Congrats to Otter Felicity Hannon & Ben Bussman who were the first placed mixed team in the Breca Buttermere 2016 SwimRun. Fliss & Ben braved the choppy water, high winds & even hail to complete the 39km run, 6km Swim & 1900m ascent. And they smashed it. First mixed team and 10th over all. Awesome results.
Otter women's water polo club celebrated the end of a successful 2015/16 season, testing their dexterity over ping pong duels at Bounce. A healthy dose of competition and strength among the teams saw balls flying, and friendships in tatters..but at the end of the day, a wonderful time was had by all.
A proud new tradition was also inaugurated, with club colours being introduced at the event. For the first time in Otter's history, a women's blazer has been made, to be handed down through the Ladies Waterpolo Club Captains. The Blazer was presented on Sunday to outgoing captain Lex Higlett (2012-2016).
Lex was "very honoured to be the first Lady Otter Waterpolo player to wear the club colours" and was excited to think of all the talented committed Otters who will wear the jacket in years to come. Otter Swimming Club has such a rich history & so many great club traditions. It is great for Ladies polo, a newer part of the club, to start such a lovely tradition. Lex will hand the colours down to the next Ladies Waterpolo Captain, Tracey Allen, at the beginning of the 2016 / 2017 season.
The 2017/17 National League commences in September. Both Otter teams are looking forward to the 'International break' before kicking into pre-season training in August. We wish all of our GB and other representatives the best of luck with their preparations for their upcoming training camps, selection & tournaments.
Big thanks to Kathy & Mhairi for organising Sunday. To Claudia for a most delicious homemade gluten free birthday cake. It was probably the best tasting gluten free cake ever eaten. Happy Birthday CLAUDIA!
Reminder that entries for the Middlesex Masters are closing next week on the 8th July.
The event is on 24th July at Barnet Copthall Centre, Champions Way, Hendon, London, NW4, 1PX. And comprises of 50m each stroke plus 200m Freestyle and 100m Individual Medley for individual competitors and 4 x 25m Freestyle & Medley Relays for men, women & and mixed Teams.
Otter have historically done very well at this competition and we hope to see our name on the trophies for another year. All swimmers should take this opportunity to race for themselves and the club. Most entrants will swim every event and a host of relays. It makes for an exciting day!
Entry forms & schedule can be found here. Entries Close on 8th July, so don't delay.
We look forward to seeing you there.
A few of the Otter Men with the 2015 Overall Team Trophy & Top Mens Team trophy
Entries for the Otter 1/2 Mile on Friday 15th July are now open - email Chris Sutton (chris.sutton@uk.bp.com) to enter.
The 1/2 Mile is the main Open water event of the year, and is hosted at the Club House of Henley Sailing Club who provide a brilliant BBQ dinner after the swim. There is also a full cash bar throughout the evening. The event is on a handicap basis so swimmers of all ages and abilities have an equal chance of winning. It is a great evening and spectators and non-competitors are welcome.
We meet at the Henley Sailing Club (Willow Lane, Wargrave, Berks RG10 8LJ) about 7pm. Boats take swimmers upstream to the starting point at 19.30. We then swim back downstream and get stuck into the BBQ.
The cost of the swim and BBQ is £20, with the cost of the BBQ alone for non-swimmers being £17.50. Please bring cash if possible on the night. We must know numbers for catering 3 days before the event, and have to pay Henley Sailing Club on the basis of these numbers, so if you cancel at the last minute you will still have to pay BBQ costs.
A 16 seat coach is also organised from Barons Court underground station which will depart at 17.50 sharp, and will return to Victoria Station after the event. The cost of the coach is £15 per head return ( back to Victoria Station) which will be collected CASH on the bus on the night. Seats are first come first served basis. So let Chris know as soon as possible whether you will swim plus any spectators who will come with you.
This is always a fun evening which is much enjoyed so please do sign up.
Lily and the England 2000 emerged as ESCAD Cup 2016 champions last weekend after beating Slovakian senior club side PVK 11 - 9 on penalties.
The team kicked off the cup with a high scoring 17-13 win vs Germany on Friday. The winning ways continued into the weekend morning with an 8 - 7 result against senior club side PVK Vrutky & a 16-13 win over hosts Slovakia, & a 11-9 win in the final vs PVK.
