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National Junior Speedo League Round 1 at Thurrock - 27th April Water Polo vs Clacton - 24th April Essex County Championships 2008 Essex Masters 2008 - 19th April: Shock and Awe Water Polo vs Chelmsford - 15th April Bexleyheath Open Meet - 12th/13th April Water Polo vs Harlow - 7th April Water Polo vs Chelmsford - 11th March
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National Junior Speedo League Round 1 at Thurrock - 27th April Sunday 27th April saw a team of Colchester Swimming Club youngsters competing in a National Speedo League Gala at Thurrock. They enjoyed a great afternoons swimming with lots of first placings. 9yr old Philippa Davenall won her 25m Breaststroke race and swam outstandingly in three relay races. 9yr old Lucy Coates swam to victory in her 25m Freestyle race and contributed well in a number of relay races. 10 yr old Alice Insull was victorious in her 50m Freestyle and was a valuable member in relay races too. Cameron Simpson excelled in winning 2 races, the 25m Freestyle and Breaststroke and was also very busy in many relay events earning valuable points for Colchester. Another 9 yr old, Spencer Prior, added to the success of this young age group by winning the 25m Backstroke race whilst 11yr old Guy Harrison enjoyed his victory in the 50m Breaststroke with a Personal Best (PB) time of 43.06secs. Jim Vickers swam well achieving PBs in both the 11& under 50m Butterfly and Backstroke as well as being a member of the winning 11& under Freestyle relay race along with team mates Alex Carter, Damien Green and Matt Lemnell. Lemnell is a newcomer to the team and swam superbly in an older age group 50m Butterfly race, gaining a 2 second PB. 10yr old Matthew Parsons swam with consistency and strength breaking 2 previous PBs. Alex Vipond swam an excellent PB in the 12 & under 50m Breaststroke and a strong Freestyle length in a relay. Melanie Calder swam up an age group in her 50m Butterfly race but this did not stop her swimming a determined 2 second PB. Danielle Hall and Megan Boyden both swam good PB times in their 11& under 50m Butterfly and 50m Freestyle respectively. Charlotte Morgan and Charlotte Holt both knocked time off their PBs in their age group 50m Backstroke races and 12yr old Victoria Skornia returned from injury with a PB in the 50m Breaststroke. Joint Chief Coach Michelle Young was delighted with the team's performance, there were some great relay races and fantastic team spirit in the Colchester camp.
Water Polo vs Clacton - 24th April Colchester travelled in Clacton in their first game in the summer Eastern league on Thursday evening. After the 4-4 draw in the corresponding winter league game, Colchester were confident of getting another result against their Tendering rivals. The game started at frantic pace with both sides defending well. Martin Vinter and David Nicholson marshalled the Clacton attack well. On the occasions that keeper Ross Knevett was tested he did not disappoint performing heroically between the posts. Colchester stormed into a 1-0 lead when a fantastic back flick shot from Ryan Van Ginkel stunned the Clacton goalkeeper and rifled into the roof of the net. The first quarter ended 1-1 as Clacton scored a late equaliser. The second quarter was disappointing for Colchester as it ended 3-1 to the home team. Eddie Corcos, Craig Snowdon and Simon Lecomber had a number of opportunities to score but none were able to find the back of the net. Clacton punished Colchester for their misses and caught the away team on the break. In the third quarter Colchester began to find their feet again as Lecomber scored. However on one counter attack Snowdon pull up with cramp and missed the remainder of the quarter. Martin Vinter scored a fine lob and Elliott Tomlinson hit the bar but Colchester still trailed 7 4 and it was looked like being another victory to the seasiders. The final quarter started at a frantic pace, Colchester pressured Clacton and were able to get two quick goals back through Van Ginkel and Lecomber. Chris Harrington and Elliott Tomlinson injected new pace into the Colchester attack and the deficit was now only one goal. However Colchester just couldn't make enough of their opportunities. Clacton won the game 8-6 but Colchester can be very pleased with their performance. The Nicholas Anthony Kitchens and Bathrooms Man of the match was scorers of two fine goals Ryan Van Ginkel. Colchester will hope to get back to winning ways on Tuesday night in the Eastern Handicap cup against Ipswich, although they will have their work cut out as the handicap sees Ipswich start 8 goals up.
