West Norfolk swimmers faced with busy end to season
West Norfolk Swimming Club is set to endure a busy end to the 2017/18 season.
Club members are expected to compete across the full range of strokes and distances over four days of the next two weekends.
Swimmers will be aiming to record improved personal best times and compete for annual trophies at the Downham and Lynn Alive Leisure Centres.
This Sunday sees the South East Region Open Water Championships at Whitlingham Country Park, in Trowse, near Norwich.
Twenty-three hardy members of the ‘Purple Army’ will join around 450 others from 49 clubs across the east region to compete over distances of between 1 and 5km.
Many of the squad have benefited from additional open water training for the first time this summer, following an arrangement between the club and Lynn Triathlon Club who swim at Pentney Lakes.
The 1km (novices event) will see 12 swimmers compete in open water for the first time.
These are: Alice Page, Elizabeth England, Esmie Kidman, Ethan Evans, Isabella Ashby-King, Jack Drage, Jack Woodhouse, Joshua Parker, Oliver Shaw, Olivia Skitrell, Robert Addis and Sophie Doig.
Twelve and thirteen-year-olds Harry Sharpe and Leah Bushell, as well as Kayleigh Venables, 19, will race the 2km course and along with achieving personal best times, the younger swimmers eyes will be on a top three finish.
The top three athletes in their respective regional age group competitions will earn a place at the National Open Water Age Group Championships which takes place at Rother Valley Country Park, outside Sheffield, on July 30.
Fourteen and fifteen-year-olds Lucie Peck, Meda Vitginyte and Sam Rose have 3km to contend with while Ella Farnsworth, Jenn Read, Joe Wells, Nathan Wells and Rachel Johnson will all race the 5km course, also looking for a National place.
Back in the pool, the British Summer Championships and Swim England National Summer Meet sandwich the National Open Water Age Group Championships, getting underway from July 24 at Ponds Forge International Sports centre in Sheffield.