4 Otters were in action last weekend at the EU Nations Cup Waterpolo Competition in Prague, Czech Republic: Holly Campbell representing Scotland, Hannah Patchett, Kathy Rogers & Lilly Turner representing England U/19s.
England’s U19 women saw off Switzerland in their final game to finish fifth in the competition.The English team, kicked off their campaign with group stage wins over Scotland (11-2) and Austria (22-6) on the opening day in Prague. A nail-biting one-goal defeat to Slovakia (9-10) on day two was followed by a second loss (4-12), this time to eventual winners South Africa, before the English girls finished on a high winning their fifth place playoff vs Switzerland (14-6). All 13 English outfield players found the net at least once, Otter’s Hannah Patchett and Manchester’s Rosie Huck finishing top scorers for the English girls with nine goals each. Otters Kathy and Lilly were both impressive in front of goals with 8 & 4 goals respectively. The English girls will now continue their build-up for September’s European U19 Championships in the Netherlands.
The Scottish Women finished overcame Ireland 11-10 in penalty shoot out to finish 7th in Prague.
The team had a tough first day going down to England (2-11) & South Africa (5-16), but bounced back to beat Austria (16-4) before going down vs Slovakia (17-4) to set up a dramatic 7th vs 8th playoff with Ireland. With the scores locked at 7all at the end of ordinary time, the game went to a penalty shootout, with Scotland edging ahead to win 11-10.
Pip Bennett braved less than summery weather last Sunday to compete in his first open water race of the season "a cheerful 5km at Dorney."
Pip finished 2nd overall and 1st non-wetsuit swimmer at the Votwo Long Swim, then made his way back to QMSC to do a fun test set at Otter training that night. Standard.
Congrats Pip. You are mental. And awesome.
There is still time sign up to the annual Otter Open Water Otter Mile Swim. If you'd like to compete or join the dinner you have until Friday 17th June to email chris.sutton@uk.bp.com to confirm your place.
The Mile is on Friday 24th June. It is a fun open water swim open to all members in the river Thames. It is a great opportunity to get out of the pool, hopefully in some sunshine, then have dinner & drink with the Otters. It is a handicapped race so everyone has an opportunity to do well & there are fantastic Trophies on offer! Partners & friends are also welcome to watch the swim & join for dinner. Details for the event are as follows:
Meet:
7pm at Windsor Leisure Centre
Clewer Mead,
Stovell Road,
Windsor
Boat departure:
7.30pm
Getting there:
Trains run out of Waterloo at 17:28 Arrive 18:23 and 17:58 Arrive 18:53 to Windsor and Eton Riverside Paddington 17:12 Arrive 17:58, 17:42 Arrive 18:34 and 18:12 Arrive 18:58 to Windsor and Eton Riverside but requires two changes. Or there is parking available in Windsor .
Dinner:
8:30/9pm at Bexley Arms Windsor (http://thebexleyarms.co.uk/), this will be a buffet of pastas etc and has been amazing in the past few years .
Cost:
The cost of the swim and the meal will be £25.
Just the dinner £15
Just the swim £10
Please transfer this money to the Otter account
Sort code: 60-08-23, Account 08362998 labelling the payment with your first name +surname.
Logistics:
We will be able to leave our belongings in the leisure centre locker room and make use of the showers after the swim. Please bring warm clothes for putting on afterwards (particularly if you're not used to open water temperatures), the river should be warm but this is a non-wetsuit event.
Swimmers lining up for the 2015 start
The British Waterpolo League Phase 1 Fixtures have been announced. The Otter Ladies who finished the 2015/16 season 2nd will be playing in the Women's first division again next year, but will have to wait until the last weekend of Phase 1 to play last years Champions Liverpool in a rematch of the 2016 British Championship final. Otter Lutra who will be hoping to reclaim the Championship 1 title again next season will kick off their campaign in September at Ponds Forge. 3 1/2 months till season Otters.
