Corsham Amateur Swimming Club

WILTS COUNTY ASA – MOONRAKER SUMMER LEAGUE DIV 6

 

“LAST GASP VICTORY FOR CORSHAM B”

 

Corsham’s B team had the narrowest of victories on Saturday, winning Round 3 of the Moonraker summer league at Malmesbury by a single point. In a closely contested gala, Marlborough B finished in the runners up spot, with the home team Malmesbury, a fighting third. This was a splendid result for Corsham, many of whom had to swim up an age group, due to the absence of some of the older swimmers.

 

Swimming is his first Club gala, Tom Walters did really well in all his relay events. Fellow under 12 boys, Elliot Berning, Nicholas Clarke, Joe Leyden and Ruben Ward tried really hard all evening but narrowly missed out on an outright win. Not so for the youngest girls, with Marina Moore cruising to victory in her 25 metre freestyle, then helping Hayley & Kelly Orner and Alex Hughes to a win in the medley relay. In the under 14 boys category, Oscar Matcham fought keenly to win his 50 metre breaststroke and was the mainstay of the relay team. The under 14 girls squad, comprising Fabienne Blunden, Katie Hall, Hannah Mortimer and Becky Whiteside were absolutely superb on the night, winning two of the individual events and romping to victory in both the relays.    

 

Despite her fears, Vikki Burt, won her 50 metres butterfly with a last gasp finger tip touch. She also helped her under 16 team-mates to wins in both relays. The under 16 boys really were the stars of the evening, swimming up to help out the depleted open boys team. Matt Evans & Matt Lewis swam exceptionally well in their 100 metres butterfly and breaststroke, both finishing in 3^rd place.      

 

In the open category, Corsham’s girls went one better this time, winning five out of their six races. A special mention goes to Hannah Barclay, who won her individual 100 metres breaststroke and went on to claw the team back into contention in the relay events. Hannah Slade deserves a mention for her comfortable win in the open 100 metres freestyle. Hardest worker on the night was undoubtedly Stuart Gibb, the only open boys swimmer available, who swam three individual 100 metre events and all of the relays. Undoubtedly, Stuart was “Man of the Match”.   

 

Corsham now take a slender three point overall lead into the final round, at home, on 27^th September. On the basis of this performance, there is no reason why they cannot triumph again and gain promotion to Division 5.

 

Special mentions (and some leg pulling) also go to:

 

Beth Leyden for winning her leg of the 100 metres medley relay, brother Joe Leyden for failing to be caught by the lifeguard when eating a sandwich, Michelle Lewis for forgetting her costume, Sandra (mum) who went home to get it and won an umbrella in the raffle, Alex Hughes for turning out at the last minute to swim for the team, sister Kate for her backstroke relay leg and her sense of humour, Anna Hickman for staying on to help the team to win the match, mum Laura (our Press Officer) who I have to be nice to, because she writes nice things about us, Stuart King, a team stalwart who always give his all, Michael Riches for never complaining and just getting on with the job, Charlotte Evans who has been superb at every round of the summer league and won all of her races, Claire Evans for a nail biting week as the team imploded, Alan McRae for “that picture” in last weeks Gazette, and finally, Chief Coach Peggy Tanner, who, like the Queen, never carries any money and owes me two portions of chips!  

 

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