Essex Masters 2008 - 19th April: Shock and Awe Saturday 19th April the Colchester Masters Swim team launches a devastating sortie into the very heart of the established Essex stronghold causing irreparable damage to the southern and western county tri axis. Reports are brief and intermittent regarding this covert operation that has been clouded in secrecy however the following information has been defiantly transmitted across the borders: Stroke judges were left bewildered and impotent by James Heathcote's technically perfect exhibition performance of 200 IM during the 200 Freestyle event. Jason Marven further rocked the ASA's previously impregnable realm by taking the bit between his teeth; quite literally with the aid of his goggles, and continued to add to the consternation with some crowd pleasing Hot Dog back sculling during the 100 Free. Valerie Standage and Julie Jago not to be outdone by the young upstarts showed outstanding stamina living up to their squad motto "Rest When Your Dead!" Not content with sitting on their laurels by merely competing in consecutive relays they delivered the terminal blow to any remaining officials. With a perfectly executed snake manoeuvre utilising the vacant outside lanes to return to the exit steps at the opposite end of the pool only to then stun the baying crowd by running back to the other end of the pool to complete the subsequent relay.
In overall third Place at half time the battle continued with adversaries falling and the gold and silverware piling high Group 4 Armoured were put on standby to ensure they could handle the gross weight of the haul back to Colchester. Due to Colchester's overwhelming impact on this event leaving the organisers in total disarray it is unlikely that the final club placings will be published by Essex ASA before the end of this week. In the meantime however the statistics are as follows: A total of 41 Individual medals comprising 14 Gold, 19 Silver and 8 Bronze, 19 Personal Best Times, a top 3 position in every
relay entered including top club gold awards for the women's medley and men's freestyle teams. 31 Clubs competed.
Water Polo vs Chelmsford - 15th April Colchester began their summer league campaign with a rousing 13-4 away victory against Chelmsford. Colchester welcomed back Stuart White and Ross Knevett to the side; this meant they had a full strength defence with Knevett behind them. He would play a key part in the game especially in a tight first quarter which ended 3-3. Colchester looked good throughout the match but from the second quarter they turned up the pressure. For the second time in a week Simon Lecomber scored six goals in a match, as he tormented the Chelmsford defence with some great attacking swims. During this period Colchester began to open up the relatively inexperienced Chelmsford team with swims from the back by Craig Snowdon and brothers David and Simon Nicholson Colchester's passing was crisp and it was only their finishing that let them down as they produced chance after chance. Martin Vinter and the Nicholson brothers all scored two each and Eddie Corcos scored one goal after tireless work at the attacking end of the pitch.
Colchester will be pleased with such a positive start to their season with pleasing performances from every player. Ross Knevett will be particularly pleased with his contribution. Knevett only conceded one goal in the last three quarters and made a string of impressive saves. Having Knevett back meant stand in 'keeper Ryan Van Ginkel played his first game out on pitch and despite tiring late on produced a gritty display in midfield. At the end of the game Knevett was rightfully awarded the man of match. This was conveniently sponsored by Ross Knevett's Sports Injury Therapy Clinic. Colchester's pursuit of the Summer Essex league continues at home to Harlow in a month. But they also compete in the Summer Eastern league where their first game is away to local rivals, Clacton, next Thursday. . Bexleyheath Open Meet - 12th/13th April 11yr old Jim Vickers swam brilliantly to gain an Eastern Region time in the 400m Freestyle race, he also swam huge personal best (PB) times in almost all his races. His brother 13yr old Tom swam a superb 100m Backstroke time narrowly missing an Eastern Region time. 12 yr old Paige Young swam superbly to win a silver and bronze medal in the 200m Backstroke and 400m Freestyle respectively. Other well deserved medal winners were 14yr old Sarah Larner, 15yr old Bronwyn Carter with a victory in the 200m Breaststroke and a place in the skins elimination race and 17yr old Thomas Rootsey who won the Boys 400m Freestyle along with other medal positions. There were some determined swims from 10yr old Alex Carter who achieved some well earned medal positions, his team mate 10yr old Matthew Parsons had an excellent weekends swimming showing his dedication as a young swimmer. 10yr old Charlotte Marven swam a large number of races, from 400m IM to 50m Freestyle, and had a busy time breaking all her previous PBs. 16yr old Daniel Few swam well with a good PB in the 200m Freestyle along with 11yr old Damien Green producing some good swims. Sisters Louise-Jayne and Katherine-Jayne Watts enjoyed some determined swims along with team mate Gemma Wass.
