve his time, he finished in 5^th place, his best achievement of the competition. Donnie’s next highest place was in the 200m breaststroke, where equalling his entry time gave him eighth place. PBs were made in the 200m backstroke, one of the events that he will be  swimming at the Island Games and in the remainder of the freestyle events; 50m, 100m and  200m.

Donnie had opted not to swim the two longer freestyle events at the competition, but brother Eddie, had entered the 800m and 1500m freestyle. The 12 year old, as the youngest and smallest swimmer in Saturday’s 800m freestyle, produced a very well paced swim, so was very disappointed to finish a second outside his best time. However, Eddie perked up in learning that as reserve he would get the chance to race the 1500m the following day. With his target of breaking 19 minutes, determined Eddie had a superb race, keeping up with a couple of older lads then overtaking one of them. After maintaining a good steady pace he finished strongly and with a final sprint achieved his goal by the narrowest of margins touching in 18.59.84.

Buckie Age Group Championships, 23-24 April 2011

Eleven year old Sophie Morris very successfully brought home two silver and two bronze medals from the Buckie Age Group Championships at the weekend. Competing in the 10/11 year age group, the South Mainland ASC youngster started her tremendous weekend by slicing over half a minute from her PB in the 400m freestyle with a fantastic time of 5.26.72 to take her first silver medal.  Throughout a demanding schedule of ten races in the 2 day competition her excellent form never deteriorated when race after race she produced times faster than entry times. On the Saturday she improved her 100m backstroke by 3 seconds and her 200m freestyle by 14 seconds. Sunday morning started with Sophie breaking her target time in the 100m freestyle and with a superb 1.12.19 she won the bronze. In the last session of the weekend a very strong 400m IM gained her another silver with a time of 6.20.67, and shortly afterwards she smashed her 100m butterfly time to take the bronze and finished her day with  a five second PB in her 200m backstroke. Not only was each of Sophie’s times a PB, but times produced in her 400s and  200s are within qualifying standard for Scottish Swimming’s District Regional Programme (DRP).

Also swimming in the same age group was 10 year old Erraid Davies, who competed in seven events. She successfully matched her entry time for the 400m freestyle which was followed by a very good 2 second PB in her backstroke for a 1.29.27. Two more PBs were gained in the 200m freestyle with a 2.53.10 and the 100m freestyle with a 1.20.41.

Vhairi Davies, 12, swam 6 events and gained PBs in the 100m backstroke with a 1.23.49 and in the 200m freestyle with a 2.47.78. 

South Mainland had two 13 year old boys competing. James Morris raced in nine events and showed his greatest improvements in the 200m events. New PBs were achieved with a 2.31.95 in the freestyle and an excellent 8 seconds off his time in backstroke gave him a 2.47.62. His 100m backstroke went under the 1.20 for the first time with a 1.19.50. At only his second competition south, Philip Hilditch gained a PB in each of his three races.  His 100m freestyle was a 1 second improvement from last month with a 1.11.07, while his 200m freestyle was a 2.33.50 and 200m breaststroke a 3.31.06.

Scottish Swimming Stroke Camp

Meanwhile, South Mainland’s Eddie Price,12, having taken  part in last year’s DRP was participating in one of Scottish Swimming’s  ‘Stroke Camps’at the National Swimming Academy in Stirling. Lead Coach, Rob Greenwood, one of the country’s top coaches instructed and inspired not only the 24 selected swimmers but provided valuable experience for accompanying club coaches. Eddie learned a great deal during the day, as did SMASC coach Jan Price.

Scottish Masters

Prior to attending the stroke camp, Jan had been competing at the Scottish Masters held at Tollcross, Glasgow. Over 3 sessions, she raced 9 events and was pleased to finish within a fraction of a second of her times from last year in many events. In her age group, 50-54 years, she achieved 2 bronze, 5 silver and 1 gold. Jan opted to substitute receiving medals for a donation per medal to this year’s nominated charity the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice.

Scottish National Age Group Championships, Tollcross, Glasgow, 7-10th April 2011

South Mainland brothers Donnie and Eddie Price between them swam 32 races at the Scottish National Age Group Championships. Both had qualified for all 13 events and fourteen year old Donnie successfully reached 6 finals, achieved 1 silver and 2 bronze medals, and made long course PBs in every event during the 4 day competition.

