The Otter ladies social team won Division 1 of the London League last weekend. The league is a great opportunity for players to get more game experience, particularly playing with different members of the Otter squad. It is also an opportunity for girls who play for Otter in the BWPL to play with their original home clubs. This years Otter team was made up of young players who represent Otter at NAGs, Lutra players & Otter players. The team was undefeated over the course of the season beating West London Penguin 14-0, 7-4 & 11-2, Mid Sussex Marlins 5-2, 6-2 & 8-2 and Basingstoke Bluefins 13-4, 8-1 & 10-4. Thank you to everyone who played, helped out on the table and refereed, and to Chris Martin for organising the competition once again.
Matt Cockill wins the Torbay 8 mile
Congrats to Otter Matt Cockill on winning the Torbay 8mile swim race on the weekend.
Fliss smashes the Breca SwimRun
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.
Ping Pong and a new Ladies Waterpolo Tradition
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!
Middlesex Masters Entries closing soon
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
Get your 1/2 Mile entries in
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 triumphs in the ESCAD Cup
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.
Otters at the EU Nations Cup, Prague
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 2nd at the Votwo Long Swim
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.
Sign up for the Otter Mile
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