National long course championships

Entries are filling up very quickly for the national long course championships in early April. If you want to enter and haven’t already done so we suggest that you get your entries in as soon as possible, and do not wait for the 9 March entry deadline. Everything you need for entering can be found here: http://www.swimming.org/britishswimming/calendar/british-masters-and-sen...

Relays: We will be utilising coach Steve’s expertise to help with relay selections for this meet. Therefore, in a slight change to usual, if you would like to be considered for relay swims could you please email Steve (stevebratt@mac.com) with your preferences, and cc in the captains (ottercaptains@yahoo.co.uk) by 5p.m. on Friday 19 February at the latest. Please clearly mark the subject of your email as “National long course relays”. Information Steve will need: 

- your age as at 31.12.2016
- specific relays you would like to swim in
- if a medley relay, your stroke preference

Please note that we cannot guarantee relay swims for everyone.

Good luck with training in the meantime.

Otter battle Europe’s best in LEN Euro League 2016

London Otter took on some of Europe’s best domestic teams in Group C of the LEN Euro League February, 4th - 7th. Competing in the ‘group of death’ in Portuense, Portugal, Otter put five goals past defending champions Olympiacos in their opening match and held 2015 LEN Trophy runners-up Padova to a 15-3 scoreline in their final game. “We knew the games would be tough but we improved from game to game,” said Otter captain and Great Britain international Peggy Etiebet. “To net a score of 15-3 in our last game against Padova who are the LEN Trophy and LEN Super Cup runners-up as well as the Italian champions in 2015, was a fantastic achievement.”
Otter kicked off their campaign with a 27-5 defeat to Olympiacos with goals for Tafazolli, Etiebet, Izzy Dean, Lizzie Dunn and Lex Higlett. Kate O’Brien scored the team’s solitary goal in a 19-1 loss to another Greek side, Vouliagmeni, before a narrow 12-8 defeat to Portuguese hosts Portuense with goals coming from Claudia Ferrone (three), Dunn (two), Rogers (two) and Tafazolli.
Ferrone, Rogers and Tafazolli all scored again in the team’s final 15-3 loss to Padova.

Otter return to domestic action at the British Championships in May. 

Top 2 finish for Otter

Otter have finished the 2016 BWPL season in 2nd place, behind City of Liverpool. Otter needed 2 wins from two games & for Liverpool to stumble against 4th placed Manchester on the final weekend in Sheffield to win. Two strong starts but disappointing 2nd quarters saw Otter go down to Liverpool 10-5 on Saturday, to Coventry 9-5 on Sunday. Claudia, Mhairi & Kathy scored for Otter in both games. The team are now looking forward to British Champs in May, where they will play Coventry in the 2nd vs 3rd play off, with the winner progressing to the final against the winner of 1st v 4th game between Liverpool & Manchester.

Otter Lutra finished their Championship 1 season on a high with two wins from two games. Lutra beat West London Penguins 11-8 in Saturdays game. Sarah Bennett scored 4, Sarah Tollefson & Emma Shkurka scored hatricks, while Lindsey Williams also netted for Lutra. Lutra also won Sundays game against Mid Sussex Marlins 8-6. Sarah Tollefson was once again on fire for Lutra socring another hatrick, with Gari Mulcahy top scoring for the game with 5.

Congrats to both teams on a brilliant season. 

Otter in 2nd place with 2 games to go

The Otter 1st team should finish the season in 2nd place or better after winning both their Round Three matches in Liverpool at the end of January. 

The third round of BWPL Super 5 action saw Otter better Manchester 10-5 & Caledonia 12-6, Manchester beat Coventry, & Liverpool win against Caledonia & Coventry. Leaving Liverpool on top of the table with 12 points, Otter in 2nd with 9 points, Manchester in 3rd with 5 points, Coventry in 4th with 4 points & Caledonia in 5th place with 0. 

