Otters Celebrate Success at Masters Nationals in Sheffield

From Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October, 42 Otters competed at the SE Masters National Championships at Ponds Forge, Sheffield. Across three days of short course racing, the team finished second overall on 482 points, behind Trafford Metro (625) and ahead of Crawley (333).

Otter brought home 73 medals:

  • 39 gold

  • 22 silver

  • 12 bronze

That is 50 individual medals and 23 relay medals. With British and European records broken, national titles across the age groups and a long list of personal bests, there was plenty to celebrate.

Individual highlights

Matt Rogers led the medal haul with 12 medals, nine of them gold. His five individual titles came in the 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke and all three individual medleys, including a dead heat for gold in the 200m IM. Jess Shaw was Otter's most decorated woman with nine medals: five gold, three silver and one bronze. Her 1:03.00 in the 25-29 100m IM broke the British record.

Derek Parr and Roger Lloyd-Mostyn each went eight for eight: eight swims, eight golds. Derek (80-84) won five individual titles, while Roger (85-89) took four, with the pair adding relay golds and three British and European records broken apiece. Age really was no barrier to a busy weekend.

Stephen Braine collected seven medals, six gold, and David Moores won seven medals (four gold and three silver). Sophie Elphick also took home seven (two gold, two silver and three bronze), while Alex Mackay won six (four gold and two silver), including individual golds in the 200m and 400m IM.

Hayley Davis won individual golds in the 1500m freestyle, 400m IM and 200m butterfly, plus silver in the 200m backstroke. Peter Vider added two individual golds and two silvers, and Luis Martinez Del Pozo took an individual medal of each colour. Individual podium places also went to Liz Shaw, Michanne Steenbergen, Pip Bennett, Robert Thomas, Jared Golden, Rowena Moores and Jack Chen.

Individual club records

Matt Rogers set five overall club records in Sheffield: 200m freestyle (1:53.20), 100m breaststroke (1:01.14), 100m IM (57.52), 200m IM (2:04.90) and 400m IM (4:27.23). Jess Shaw set overall records in the 50m breaststroke (32.23) and 100m IM (1:03.00).

The age-group records fell across the board. Roger Lloyd-Mostyn set every 85-89 freestyle record from 50m to 1500m, plus the 50m butterfly. Hayley Davis set 40-44 records in the 1500m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 200m butterfly and 400m IM, and Liz Shaw set 60-64 records over 50m, 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle.

Alex Mackay set 30-34 records in the 100m and 200m freestyle and 400m IM; David Moores set 30-34 records in the 50m freestyle and 50m and 100m backstroke; Sophie Elphick in the 100m breaststroke and 200m IM; Antonio Alfano in the 55-59 50m and 100m backstroke and 100m IM; Luis Martinez Del Pozo in the 70-74 50m and 100m breaststroke; Christian Howitt in the 25-29 50m freestyle; and Robert Thomas in the 80-84 100m backstroke. Harry Robinson also broke the men's 25-29 50m freestyle record, before Christian lowered it again one heat later. Alex also broke the overall 200m freestyle record, before Matt took it in the next heat.

Relay records and titles

The men's 320+ squad supplied three of the weekend's biggest moments. Robert Thomas, Derek Parr, Roger Lloyd-Mostyn and Stephen Braine clocked 5:59.64 in the 4x100m freestyle and 13:22.46 in the 4x200m freestyle. In the 4x100m medley, Thomas, Luis Martinez Del Pozo, Parr and Lloyd-Mostyn swam 6:32.44. All three swims broke British and European records. The 320+ team also won the 4x50m freestyle, Thomas, Peter Vider, Lloyd-Mostyn and Braine adding a club record 2:35.56 to bring the age group's relay haul to four golds.

That was only part of the record haul: Otter set 16 relay club records across the weekend, four of them from the men's 100-119 squad. Matt Rogers, David Moores, Harry Robinson and Alex Mackay produced one of the swims of the weekend in the 4x200m freestyle: their 7:40.42 smashed the club record, took more than five seconds off the previous British best and dipped inside the old European record - and still finished second, beaten only by a Woking quartet whose 7:39.02 took both records. The same squad added the 4x100m freestyle (3:28.43), and both medleys with Dylan Fairclough: 1:45.05 in the 4x50m (with Robinson) and 3:51.27 in the 4x100m (with Mackay).

