Double Header Weekend: Three Counties Gala and Staffs League 2019 Round 2 – Times and Report

On the weekend of July 6^th and 7^th BASC had two events taking place.

Three Counties Gala – Stafford Leisure Centre

The Sunday saw Harrison Jones and Ella Cooper represent Staffordshire in the Annual 3 Counties Gala at the home of Staffordshire Swimming the impressive 8 lane Stafford Leisure Centre. This is a massive achievement for both of our swimmers, two kids whose loyalty to BASC has helped us improve as a team over the last 4-5 years. This was the second time we had a swimmer selected for this event following Aidan Joubert swimming in 2017.

Staffs League Round 2 – Tamworth Snowdome

 On the Saturday evening the 2019 Staffs League continued on its annual route to finals in November. We all know by now that this league is a difficult league with 3 levels of standard. In round 1 we had again swam in level 2 – which in truth is the level we are at now. In round 2 we had a swim in level 3, we entered as clear favourites and went in search of the 40^th gala win since the barron run had ended back in March 2014.

The draw put BASC against Bilston B. Walsall, Tamworth and Cannock Phoenix B. The gala format is all races and legs are over 50m – and we get mixed relays rather than the usual all girls or boys.

Staff League debuts went to Seb Jones, Molly Hull and Sam Benstead plus our very own South American loan signing of Holly Farmer.

Holly has been visiting the local area staying with Grandparents and has trained with BASC since February and this was her moment to swim in a league gala for BASC.

Also in the squad last night was Katie Spooner returning to the BASC team after a gap of nearly 3.5 years, her last league swim being the Winter League Final win in Rugby in March 2016 before joining City of Derby SC.

29 First Places from just 44 races

Jaina Muogbo – age 11 50m back

Katie Spooner – age 15 50m breast

George Greener – age 15 50m breast

Ella Cooper, Harrison Jones, Edan Maxwell and Charlie Miller – age 13 free

Finley Brown – open age 50m fly

Bella Smith – age 11 50m free

Holly Farmer, George Greener, Matt Appelbee and Rosie Bolton – age 15 medley

Ruby Welsford – age 13 50m back

Oliver Frost – age 13 50m back

Seb Jones, Chloe Clamp, Joseph Mills and Abigail Hughes – age 9 mixed stroke

Matt Gates – open age 50m breast

Katie Spooner – age 15 50m fly

Matt Appelbee – age 15 50m fly

Ella Cooper – age 13 50m free

Harrison Jones – age 13 50m free

Holly Farmer, Adam Doughty, Finley Brown and Rosie Bolton – open medley

Bella Smith – age 11 50m breast

Katie Spooner, George Greener, Charlotte Breeze and George Preston – age 15 free

Ella Cooper – age 13 50m fly

Matt Gates – open age 50m free

Dylan Mitchell, Bella Smith, Lana Clamp and Sam Benstead – age 11 medley

George Greener – age 15 50m back

Harrison Jones – age 13 50m breast

Jack Ward, Matt Gates, Holly Farmer and Issy Stanley – open free

Lana Clamp – age 11 50m fly

Matt Appelbee – age 15m 50m free

Holly Farmer – open age 50m back

Jack Ward – open age 50m back

Girls Cannon Free Relay team

7 Second Places

Dylan Mitchell – age 11 50m back

Jaina Muogbo, Bella Smith, Dylan Campbell and Josh Cooper – age 11 free

Josh Cooper – age 11 50m breast

Edan Maxwell – age 13 50m fly

Rosie Bolton – age 15 50m back

Charlotte Breeze – age 15 50m free

Oliver Frost, Ruby Welsford, Ella Cooper and Harrison Jones – age 13 medley

5 Third Places

Charlotte Breeze – open age 50m fly

Dylan Mitchell – age 11 50m free

Imogen Hill – open age 50m breast

Edward Frost, Joseph Mills, Molly Hull and Abigail Hughes – age 9 free

Dylan Campbell – age 11 50m fly

The overall result scoring 5 points for a win :-

Results:

So a huge win for BASC to bring up that land mark 40th win – amazingly 10 swimmers still swim with the club since that win back in March 2014. Back then they were in the main the young swimmers looking up to the older swimmers, overcoming their own nerves in the same way that the age 9 kids did last night.

STAR SWIMMER – really hard to pick one swimmer out when we saw so many swimmers win races last night – so it is shared between Ella Cooper, Holly Farmer, Katie Spooner and George Greener who all swam in 4 race wins on the night.

STAR RACE – age 9 mixed stroke relay team – Seb Jones, Chloe Clamp, Joseph Mills and Abigail Hughes – a great start from Seb and Chloe saw Joseph open up a big lead for Abigail to hold onto to give them a great first place.

All the age 9 kids did themselves proud – the smiles on their faces as they came back to the team base was fantastic

Special thank you to Craig Day, Jo Bolton, Debbie Preston and Karen Cooper for officiating, to Colin and Simon Smith for timing, and Simon & Ian for all the coaching and advice last night