With 2 points for a win & only 2 games remaining, Otter should finish the season in 2nd place or better. Otter will face Liverpool & Coventry this weekend in Sheffield & will need to win both games to be in with a shot at the title. They will also need unbeaten Liverpool to stumble against Manchester in the final game of the season. If Otter were to loose both their games, and Manchester win both, both teams would finish on equal points in 2nd place.

Looks like it is going to go down to the wire. Good Luck girls.

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Entries for the European masters swimming championships are open

Entries for the European masters swimming championships are now open.  Everything you need for entry can be found here: http://euroaquatics2016.london/masters/

Please note that you will need a digital photograph of yourself ready to upload along with your entry. Please also note that entries are being taken on a first come first served basis, so do not rely on the entry deadline of 4 April as your final date for entering.

The club intends to enter a number of relays. If you would like to be considered for relays please can you email the club captains by midday this Thursday at the latest with the following information: your age (on 31 December 2016), the specific relays you would like to be considered for. Unfortunately we will not be able to guarantee that there will be a relay berth for everyone.

Very best of luck to everyone with their training in the lead up to this competition.

Otter Dinner 2016 Booking Details

The Otter Dinner 2016 will held in the Booker and Turner Suite at Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury, Coram Street, London WC1N 1HT on Friday 18 March, 7pm to 1am. Google maps link here.

Tickets are priced at £48 which includes formal three course meal plus table wine, followed by the President's speech, then disco until 1am.

We'll have our own private room with a separate quiet area and cash bar. Additional drinks can also be purchased from the main hotel bar.

This is always a great Club event for swimmers, men's and women's water polo, non-active members, parents and guests. If you haven't attended before or if you have joined Otter in the past year please do join the recent and long established crowds and come along. It's a great way to fully appreciate the club's history and achievements, and get to know your team mates away from the pool. Feel free to speak to other members or contact me directly for more details.

To reserve your place please email me and our Treasurer, Chris Eden, providing your food options, seating preferences and arrange payment to the club account as follows:

1. Email addresses: davewarren.swim@gmail.com, ottertreasurer@gmail.com

2. Food choices, select one starter, one main and one dessert (please also advise any food intolerances):

Starter

Leek and mushroom tart with red onion confit

Crème of wild mushroom soup

Home cured salmon with honey, mustard and dill

Main Course

Pan fried sea trout, potato pancake, green beans and tender stem broccoli

Grilled pork loin steaks in lemon and garlic, mash potatoes, glazed seasonal vegetable and a creamy grain mustard sauce

Corn fed chicken supreme, baked in soft herbs and filo pastry, steamed broccoli and noisette

Vegetable strudel (V)

Roast vegetable and feta tartlet (V)

Wild mushroom, leek and brie parcels (V)

Lentil and roast vegetable terrine, gratinated with goat’s cheese (V)

Dessert

Strawberry and clotted cream cheese cake

Cloted Cream and Chocolate Cheese Cake

Trio of chocolate served with homemade orange marmalade

3. Seating preferences, any individuals/ groups you want to sit with?

4. Payment of £48 per person to club account, or contact Chris at the treasurer email address to arrange alternate payment:

Sort Code: 60-08-23

Account: 08362998

Please add reference of DINNER plus your name so the Treasurer can identify and confirm your payment.

5. Dress is black tie or lounge suit so dig out your tux, Otter blazer or party dress, look forward to the event and see you on Friday 18 March!

Please let Dave Warren (davewarren.swim@gmail.com) know as soon as possible if you would like to attend. The deadline for menu choices and payment is Sunday 6 March as we need to provide menu choices to the Holiday Inn the following day.

Two more wins for Otter in Liverpool

The Otter 1st team should finish the season in 2nd place or better after winning both their Round Three matches in Liverpool last weekend.

Otter, playing without regular goal keeper Tracey Allen got off to a slow start vs Manchester in Saturdays game trailing 1-0 at the first break before solid defence and an adjustment to the style of the game saw Otter turn the tables & score 4 to Manchesters 1 to be up 4-2 at half time. Otter then kept the pressure on in the 3rd maintaining, rolling with the ebbs & flows to maintain their two goal buffer before running away 4-1 in the last quarter to win 10-5.

