2010 Wyvern League Final and Second Club Gala

Ledbury & District swimmers had an exciting weekend with the final of the Wyvern League in Newport and a Club Championship Gala in Ledbury.

The Wyvern team, aged from 9 – 15 years were triumphant in winning the League trophy for the 6th consecutive year. Team Captains, Rose, Alice, George and Sam Parsons did a great job mustering maximum commitment from all the swimmers to produce some exciting races with 20 new personal best times recorded. George and Sam were instrumental in securing top points in one of the opening relays with team mates David Middleton and Joe Bloxsome storming to take first place in the 15/u freestyle. In the same age group the girls, Tasha Webster, Lucy Stokes, Calypso Harvey and Alice Quigley also took first place. With the addition of Bethan Hiley both teams also went on to win the Medley relays.

The Ledbury girls dominated the butterfly races, with wins in every age group from Mollie May Parsons (9) Elizabeth Thomas (11/u) Danni Fitzgerald (13/u) and Lucy Stokes (15/u). Alexander Middleton was a worthy winner of the boys event in the 13/u age group.

The freestyle events proved to be tremendously competitive with strong entries from Torfaen, Monmouth, Ross and Pontypool all vying for maximum points. Poppy Park (9) and Peter Crocombe (13/u) emerged as winners and improved swims from Bailey Westmacott, Bradley Williams, Lucy Stokes and Millie Park resulted in faster personal best times. It was a special personal best for 15 year old Joe Bloxsome who achieved the accolade of breaking the 1.00 barrier for 100m freestyle finishing in 59.65 seconds.

Hannah Casewell nudged down her best time to win the 13/u breaststroke and Lucy Stokes was the winner of the older age group. In the backstroke Tasha Webster & Elizabeth Thomas showed great determination to finish well and take top points.

With only a couple of points separating LADASC and Torfaen it took a team effort to pull together with some strong relays to secure the victory. First places went to the 9/10 girls, Ellie Ainsworth Mollie May Parsons, Poppy Park, Bailey Westmacott and Lydia Freeman in both their freestyle and Medley relays.

The final race, the canon freestyle relay featuring a boy and girl from each age group was a highlight of the gala, Lydia Freeman had to hold her nerve to remain composed on the block in order to get the team off to a strong start, Sam Hall, Mollie May Parsons and Christopher Malone all battled well to keep the team in contention for the older swimmers, Elizabeth Thomas, Joseph Cotton, Danni Fitzgerald and Peter Crocombe to secure a small lead enabling Lucy Stokes and Joe Bloxsome to take the touch.

The swimmers were awarded the trophy and medals as team captains led the victory parade around the pool. The captains presented Marion Ainge with a bouquet of flowers in appreciation of all her work in organising the teams throughout the league which began in January.

All swimmers from the Club were encouraged to participate in the 2nd Club Championship of 2010 with races on butterfly, backstroke and freestyle. A total of 7 new records were set, Calypso Harvey, Peter Crocombe and Tom Stokes in freestyle, Lucy Stokes, Alexander Middleton and Tom Stokes in the butterfly and Lucy Stokes in the backstroke.

Young members, James Casewell and Charlotte Ainsworth won the 7/u age group in the one length butterfly race and Matthew Thomas and Charlotte Hall were the winners of the 8 years category.

The older swimmers swam 4 lengths of the pool and the gold medallists were, Christopher Malone, Mollie May Parsons, Alexander Middleton, Calypso Harvey, Bradley Willson, Danni Fitzgerald, Tom Stokes and Lucy Stokes.

All the swimmers competed over eight lengths for the backstroke event with Lucas Dewe, Lydia Freeman, Christopher Malone, Mollie May Parsons, Alexander Middleton, Calypso Harvey, Bradley Willson, Tasha Webster, Tom Stokes and Lucy Stokes winning the gold medals.

Freestyle winners were, Sam Hall, Lydia Freeman, Christopher Malone, Mollie May Parsons, Peter Crocombe, Calypso Harvey, Tom Stokes & Lucy Stokes and the Novice Races were won by Elliot Heath and Grace Neal.