swimming in style

Posted: Monday 20th October 2008

Last Saturday Camden Swiss Cottage Swim Club began the season as it ended, swimming in style.

Camden hosted Round One of the National Swimming League at Southbury Road pool in Enfield.

The National Swimming League formerly known as the Speedo League has 3 regional rounds with the top team of each region as well as the top 4 point earners advancing to the grand national final in May 2009.

Competing against 7 other London teams, Camden Swiss Cottage took first place earning 359 points out of a maximum of 400. The team took 27 first, 11 seconds and 7 third places. Of the remaining five events a Camden swimmer placed 4th four times and 5th once, an impressive start to the League’s competition.

Of the relay events Camden placed in the top 3 all 16 times with 12 wins. The Boys 13/under, Girls 13/u, Boys 15/under, Girls 15/u, and Men’s Open teams each won their respective relays.

Camden showed the depth of the team by winning 12 individual races across the age groups. Alex Peake and Bogac Ayhan each had double wins. Alex in the Boys 13/u 100M Breaststroke swam 1:15.66 and 1:03.05 in 100M Free. Bogac competing in the Boys 15/u category swam 1:04.23 and 1:02.34 in the 100M Back and 100M Fly respectively. To complete the first place sweep in the 15/u Boys category Felix Samuels won the 100M Free in 53.15 and Lucas Perry-Hill won 100M Breast in 1:15.58.

The Men’s Open team also won three events. Harry Needs took first in 100M Fly in 56.99, Alex Mackay 100M Back in 1:02.18 and British Champion Ed Walsh won 100M Free in 52.41. Alex Burgess in the Boys’ 13/u group placed first in 100M Back in 1:11.50.

Golden girl Devon Robins (age 15) swam the 100M Fly in 1:04.62 in the Ladies’ Open category as Kyla took first in the Ladies’ Open 100m Breaststroke event in 1:14.42. The first places was completed by Isa Ouwehand in the 13/under 100M Fly in 1:12.17, Sophie Rittenhouse in the 13/u 100M Back in 1:11.36, and Robin Neumann in the Girls’ 11/u 50M Back in 36.48.

In round two the team will be travelling to Eltham where they will be racing Wandsworth, Bishops Stortford, West Suffolk, Saxon Crown, Enfield Griffins, Sutton & Cheam and Westminster.

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