Swindon Dolphin were once again a force to be reckoned with at the Wiltshire County Open Water event held at Lake 32, on a warm but very breezy evening in June.
The 3k swimmers were in first, and after a gruelling 4 laps around the lake, Megan Jones took silver in the 17-25 years age group whilst Helen Hanks took gold in the 41 years and over as well as claiming the overall 3k open championship. In the men’s 3km event Ronaldo Garcia made it look easy, winning his age group and the overall Men’s Open Championship in an impressive time of 40.55.05.
Dolphins had no swimmers in the 750Km event this year, with both girls and boys events being won by swimmers from Tigersharks.
Fifteen Dolphin swimmers took to the lake for the 1.5km swim. Aleysha Easen, Sophie Bartlett, Mia Gough, Maya Grounsell, Nikki Easen and William Davies were all competing in their first lake swim and it was Kerry Rutherford’s first counties at the 1.5km distance after moving up to the 12-14 years age group.
In the girl’s 12-14 years age group, Cathy Naus won gold in a time of 20.38.46 with 12 year old Maya Grounsell finishing in an impressive 4th. Becky Matthews won gold in the 15-16 age group with Amber Davies winning bronze. Lauren Matthews also picked up the gold medal in the 17-25 age group in a time of 20.37.00, with Danielle Lewis winning silver and Melksham’s Jenny Bond picking up the bronze. Wootton Basset’s Angela Tanner won the 26-40 age group with Dolphin’s Nikki Easen taking gold in the 41 years and over.
The top three ladies open championship places went to Lauren Matthews, Cathy Naus and Becky Matthews, with Cathy Naus also picking up the Junior Championship award with 2nd place going to Tigersharks’ Jessica Lawrence and 3rd to Izzy Criddle from Bradford on Avon.
Swindon Dolphin Open Water medallists
In the men’s 1.5k event Dolphin had no competitor in the 12-14 event, won by Tigersharks Marshall Fitchett. In the 15-16 years age group it was a Dolphin 1-2 with William Davies picking up gold and Jake Lewis the silver with Melksham’s Toby Bond wining bronze. John Cholod won gold in the men’s 41 and over with Dean Fouracre coming home in the bronze medal position.
In the mens championship William Davis won both the junior and the open championship, with Jake lewis in 2nd and 3rd place going to Tigersharks’ Marshall Fitchett.
William Davies ~ Wiltshire 1.5km Open Water Junior and Senior Champion
A week later three Dolphin swimmers were in Weymouth for the South West Region Open Water Championship. The weather was changeable with sun, rain and strong winds, making the sea choppy and unpredictable. Ronaldo Garcia competed in the very tough 5km event finishing in 3rd place overall and 1st in his age group in a time of 1.12.42. Cathy Naus took part in her first ever sea swim coming third overall in the 1.5k women’s event behind Newquay’s Millie Roberts and Betsy Peters from St Ives Bay who took gold. Naus won silver in the 14 years age group, although this was tinged with disappointment with only the winner earning the right to compete at the National Open Water Championships. Helen Hanks swam the 3k in rough seas in a time of 56.28 picking up the gold medal in her age group and finishing 10th overall.