The men's 72+ team added two more: Christian Howitt, Lucas Lawman, David Moores and Dylan Fairclough in the 4x50m freestyle (1:34.49), and Josh Patel, Joseph Burrin, Lawman and Howitt in the 4x100m medley (4:00.21). The 160-199 men took both medleys, through Antonio Alfano, Jared Golden, Douglas Flockhart and Alex Mackay (1:54.78 in the 4x50m) and Alfano, Stephen Potvin, Douglas Willetts and Golden (4:23.37 in the 4x100m).

The women set records in the 100-119 4x50m freestyle, Jess Shaw, Sarah Turner, Sophie Elphick and Ibby Szenes swimming 1:50.50, and the 72+ 4x100m medley, Shaw, Elphick, Sarah Ambrose and Rowena Moores swimming 4:30.80. The mixed crews completed the set: Shaw, Matt Rogers, Ambrose and David Moores in the 72+ 4x50m medley (1:51.62), and Shaw, Rogers, Moores and Ibby Szenes in the 100-119 4x100m medley (4:02.28).

Otter won 11 relay titles in all. Beyond the 320+ successes, golds came in the men's 100+ 4x100m freestyle and medley, women's 72+ 4x100m medley, mixed 72+ 4x50m medley, mixed 100+ 4x200m freestyle, and mixed 100+ and 160+ 4x100m medley. Another eight silver and four bronze relay medals showed the depth of the team.

Personal bests

Sheffield also brought a wave of personal bests: 55 short course bests across 22 Otters, alongside several age group bests.

The lifetime bests included five for Jared Golden across breaststroke and freestyle, and four apiece for Rowena Moores, taking her 200m backstroke down to 2:26.29, Suzanne Lewis, including more than five seconds off her 200m freestyle (2:29.62), and David Moores, with bests in the 50m and 100m backstroke, 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly. Joseph Burrin dipped under the minute in the 100m IM (59.94) among his three, Sarah Turner and Laura Chapman added three sprint bests each, Hattie Goff with two in the 200m and 400m freestyle, and Lucas Lawman took his 100m freestyle to 52.76, nearly a second faster than his previous best. There were lifetime bests too for Christian Howitt, Douglas Willetts, Harry Robinson, Josh Patel, Kim Liu and Lei Ping, while Matt Rogers (100m breaststroke and 200m freestyle), Liz Shaw (800m freestyle, 11:21.68) and Jess Shaw (100m IM) added lifetime bests to their medal hauls.

A superb weekend's work from everyone involved. Go Otter!

Otters Return to Club La Santa for 2026 Training Camp

Over 50 Otters, along with family and friends, travelled to Club La Santa, Lanzarote, for our 2026 training camp, just weeks before Short Course Masters Nationals in Sheffield. This year, we extended the trip to eight nights and seven full days of training, giving us even more time to work on our swimming, try new sports and enjoy some well-earned sunshine.

With Josh back coaching and Gina stepping up to join the coaching team, this year's camp had a big focus on developing our skills and fine-tuning our racing ahead of Nationals.

Each day featured two two-hour pool sessions starting with a full team stretch using stretch bands to get us ready for the day ahead. There was a big focus on technique and skills ahead of Nationals alongside aerobic, VO2 max and threshold training. We worked on a range of skills through workshops covering open turns, crossover turns, backstroke starts, breakouts, relay takeovers, wall approaches and finishes, and race starts. We also had the use of an underwater camera to analyse our stroke technique and identify areas for improvement. 

After a week of hard work, the final pool session was all about having fun. Having been split into four teams at the start of the week, the Otters came together for a series of fun relays to round off the training camp. A great way to put our skills into practice, have a bit of friendly competition and finish the week on a high.

Of course, there was plenty happening outside the pool too. The Otters wasted no time getting stuck into everything Club La Santa had to offer, kicking things off with a volleyball competition. From there, the week included aquathlons, windsurfing, surfing, cycling, tennis, reformer pilates, aerial fitness and plenty of time in the gym. Josh even put us through our paces with an explosive deadlift class!

Padel was another big hit, with so many Otters getting involved that we may need to start thinking about setting up a club team. There was also a paddleboard race, mini golf and, of course, the infamous hole 3. For those who preferred something a little less energetic, there was always the option of relaxing and sunbathing by the leisure pool.

Evenings were just as busy, with plenty of opportunities to socialise and refuel after a full day of activity. Our traditional make-your-own pasta night was a huge success, with plenty of carb-loading options on offer. We also enjoyed a team dinner in the local town, a pizza night on the beach and a quiz. To round off the week, we came together for a team BBQ followed by karaoke.

It was another brilliant week of swimming, learning, trying new things and spending time together as a club. With Nationals just around the corner, the camp gave everyone a chance to sharpen their skills, build confidence and enjoy training alongside teammates, while making plenty of memories along the way.