Once again Otter spread the scoring around, Claudia, Hannah & Brooke all netted twice, while Turny, Mhairi, Peggy & Kathy got on the score sheet with 1 goal each. 

Lefty Hannah Patchett was on fire this weekend netting twice in both Otters games. 

With captain Peggy & speedster Holly were sidelined with illness, Otter took the opportunity to practice different combinations in game two on Sunday. Otter took control of the game from the very first minute with a brilliant counter goal from Lizi Dunn. Hannah Patchett slotted away the teams second, Lex Higlett got a pair in the 2nd, before Otter hit their stride scoring 4 in the 3rd, and a further 4 in the 4th while keeping Caledonia to 1 goal a quarter. 

Turny scored in both of Otters games, showing her versatility in Extra man & on the counter. 

Special mention to emergency goal keeper Vivi Castagna who temporarily came out of retirement for the weekend to fill in for Tracey in goals & was absolutely brilliant between the posts all weekend. Thank you, we couldn't have done it without you. 

Goal scorers v Caledonia: Lex 5, Kathy 2, Hannah 2, Holly, Turny, Kate 1. 

The team will be joined by Gari & Sophie, and travel to Portugal Wednesday for the LEN European Cup. Before returning for the final BWPL weekend on the 13th & 14th Feb in Sheffield. 

4 big BWPL games this weekend for Otter & Lutra

Lots of BWPL action this weekend with both the ladies Super 5 & Championship 1 games being playing in Liverpool. 

2nd ranked Otter take Manchester & Caledonia again & will be hoping to win both their Super 5s games again this weekend.

Lutra's first game is against 2nd placed Hucknall, who are currently 2nd on the Championship 1 table. The last meeting between the teams was ended in a 4 all draw.  Lutra will go into their 2nd game of the weekend vs the Welsh Wanderers full of confidence, after winning their phase 1 fixture 15-7. 

Game times are: Sat 30th January  - Lutra v Hucknall @ 17:00, Otter v Manchester @ 18:05, Sun 31st January - Otter v Caledonia @ 11:30, Lutra v Welsh Wanderers @13:40 

Good luck Otter & Lutra. 

London Otter Women’s Water Polo team competing in European League competition Feb 5-7 Porto, Portugal

London’s premier women’s water polo team is heading into European competition next week with the start of the LEN 2016 Women’s European League in Porto, Portugal. 

Britain’s only representative team in European senior water polo competition in 2016, London Otter Women’s water polo team is a blend of new talent and established senior GB internationals. Based at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and led by barrister and senior GB player, Peggy Etiebet, & Otter club stalwarts Lizzie Dunn & Rebecca Mulcahy. London Otter’s team also includes five GB junior internationals (Brooke Tafazolli, Kathy Rogers, Mhairi Nurthen, Izzy Dean & Sophie Jackson) 4 of whom represented their country last year at the inaugural European Games in Baku. Australian international players, Lex Higlett, Tracey Allen and Kate O’Brien, Scottish international Holly Campbell and Italian Claudio Ferrone.

The London Otter team face four very strong professional sides in Porto, including the hosts who make up the majority of the  Portuguese national team, the defending European champions Olympiacos from Greece, Vouliagmeni also from Greece, and last year’s LEN Trophy winners Padova (ITA),

Head coach Nick Buller says: “Only the top two teams will go through from the Euro League to the knock out stages, and the competition will be extremely tough for our talented London athletes. We will be facing teams of paid professional players in Porto, however the experience will be invaluable for our players and for London Otter as we continue to develop the premier centre for elite women’s water polo here in London.

Captain Peggy Etiebet says: “Having played water polo professionally in Hungary with a team that won the Hungarian Championships I know how difficult the competition will be, but we are keen to meet the challenge. We are excited to be the only GB club side appearing on the European stage in 2016”

London Otter has recently secured sponsorship from London’s  leading physiotherapy and sports injury clinics, physio in the city, enabling the team to start their European journey.