Nuneaton Leisure Centre, 11th January 2020

Three years ago after a wait of around a decade Burton Amateur Swimming Club had returned to the top Division of the League following the Division 2 title being secured in 2016. The club did amazingly well to avoid relegation for the first time in their history in 2017 and which we built on in 2018. Amazingly in 2019 we made it to the grand final which to date in our 142 years of swimming is the highest team achievement for the club. So how would we go in a 4th consecutive year in the top flight?

The format of the league will see 18 teams split into 3 galas for the first two rounds – leading to the top 8 going into a final – the next 5 being in a gala – and the bottom 5 facing a gala that would see 3 relegated back for the 2020 season to division 2.

The draw saw us face the Coalville A, Melton A and Braunstone B which annually finish in the top 8 l, plus Kettering A and Nene Valley who had joined BASC in the recent Autumn League Final. A very tough draw but as expected in this league.

The format is 4 age groups as at 31/12/20 and are age 11, 13, 15 and open – with the main changes being the addition of an Individual medley, the age 15 kids doing 100 fly not 50m. plus all the young kids doing 50m not 25m races.

6 First Places

Toby Durkan – age 11 50m back

Jonny Stimpson – age 11 50m breast

Connor Small – age 13 50m free

Jack Ward – open 100m back

Oliver Frost – age 13 50m back

Oliver Mitchell – age 11 50m free

12 Second Places

Matt Gates – open 100m medley

Tom Mitchell, Harrison Jones, George Preston and Maksims Parahonko – age 15 free relay

Connor Small, Oliver Frost, Edan Maxwell and Jasper Saunders – age 13 free relay

Tom Mitchell – age 15 100m breast

Connor Small – age 13 50m fly

Oliver Frost – age 11 50m breast

Finley Brown – open 100m fly

Harrison Jones, George Preston, Tom Mitchell and Maksims Parahonko – age 15 medley

Charlie Miller, Bella Smith, Georgia Ulyett and Jaina Muogbo – age 13 medley

Oliver Frost, Jasper Saunders, Connor Small and Edan Maxwell – age 13 medley

Adam Doughty. George Greener, Finley Brown and Matt Gates – open medley

7 Third Places

Georgia Ulyett, Jaina Muogbo, Charlie Miller and Issy Mills – age 13 free relay

Georgia Ulyett – age 13 50m fly

Matt Gates – open 100m free

Tom Mitchell – age 15 100m breast

Georgia Ulyett – age 13 50m free

Charlie Miller – age 13 50m back

Sophie Fowkes – open 100m fly

13 Fourth Places

Sophie Fowkes – open 100m medley

Finley Brown, Jack Ward, George Greener and Adam Doughty – open free relay

Emily Copley – age 11 50m back

Lillie Hambleton – age 11 50m breast

Olivia Standley – age 11 50m fly

Ella Cooper – age 15 100m free

Harrison Jones – age 15 100m free

Sophie Fowkes – open 100m back

George Greener – open 100m breast

Ella Cooper – age 15 100m back

Harrison Jones – age 15 100m back

Emily Copley, Lillie Hambleton, Olivia Standley and Orla Leyland – age 11 medley

Cannon Team

From the start it was clear that Coalville A and Melton A would compete to take first place – with Nene Valley struggling to finish higher than 5^th often – the other 3 clubs all pushing each other – Burton never moved from third place but the others kept swapping places and pushing Burton all the way – the level of commitment and fight shown on the night was very impressive.

Highlights :-

• STAR SWIMMER – Oliver Mitchell , Toby Durkan and Jonny Stimpson – great wins on a big stage for the young lads
• STAR RACE – Jack Ward – 100m back in a New PB time – winning by a huge margin despite the standard on show
• An amazing 30 PB times swam so soon after a break from training was fantastic – with only 2 DQ
• Sophie Fowkes and Matt Gates for getting us up an running with two brilliant IM races
• Connor Small and Oliver Frost for winning and coming high up in every race they took part in
• Issy Mills for swimming back to back relays in PB fashion
• The cannon team for smashing the 2 min barrier for second gala running

Results after 51 races:-

So the club has earned 4 points for coming 3rd in round 1 and we now await the draw for the second round on February 29th. Early indications are we sit 8th in the league table after round 1.

Massive thanks go to:-

• the coaching team of Simon and Ian for all the advice and encouragement on the night
• Debbie, Bev, Chris, Kate, Lee, Jane and Dave for the officiating and timing
• Simon and Wayne for the sending and looking after the swimmer’s poolside
• All the parents for once again taking time out of their busy weekends to travel and support the team