Kingfishers at Wykeham Lakes
Anyone who is a member and can swim a mile competently is welcome to come out to Wykeham Lakes on a Tuesday Night from 6:00 pm and join us. I can’t guarantee the weather or the water temperature but I can absolutely guarantee when you get out of the session a feeling of accomplishment and a buzz factor you simply just don’t get in a pool (and it will have nothing to do with the weed down your costume or silt round your face)!
There is a link to the British Long Distance Swimming Association BLDSA on the front page of the Kingfisher Website. This is the governing body of this arm of swimming and is a good source of reference to anyone looking for information on Long Distance swimming.
P.S. anyone who can canoe and would like to volunteer just come along, we have plenty of canoes and safety gear.
Kingfishers Swimming Club End of Season Challenge swim August 2013
Kingfishers Open Water Squad ended their season at Wykeham Lakes with the Annual Challenge swim on Bank Holiday Monday.
Due to the increase of interest in the sport this year following the successful Channel Relay there were two races a Novice 1 lap of approx 1000m and the Challenge swim of 2 laps of 2000m. The weather was perfect warm and sunny and the water was calm.
9 swimmers entered the water for the Novice Challenge race with Dave Pearson coming home first closely followed in order by Paul Stephenson, Richard Priestley, Lewis Sykes, Lindsey Prior – McKie, Tom Louth, Jamie Priestley, Cameron Swiers and Emily Priestley. There was over 40 years age difference between some swimmers in this race showing how popular and inclusive open water swimming is becoming in Scarborough.
The Challenge swim was the second race of the night and the start is a handicapped start hoping that all swimmers will be racing for first place at the end. First home overall and first breastroke swimmer was Jane Sedman, first freestyle swimmer home was Ben Jewison closely followed in order by Savannah McKenzie, Louise Scupham, David Marshall, Erin Hope and Mary Hebron.
A huge thank you to the safety boat crew, canoeist and helpers on the evening for ensuring a safe and enjoyable evening was had by all.
The Kingfisher Open water squad train April to September in the sea and at Wykeham Lakes and welcomes new members. Following the success of The English Channel Relay in July this year the team are embarking on a two year build up to a Two-Way Channel swim in 2015 with fundraising and a monster swim challenge planned for August 2014.
Kingfishers Swimming Club 2 Way-Castlefoot swims September 2013
4 members of Kingfishers Open Water Squad completed the 2 way Castlefoot swims, Louise Scupham, Mary Hebron, Erin Hope and Jane Sedman entered the sea in front of the Lifeboat House on the South Beach at 5.30pm on 30th August and swam to the North Bay where as soon as they could stand up they turned round and swam back to the Lifeboat House a swim of approximately 3 miles.
The sea was held relatively calm by a strong off shore wind which was tricky for the 6 canoeist that volunteered to accompany the girls on the swim. Family, friends and bemused holiday makers walked around the Marine Drive following the progress of the swimmers and the pod of porpoises and lone seal that stuck with them.
The return swim did start to get a little choppy but the swimmers simply turned up a gear and ploughed on in typical determined Open Water Swimming Style.
Louise finished her swim in 1hr 4mins 40secs, Mary was next in 1hr 11mins 50secs, Erin in 1hr 15mins 51secs and Jane who swam breaststroke in 1hr 41mins 50secs.
A huge thank you to skipper Neil Horsley and Paul on The Queensferry who stepped in at the last minute to provide the safety boat for club officials Philip Dickinson and Paula Ambury due to the adverse wind conditions being unsuitable for the club safety rib and Martin Stirling, Chris Tindall, Steve Hodgson, David Morgan, John Vinten and John Devine for providing kayak safety cover for the swimmers without whose help the swim could not have gone ahead.
The presentations below provide information on Kingfishers’ current open water squad and channel relay 2013. Our channel squad are pictured below
Open Water Training
September 3rd 2011 Castlefoot Swim
With no jellyfish in sight and the QE2 on the horizon Louise stormed home and stood up on the south beach in 33mins 38secs a superb time for her first open water sea swim. Erin whose drive and determination in long distance training has seen her improve enormously this season finished in a fantastic time of 41mins 40secs and finally Jane Sedman who was only offered the chance to swim 24 hrs before finished in a very credible 47mins 57secs a real achievement in breastroke which in the sea is a difficult stroke to maintain.
TWO SUCCESSFULL CASTLEFOOT SWIMS
Mary-Beth Hebron and Savannah Snowball completed two successful Castlefoot Swims on Wednesday 17 August in 52 minutes 37secs and 52 mins 33 secs respectively. They entered the water at the steps outside the Royal Albert Cafe at 5pm and the team mates swam together all the way round on a lovely sunny evening. The water was relatively calm but did get a “wee bit choppy” behind the Luna Park according to the boat crews, this didn’t faze either of the girls who just ploughed on and showed true grit and determination. This swim is the culmination of a lot of hard work from both girls both in the pool and at Wykeham Lakes each Monday Evening. Congratulations to you both.
The Kingfishers boat contained Phil, Kev and Jonny Lucas and the second boat was supplied by Scarborough Sub Aqua Club and was manned by Barry Samples, Pete Bridgewood and David Morgan. The last piece of the safety cover much to the amusement of everyone on the Marine Drive and at The Albert Cafe came in the shape of Gav Kerrigan, he carried his canoe from the top of the cliffs down, winding his way like a tortoise down the paths and then slid down the steps to launch as there was no beach! The canoe is really important in addition to the two boats as it can get so much closer to the swimmers.
I’m sorry to seem to go on a bit about the crews, but without them there is no open water section and I feel it is really important that everyone is aware of what preparation is involved before hand to get these swims off the ground.
Brilliant Result for Kingfishers – Well Done everyone
Alex Lee at Bala Lake
Kingfishers Open Water Swimmers had a very successful weekend with Alex Lee travelling to Bala lake to compete in the B.L.D.S.A. held over 2 days. On Saturday she entered the 6 mile race which was held despite very choppy and windy conditions. The race involves swimming the length of the lake and back. Alex was forced to retire a mile from the finished due to severe cramp in her back but in true Kingfisher style she re-entered the water on Sunday for the 3 mile race and flew home in 1hr 22mins 02secs.
Jonny Lucas Completes the 3 Mile Scalby Mills to Spa Swim
In home waters Jonny Lucas completed the 3 mile (approx!) Scalby-Mills to Spa swim. The swim starts with the swimmer being dropped in the water from the boat out in the North Bay in line with the Scalby Mills pub and swimming straight across the North Bay the Castle Headland and finishing in line with the Spa, he finished in 51mins 35secs setting a very high standard for all those who follow him. The crew who had been on standby for 4 days as the tides were perfect but the weather was not were Phil Dickinson and Dave Morgan. Our thanks to them for their patience, expertise and giving up their time to make sure the swim – the first Scarborough sea swim of the season was a huge success.