Otter Golf 2026

Early on October 17th—8:30 am, to be painfully precise—a bevvy of Otters braved a soggy tee-off for our annual Stableford tournament.
I realise not everyone gets the golf handicap system, and to be fair very few golfers fully understand it. So while Otter’s honorary handicapper relies on a mix of stats and pure intuition, the golf world prefers strict, unyielding maths. There are two points for par-equivalent hole, extra points for glory, and fewer for... well, let’s not dwell on those.

The weather turned around quickly, swapping early rain for glorious sunshine by the start of the back nine. But the course hazards weren't just weather-related and to make the round more interesting some extra challenges were added for fun:

  • Longest Drive (Hole 7): Must hit the correct fairway. Simon Rich hit a monster drive, but technically on another fairway entirely. Peter Rae took the win by actually finding the correct fairway!

  • Nearest the Pin (Hole 18): Must land on the green. With a lightning-fast surface and a pin tucked away in the corner, the green keeper won this round. Zero winners—again. It’s worth mentioning that Roger Sharpley and Simon Rich both only narrowly missed the dancefloor, though Simon was practically knocking on the door from the fringe.

The day belonged to Mike Reys, who scooped the win with 37 points followed by Mike Hartwell (32pts) and Simon Rich (30pts). After months of struggling, a totally relaxed mindset yielded a nearly flawless scorecard. Mike took home the Otter Golf trophy, the coveted Otter headcover, and the ultimate punishment for winning: write the match report yourself!

Otters at Club La Santa 2025

A group of Otters return once again to Club La Santa, Lanzarote, for a week of sunshine, swimming and random sports we don’t normally do. Timed six weeks out from SC Nationals, the camp was designed to perfectly balance competition prep and serious fun. 

Each day featured four hours of pool time with sessions prepared by Coach Josh to balance volume and intensity. We also had the chance to practise diving skills, techniques and longer sprints in a LC pool. A few lucky Otters got picked to feature in a Club La Santa promotional photoshoot too!

Outside the water, active recovery came in all forms: tennis and running are among the most popular, and classes such as Reformer Pilates, Ultimate Abs, Body Pump, and Boxing also proved helpful (or more exhausting). Some also chose sunbathing and the dive board.

In total, 36 Otters with family/friends made the trip to Spain this year, some flew from the US and Europe. We had plenty of opportunities to socialise with both new and old teammates: quiz night, pasta night, group dinners, fun relays and ourtraditional beach BBQ to round off a brilliant week.

Huge thanks to everyone who made the trip such a success. Planning for next year’s training camp (September 2026) is already underway, so keep an eye out for sign-up details soon!

Otters Celebrate Success at SE London Masters

On Saturday 17th May, a group of Otters made a splash at the SE London Region Masters Championships. There was no shortage of Otter grit on display, with medals and top finishes earned across the events. A special shoutout to Jessica Shaw, who broke her own British record with a stunning 29.68 in the 50m Backstroke (F25–29)!

In total, Otters brought home:

  • 🏅 22 Gold,

  • 🥈 11 Silver,

  • 🥉 15 Bronze

Medalists:

  • Jessica Shaw – 4 Gold

  • Kim Liu – 4 Gold

  • Emily Wood – 2 Gold

  • Janet Chan – 2 Gold, 2 Silver

  • Lei Ping – 2 Gold, 3 Bronze

  • Alice Dinsdale-Young – 1 Gold, 3 Bronze

  • Hattie Goff – 4 Gold, 1 Silver

  • Elizabeth Shaw – 1 Gold, 2 Silver

  • Chris Daniels – 1 Bronze

  • Callum Batten – 1 Bronze

  • Luke Thomas – 3 Silver

  • David Moores – 2 Gold, 1 Silver

  • Anatoly Bugakov – 1 Bronze

  • Craig Gillespie – 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

  • Megan McDonagh – 1 Gold, 1 Silver

  • Harry Robinson – 1 Gold, 1 Bronze

  • Sarah McDonald – 2 Bronze

  • Peter Rae – 3 Gold

  • Peter Vider – 3 Gold

  • Fraser Peh – 2 Gold

  • Laura Chapman – 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

  • William Roberts – 1 Gold, 1 Bronze

  • Thomas McLean – 2 Gold, 1 Bronze

  • Maria Pitteri – 2 Gold

Great job everyone — excellent mid-season form across all distances and strokes!

2025 English aquathlon championships and Swim England Masters open water success

This weekend a romp of Otters went to Nottingham and Sheffield to compete for national titles in the English Aquathlon Championships and Swim England Masters Open Water Championships.

