Bishop's Stortford Swimming Club

Affiliated to Swim England East Region

Masters

Rachael takes on Ultraswim 33.3 in Montenegro

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In October, Assistant Head Coach Joe Collins accompanied BSSC Masters swimmer Rachael Hunt as she took on her Ultra marathon swim in Montenegro. Here, Joe shares the highlights from a gruelling four days of swimming.

Coach Joe’s commentary from Montenegro:
Rachael undertook Ultraswim 33.3 #5, Montenegro at the start of the month. The event usually consists of a number of swims across four days (4th to 8th October), that add up to 33.3km, but in this instance Rachael and Andy Donaldson, a world record holder, most notably the fastest athlete to complete the Oceans Seven marathon swim challenge, had been asked to take on ‘the Ultimate’ swim with them swimming a continuous 22.2 and 33.3km solo swim respectively.

Rachael completed all swims before her ultimate swim on day four, completing 28km over the three days before her ultimate 22.2.

The 22.2km route
The 33.3km route
Moral support
5th October 2024. Montenegro. Pictures of UltraSwim 33.3 day 1 Credit: Lloyd Images
The finish!
Back at training the next day!

The day of her ultimate swim we left the marina at 06:00 to arrive at our start point at the blue cave before jumping in at 06:42. Two hours (around 5km) into the swim Rachael crossed paths with the rest of the group finishing their total 33.3km swims, to huge applause.

Around six hours into the swim, Andy Donaldson caught up after starting 11.1km behind, fighting against a strong current that slowed both swimmers almost to a complete standstill. Rachael powered through and made her way across the channel, for the longest straight stretch of the swim, thankfully slightly current assisted this time.

In the last hour of the swim, Rachael’s son Max joined us in a kayak to offer much needed moral support. She came to the hotel beach finish point at 17:21, swimming for a total of 11 hours 39 mins, where she was greeted by many of the swimmers that had finished earlier in the day, as well as event staff, husband, James and Andy.

We got back to England a few days after on Thursday 10th October, and Rachael was back in the pool Friday morning at Grange Paddocks for our session back with the club, and with time for a proud coach photo opportunity.

I am incredibly proud of what Rachael has achieved and am honoured to have been able to witness such determination throughout the whole event.

Masters triumph at Nationals

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Huge congratulations the BSSC Masters who were in action at the GoCardless Swim England Masters National Championships in Sheffield over the weekend of 26th-27th October.

The team did amazingly, walking away with 19 medals: 12 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze.

Huge congratulations to medal winners Niamh, Lizzie, Lucy, Alyson, Callum, Jake and Annabelle.

Highlights from the weekend include an entire podium of swims in the women’s 100m Individual Medley with medals across the age groups, and the relay dream team of Callum, Lucy, Niamh and Jake taking gold in the 4 x 100m Mixed Freestyle and Medley relays.

Full results – top-three places:

  • Niamh James – gold 200m backstroke, gold 200m IM, bronze 100m IM, gold 200m breaststroke
  • Lizzie Bellinger – gold 50m fly, silver 200m IM, silver 100m IM, gold 100m fly
  • Alyson Fordham – gold 100m freestyle, silver 50m breaststroke, gold 100m IM, gold 50m freestyle, gold 100m backstroke
  • Lucy Wheeler – gold 200m freestyle, silver 100m freestyle
  • Jake Lloyd – silver 200m fly
  • Annabelle Wright – bronze 400m freestyle

Relays:
Gold 4 x 100m mixed medley relay (Niamh James, Callum Davis, Jake Lloyd and Lucy Wheeler)
Gold 4 x 100 mixed freestyle relay (Lucy Wheeler, Niamh James, Jake Lloyd, Callum Davis)

The Masters at Nationals
Relay Dream Team

Poolside commentary from Assistant Head Coach Joe Collins!

Read on for Assistant Head Coach Joe’s blog detailing all the action from the weekend’s racing:

Niamh kicked off the racing on Friday with a gold in the 200m back. That was followed by Callum, Zara, Lucy and Lizzie’s 50 fly, with everyone swimming an amazing time and Lizzie taking the gold!

Niamh came out of Friday with another gold in the 200m IM, Lizzie clinching a second medal – this time silver in the event – and Jake narrowly missing out on the podium coming 4th.

The 100m free saw Meg set a new masters PB for herself, and Zara just missing out on hers. Callum too swum just over his masters PB that he set the year before at Masters Nationals ’23. Friday was closed out by Alyson and Lucy in the 100m free finishing 1st and second respectively.

Alyson was up early for the 50m breaststroke, taking yet another gold which led us nicely into the 200m free, where we got to watch Annabelle and Jake racing at the same time in opposite pools, both swimmers finishing in the top 10 and Jake just missing out on his sub 2 minute target in a time of 2.00.82. Lucy had her 200m free a few heats later, where she added herself to the list of BSSC gold medalists in the individuals.

We completed a podium’s worth of swims in the Women’s 100m IM across the age groups, with Alyson in 1st, Lizzie in 2nd & Niamh taking 3rd.

The end of Saturday saw Callum and Jake both do a far better job than I have proven I could in the 200m fly, Jake coming away with the silver.

We then went onto the 50m free with Lucy being a hair’s breadth from 26s when she swum a 27.01. We were hit with an Alyson, 1-2 of 1st place swims in both the 50m & 100m back.

Sunday started off with yet another 200m, this time the breaststroke and yet another gold for Niamh in it, after swimming a 2 second PB (putting it down to the lucky swimsuit)! Jake and Callum both then took on the Men’s 100m fly, with both breaking the minute mark in times of 59 & 58 respectively. Annabelle and Lizzie were our Women’s fly swimmers, both swimming a 1.10, with that earning Lizzie herself another gold.