Otter Fixtures:
3:20pm Saturday 1st October Otter v Caledonia @Gloucester
12:50pm Sunday 2nd October Otter v Leeds Sharks @Gloucester
2:15pm Saturday 29th October Otter v Coventry @Watford
7:15pm Saturday 29th October Otter v Hucknall @Watford
10:15am Sunday 30th October Otter v Sheffield Sharks @Watford
3pm Saturday 26th November Otter v Manchester @Liverpool
12:40pm Sunday 27th November Otter v Liverpool Lizzards @Liverpool
Lutra Fixtures:
12:25pm Saturday 17th September Lutra v Tyldesley @Ponds Forge
18:15pm Saturday 17th September Lutra v Liverpool Water Beatles @Ponds Forge
1:15pm Saturday 18th September Lutra v Manchester Comets @Ponds Forge
2pm Saturday 5th November Lutra v Welsh Wanderers @Plymouth
1.45pm Sunday 6th November Lutra v Penguin Emperors @Plymouth
4.45pm Saturday 26th November Lutra v Devonport @Northampton
1.45pm Sunday 27th November Lutra v Mid Sussex Marlins @Northampton
Full schedule can be found here & on the BWPL website.
Otter swimmers picked up 13 European Championship medals, 4 British Records & 24 Otter Club records this week.
Dave Warren, Roger Lloyd-Mostyn & Derek Parr took home 3 medals each, from their 3 individual swims. Dave finished the Championships with 1 gold, 45-49 Years 200m Butterfly – 2:16.44, two silvers 45-49 Years 200m Freestyle – 2:01.74 & 200m Individual Medley – 2:14.94 & 3 British Records. Roger collected a medal of each colour winning gold in the 75-79 years 100m Butterfly - 1.36.50, silver in the 100m Freestyle 1.20.03 & Bronze in the 50m Butterfly 38.75. Derek Parr took home a gold in the 70-74 years 100m Butterfly 1.21.35, & bronze medals in the 200m Fly 3:30.50 & the 50m Fly 34.34. Amazing work swimming gentleman!
The Otter Ladies 4x50 Freestyle relay teams also enjoyed some brilliant results on a very exciting day 2 of the Championships. The 120+ team of Lex Higlett, Olivia Reynolds, Laure Kearns & Catherine Demont won gold in the 120+ age group in 1:54.55. While the 160+ team of Gina Hobson, Emma Shkurka, Jane McMenemy & Fiona Marshall Staines won silver in the 160+ age group in a British Record setting time of 1:56.41.
Hayley Davis & Peter Kirk both picked up bronze medals, Peter in the 60-64 years 100m Freestyle 1:03.82 & Hayley in the ladies 30-34 years 800m Freestyle in 9:58.03. Brilliant work
There were also 24 Otter club records broken this week, with records broken in all but 3 of the age groups. Dave Warren once again lead the way breaking records pretty much every time he hit the water. Dave broke Otter 45-49 age group records in all 3 of his individual swims; 200 Free (56.58), 200 Fly (2:16.44), 200IM (2.14.94) and also broke the 50m Free record (25.51) in a relay. Craig Gillespie, Hayley Davis & Roger Lloyd-Mostyn broke 3 records each, Craig claiming the 200IM (2:19.52), 50 Breast (30.68), 100 Breast (1:09.72) records in the 25-29 age group. Hayley breaking records in the 30-34 age group for the 800 Free (9:58.03), 200 Back (2:31.95), 200 Fly (2:31.24). Roger Lloyd-Mostyn in the 100 Free (1.20.03), 50Fly (38.75), 100Fly (1.36.50).
Jane McMenemy broke the 200 (2:29.57) & 400 (5:19.76) records for the 45-49 age group with her two individual swims, and was part of the British Record Silver medal winning 160+ 4x50 relay team.
Maddie Parra broke the 25-29 200 Fly record (2:37.83), Ollie Caldwell the 30-34 100 Fly (1.02.52), Christophe Amardeilh the 35-39 200 Back (2:32.20), Fiona Marshall Staines the 35-39 50 Breast (37.35), Emma Cartwright 40-44 50 Fly (39.91) John Paulson 50-54 400 free (4:50.74), Guy David 55-59 100 Fly (1:08.47), Peter Kirk 60-64 100m Free (1.03.82) & Bob Thomas the 70-74 years 50 Back (41.35).
Congratulations to everyone who swam for Otter at the championships. Whether you won a medal, broke a British Record, Otter Record, got a top ten finish, a personal best, or just had fun competing hope you had a brilliant time. As Dave Warren said, this sport isn't just about one person racing in a lane in a pool, it is a collective with lots of great people, common goals and shared experiences and better for it. All those who have entered and swam will have your own stories to tell for many years to come, I'm sure this event will live in the memories for years where for other events the memories will fade.
Dave Warren led the Otter team with a brilliant week in the pool Congrats Dave.