 

26/07/25 English Aquathlon Championships - Holme Pierrepoint, Nottingham

Warmish weather meant the swim was wetsuit optional with most taking advantage of the neoprene boost. For the stronger swimmers, the 750m swim (rather than the international standard 1km) meant the mixed terrain run with a few sharp changes in elevation was all the more challenging. All a good test and rehearsal for British Champs in Porthcawl in August.

  • Isis Ciurleo (F20-240) - 4th (4th female)

  • Pip Bennett (O40-44) - Silver (4th overall)

  • Chris Daniels (O55-59) - 5th

    Full results here

27/07/25 Swim England Masters Open Water Championships - Rother Valley Country Park, Sheffield

Water temperature was a shade over 20 degrees, so wetsuits were forbidden (there are different rules for open water and multisport). The lake was generally pleasant but the air temperature meant many athletes were shivering while they tried to recover for their next events. Changing robes and warm drinks were very much in evidence. Otter had some superb results...next year let's try to field some relay teams (mixed 4 x 400m), too!

5km

  • Hayley Davis (F40-44) - Gold (7th female)

1km

  • Callum Batten (O30-34) - Bronze

  • Hayley Davis (F40-44) - Gold (4th female)

  • Pip Bennett (O40-44) - Gold (3rd overall)

  • Chris Daniels (O55-50) - 4th

  • Simon Williams (O60-64) - 4th

  • Richard Croydon (O65-69) - Bronze

3km

  • Michanne Steenbergen (F30-34) - Silver (10th female)

  • Callum Batten (O30-34) - Bronze

  • Hayley Davis (F40-44) - Gold (9th female)

  • Pip Bennett (O40-44) - Gold (2nd overall)

  • Chris Daniels (O55-59) - Bronze

Special mention to Hayley whose epic 3 national titles (a repeat of 2019) was picked up by Swim England.
Full Results here

 

2024 Quarter Mile

This year’s quarter Mile took place at Brockwell Lido and was a triumph for the waterpolo section. The event was won by Mitchell Boyer, followed by Chris Eden, Lee Stokes and Alex Bion. They all improved considerably since last year’s quarter mile and must have put a lot of work in to improve their swimming.

Behind the leaders was a relatively close pack of the swim section with Nico Barber leading out on Chris Daniels and Luke Thomas.

Results 2024 QM

Well done to all who swam and special thanks go out to Alex Bion for organising not only the swim but got us a space in the Prince Regent pub across the road for some well deserved food and drinks!


John Goodbody's Bosporus swim

When you reach the age of 80, you know your long-distance swimming days are long past. But I thought I would celebrate my birthday with one final, albeit brief, effort --the annual four mile cross Bosporus event in Istanbul. Encouraged and aided by Ozan Kurtcu, who coached Otter members at Marshall Street over the summer, I prepared with a number of long steady sessions in lakes, the sea and pools, at least with the knowledge that unlike the Channel and the Cumbrian lakes, the one thing I need not worry about was the cold because the water in Turkey was as warm as some London indoor facilities.

Although the race was not until Sunday August 20, I went out three days early as I had not visited Istanbul before and wanted to take the chance of looking round a fascinating city. I also confirmed my registration and got my accreditation --all done efficiently by volunteers and officials of the Turkish Olympic Committee, who put on the event.

John and Ozan

John and Ozan

The race was superbly organised with close attention to detail such as an examination of one's nails before boarding the boats to go to the start. If they are too long and so might scratch fellow-competitors in the hurly burly of the start, clippers were provided. There were 2500 entries and I was the fourth oldest with a cap 004, only regretting I was not the seventh oldest. People start in waves with timing done automatically by means of a electronic bracelet round one's ankle, which is activated on entering the water and then registers your time after having climbed up one of the ladders at the end.

The swim was far less of a challenge that I had expected. Hot sunshine, a following wind and above all an extremely strong  favourable current, demonstrated by the winner's time of 41 minutes (for four miles !), while I did one hour seven minutes. I went wrong at the end and didn't get close enough to the bank towards the finish which probably cost me two minutes, having to battle briefly a cross current. Afterwards, you were given food and drinks and a large towel.

Although I entered, thanks to Ozan, through the Turkish Olympic Committee, Swim Trek run trips out there but places are at a premium. It was a rewarding experience but anyone doing the swim should make sure they leave plenty of time for sightseeing. There are historical resonances everywhere in the city. 

John Goodbody

John's profile on The Times & profile for The Guardian