Day one kicked off with the 200m butterfly followed by the 100m freestyle when Donnie made his first final. Following this was the longest event, the 1500 freestyle where Donnie, in typical fashion started at a fairly steady pace. Each 500 metres progressed quicker than the previous resulting in a good long course PB and a silver medal.

Two finals were reached on the second day in the 200m freestyle and the 200m breaststroke where he attained 4^th and 9^th places. Saturday’s heats brought a further two finals in the 200m IM and the 100m backstroke, but with 8 swimmers having achieved a time within 0.6seconds in the 100m breaststroke, Donnie missed that event’s final by a finger nail. However, the 400m freestyle provided an excellent racing opportunity when Donnie produced a flat out final 25metres to fight off a furiously fast finish by the swimmer in the next lane to just make it into the medals in 3^rd place.

The last day of the championships brought two races that he wasn’t fast enough a year ago to qualify for, the 100m butterfly and the 200m backstroke. He demonstrated how well he’s progressed in recent months in backstroke by making it to the final. Prior to finals, he still had the 800m freestyle. It was an interesting race as similar to last year the heat before his had produced two times faster than Donnie’s entry time. Again, Donnie tackled the race in a steady first half then picked up the pace gaining on, then overtaking several swimmers during the second half.  Pushed all the way, Donnie had a very fast and necessary last 100metres which, although out-touched at the end was enough to have beaten the swimmer in the earlier heat by a second and to win the bronze in a new Shetland Age Group record.

For younger brother Eddie, 12, this was the first time competing at a National event. As the youngest Shetlander to have ever qualified for all 13 events, and indeed the only boy in his age group at the championships to do so, this in itself was a remarkable achievement.  Having only ever raced some of the events once before in a 50metre pool, there were certainly new challenges. Nevertheless, he coped particularly well in his races and produced results very close to entry times, creating a set of long course PBs. One of his best times was in the 100m freestyle with a 1.06.48 and another was at the other end of the scale with a 19.47.62 in the 1500m freestyle, where he finished in his top position of 6^th place. A further top ten place was achieved in the 800m freestyle where he finished 9^th.

Dyce Hunting Trophy Meet, Westhill, 26th March 2011

Eight swimmers from South Mainland ASC took part in the Dyce Hunting Trophy Meet last Saturday in Westhill near Aberdeen, and all performed well, achieving many PBs, several top ten placings and additional success for three of the team by the winning of a medal.

Ten year old Erraid Davies had a tremendous race in her heat of the Girls 10/11 years 100m butterfly, winning it in an excellent time of 1.31.46, a new Shetland Age Group record for 10 year old Girls. However, a girl in the previous heat had swum a fraction faster, placing Erraid in silver position. Her 100m backstroke produced another PB with a 1.30.10 and a 5^th place and a further PB was achieved in the afternoon in the 100m freestyle where she finished 10^th in a time of 1.20.92.

It was in the Boys’12/13 years 100m freestyle that SMASC swimmers James Morris 13, and Scott Riise 12, each gained a medal. The best pals battled it out in adjacent lanes in the fastest heat.  Both gained superb PBs - James with a 1.10.20 came second, closely followed by Scott in a 1.11.36 for third place.

James had earlier broken his 200IM time by 6 seconds with a 2.54.21 and his 100m breaststroke by one second to finish in 6^th place. In the last event of the day, the 100m IM he finished off by successfully gaining a PB of 1.23.71.

Scott also achieved a PB in his breaststroke with a 1.42.64 and was just outside his entry time in backstroke. Swimming in the same age group was Philip Hilditch, 13, who had a most successful meet, producing PBs in all but one race. In his first competition south, he got underway by knocking a massive 10 seconds off his 200m IM  for a 3.04.25 and then a took second off his 100m breaststroke to finish 10^th. In the 100m freestyle he smashed his entry time by 3 seconds with a 1.12.25 to finish 6^th overall. The afternoon session saw him achieving his fourth PB in the 100m backstroke with a time of 1.31.11.