The last session of the weekend included Annabelle’s huge 400m free swim, hitting her target dead on in a time of 4 minutes 50 and we concluded with Zara’s 50 back almost achieving SB for herself.

In terms of the relays, everyone came away with some amazing splits (if I’m allowed to say so myself). Contributing to top 10 finishes in all 4 relays for the 72+ age group. The dream team of Lucy, Callum, Niamh & Jake walking away with the gold in the 4x100m Mixed Medley & Free, retaining the
gold they won in the free last year (can they/will they make it 3 in a row next year?)…

Gold medal haul for Masters at East Region Championships

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Sunday 29th September saw BSSC Masters swimmers Jake Lloyd, Niamh James, Callum Davis, Lucy Wheeler and Sally Winter travel to Newmarket for Swim England’s East Region Masters Championships.

The team were in fantastic form, with 16 medals won – 14 of them gold. Highlights from the day included the 4 x 50m freestyle and medley relays, with Niamh, Callum, Jake and Lucy taking gold in both events.

Alyson Fordham continued her record-breaking streak, taking two seconds off her own British 200m backstroke record with a time of 2:51.51.

Alyson was also presented with the British Swimming Masters Decathlon 2023 trophy. Over the year, swimmers’ performances from Masters competitions are assigned points, and the top male and top female (highest points for the 10 strokes they have chosen) receive the trophy.

The Masters team
Alyson Fordham
Alyson Fordham

Full results

65/69 years
Alyson Fordham – Gold 50m Freestyle, 200m Backstroke, 50m Backstroke, 100m Individual Medley

60/64 years
Sally Winter – Gold 200m Freestyle and 100m Freestyle

25/29 years
Jake Lloyd – Gold 50m Butterfly, 400m Freestyle, 50m Butterfly

18/24 years
Callum Davis – Gold 100m Butterfly and Silver 50m butterfly

18/24 years
Naimh James – Gold100m Butterfly and 100m Breaststroke, Silver 100m Individual Medley

Relays
Gold in the mixed 4x50m Medley relay and mixed 4 x 50m Freestyle relay.

The relay team: Niamh James, Callum Davis, Jake Lloyd and Lucy Wheeler.

Beating the best in Europe

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Two BSSC Masters recently represented Team GB at the European Aquatics Masters Championships in Belgrade. Both Alyson Fordham (65-69 yrs) and Lizzie Bellinger (45-59 yrs) were on superb form across multiple events.

Lizzie Bellinger
Alyson Fordham

Lizzie, the current Aquatics GB record holder in the 100m Fly, was in action across four events and secured an impressive three Silver medals and one Bronze medal, setting Swim England East Region records in both the 200m and 400m Individual Medleys.

Alyson, the European Record holder in the 50m and 100m Freestyle, kicked off her campaign with a Silver in the 50m Breaststroke, and quickly followed that up with two superb Gold medals and European Masters Championship Records in the 50m and 100m Freestyle.

Congratulations to them both for their amazing and inspirational achievement.

Full results:

Lizzie Bellinger:

  • Silver 50m Butterfly (30.73)
  • Silver 100m Butterfly (1:09.79)
  • Silver 200m IM (2:41.31, East Region Record)
  • Bronze 400m IM (5:59.63, East Region Record)

Alyson Fordham:

  • Gold 50m Freestyle (30.90, Championship Record)
  • Gold 100m Freestyle (1:10.53, Championship Record)
  • Silver 50m Breaststroke (42.59)

BSSC Masters Shine at Hertfordshire Championships

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Eight BSSC Masters swimmers won medals in every event they entered at the recent Swim England Hertfordshire Masters Championships, bringing home an amazing 22 individual (20 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze) and 5 relay medals (4 Gold, 1 Silver).  Regular competitors Joe Collins, Callum Davis, Alyson Fordham, Niamh James, Jake Lloyd and Sally Winter were joined by Geoff Short and Anel Zuniga-Daly and their superb combined performances resulted in BSSC being the third ranked club in Hertfordshire, an amazing performance for a team of just eight swimmers.

Niamh, Alyson, Jake, Callum, Geoff, Joe & Anel (front)

Callum Davis completed an individual clean sweep taking Gold in all five male events in his 18/24Yrs age group; Jake Lloyd was denied the same feat in the 25/29Yrs age group when he was pipped to Gold in the 50m Breaststroke by Joe Collins, but still came away with four Golds and 1 Silver medal; whilst Niamh James, Geoff Short and Sally Winter all won three Golds each.  The relay teams were equally successful, resulting in four Gold and 1 Silver finishes.

Congratulations to all our swimmers and we look forward to even more Masters competing in these championships next year!

Full results:

  • Callum Davis (18/24Yrs): Gold 100m IM, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle
  • Niamh James (18/24Yrs): Gold 100m IM, 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly
  • Jake Lloyd (25/29Yrs): Gold 100m IM, 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle, Silver 50m Breaststroke
  • Joe Collins (25/29Yrs): Gold 50m Breaststroke
  • Geoff Short (35/39Yrs): Gold 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle
  • Anel Zuniga-Daly (40/44Yrs): Bronze 50m Butterfly
  • Sally Winter (60/64Yrs): Gold 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle
  • Alyson Fordham (65/69Yrs): Gold 50m Freestyle
  • Female 072+ Yrs Relay Team (Niamh, Sally, Alyson, Anel): Gold 4x50m Freestyle, Silver 4x50m Medley
  • Open/Male 072+ Yrs Relay Team (Jake, Callum, Joe, Geoff): Gold 4x50m Freestyle, Gold 4x50m Medley
  • Mixed 160+ Yrs Relay Team (Jake, Joe, Sally, Alyson): Gold 4x25m Medley