In the Girls 12/13 age group, Vhairi Davies, 12, swam 100m in each stroke, finishing close to entry time in backstroke and fly, but gaining a PB in freestyle with a 1.18.24 and with a 1.44.20 made a very good 4 second improvement in Breaststroke. Cara Steven, 12, swam extremely well in her three races. Two seconds were knocked off her breaststroke for a 1.37.19 and she then lowered her freestyle time by a brilliant 5 seconds with a 1.18.69, and backstroke by over 4 seconds with a 1.29.27. 

In the Girls 14/16 age group, Morven Davies, 14, achieved very good PBs as well. Both her events showed a similar improvement with 3 seconds drop on her entry times for a 1.16.67 in freestyle and 1.34.77 in backstroke.

Kirsty Laurenson, 15, swam every event in the meet. She was within a second of entry time in backstroke, where she came 8th and her 100m IM was also just outside her time. Her highest place was achieved in the 100m freestyle where a time of 1.09.89 was only a 1/100 of a second away from her very recent PB and earned her 5^th place.

South Mainland ASC would like to thank, Mainlands, Freefield Pharmacy and Northlink for their support.

North District Age Group Championships, Inverness, 5/6 March 2011

Four weeks after swimming at Inverness, Donnie and Eddie Price were back in the pool representing South Mainland ASC at the North District Age Group Championships and the brothers had a tremendously successful weekend, producing a dozen PBs each, qualifying for every final and returning with handfuls of medals.

Competing in every event in the programme, Donnie, 14, started off with a superb 12 second PB in the 200m butterfly with a time of 2.24.44 and continued producing PBs one after the other, improving times in all but one event.

His first medal came on Saturday morning by winning the 400m freestyle and an excellent 200m breaststroke in a time of 2.38.32 earned him a silver in the afternoon. The evening session began with the 1500m freestyle, with Donnie winning his age group in a new Shetland Age Group record of 17.09.15.  With little recovery time he then had to cope with three close together finals, where resulting times, all slower than heats, perhaps  demonstrated just what  swimming a 1500m  takes out of a swimmer.

However, after good night’s rest, times were once again on the way down. Firstly, a PB of 1.06.05 in the 100m backstroke, gave him another Shetland Age Group record. This was followed by a bronze medal winning performance in the 200m freestyle. The morning ended with another distance event, the 800m freestyle earning Donnie his hat-trick of golds for the distance freestyle events. The 400 IM in the afternoon then gave Donnie his final medal of the championships with a silver. The evening session rounded off with a further two good swims in the finals bringing his total number of races to a demanding but successful eighteen.

Meanwhile, Eddie, 12, was collecting medals in all but two events giving him an amazing total of 5 silver and 5 bronze. He started off by achieving a Scottish National Age Group consideration time with a 1.05.47 in the 100m freestyle heat and then smashed his 200m breaststroke and 400m freestyle times to take silver in both. During the afternoon, further PBs in the 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke earned him bronzes with his 2.42.88 in backstroke being a Scottish Swimming District Regional Programme (DRP) qualifying time. A further PB came in the 100m breaststroke which he broke again in the evening’s final in a 1.28.86 for another third place.

Sunday continued with an equally impressive set of swims. A whopping great 8 second improvement with a 2.50.27 for the 200m butterfly gave him silver and once again lowered his Shetland Age Group record.  This was followed with a superbly paced 800m freestyle where he broke the 10minutes with a 9.56.20 for second place. The afternoon session produced a 4 seconds PB in the 100m butterfly, achieving  yet another  Scottish Age Group time, but it was in the 400m IM that Eddie had a really stunning swim, knocking a massive 16 seconds off a month old PB – but in a tightly fought race he was just out-touched at the finish for 4^th place. Eddie still hadn’t done enough and faced three further finals in the last session. He proceeded to pick up three more medals. In the 200m IM his 2.43.80 was a bronze and was another time for the DRP. The 100 butterfly resulted in 3^rd place and in his last event of the championships, the 100m backstroke he further lowered his PB set in the heat to a 1.15.98 for silver. 

Eddie’s most remarkable achievement is that he now has consideration times for every event for next month’s Scottish Age Group Championships.