Water Polo vs Harlow - 7th April Colchester finished their winter league campaign with an away fixture against Harlow which they easily won 8-4. Harlow's home pool is currently under repair so both teams travelled to Hatfield to play the fixture. The big pool in Hertfordshire suited Colchester to a tee; Colchester's speed soon had the Harlow team struggling to compete. They quickly began to exploit the space on the wings and goals soon followed. Simon Lecomber scored a hatrick in the first quarter as Colchester began to open up an unassailable lead. Eddie Corcos shook off the disappointment of his recent penalty fiascos and scored two well worked goals to put the game well beyond doubt. Colchester even replaced regular goalkeeper, Ryan Van Ginkel, with Elliot Tomlinson for the third quarter showing how much flexibility there is in their team. Both helped to keep the home side at bay on the odd occasion they breached the Colchester defence. Lecomber kept up the pressure in the second half with some fierce shooting and scored three more to rightfully earn this weeks man of the match award. Colchester finished the season on a high and have finished the Eastern Winter League in second place behind arch rivals Clacton. However, there is no rest as the team now begins the Eastern and Essex summer leagues with an away fixture at Chelmsford next Tuesday. Following this seasons improving results Colchester will be looking to finally looking overcome Clacton in the summer leagues.
Essex County Championships 2008 Colchester Swimming Club members were congratulated by their Joint Chief Coaches Michelle Young and Ian Johnson for their magnificent performances at the County Championships, the clubs dedication to training and sheer hard work this year has been rewarded with a super haul of championship medals. Fifty four members gained their County qualifying times, 27 boys and 27 girls, and they swam in an extraordinary 226 heat races, making 27 finals.
Colchester's senior boys claimed two Championships titles, Men's Captain Thomas Rootsey in the 400 Individual Medley and Sargon Youssefi in the 50m butterfly. The Club was delighted with their performances and the 43 top six placings gained by its members. The event highlighted the depth of swimmers at the club this year, with some excellent performances from some of its younger members, 9 year olds Philippa Davenall and Cameron Simpson were rarely out of the top six placings, claiming silver and bronze medals amongst their hauls. Philippa finished in 5th place in the top Essex 9yr old girl category, with Cameron finishing in 6th place as top Essex 9yr old boy. Thomas Rootsey was not to be outshone finishing in 4th place in the Top Youth 16/0ver category. The club's swimmers also enjoyed competing in 6 relay races, with all the swimmers, supporting each other brilliantly. Twelve year old Evie Thatcher was in super form, swimming lots races in personal best times, but the highlight of her championships was her breaststroke races, Evie claimed the silver medal in the 100m breaststroke race and the bronze in the 200 breaststroke. In the 50m sprint events bronze medals were also claimed by Katie Watson in the 50 fly, Bronwyn Carter in the 50m freestyle, Chris Palmer in the 50m backstroke and also Tim Tripp in the 50m backstroke. Whilst competing at the Championships, lots of swimmers gained top six placings, swam superb personal best times, with some even gaining their Regional Qualifying Times, so that they can compete in Norwich at the Regional Championships in a few weeks. Exciting times ahead, for the coaches and swimmers of Colchester Swimming Club.
Water Polo vs Chelmsford - 11th March Colchester got their league campaign back on track with a 7-4 win over Chelmsford at Leisure World on Tuesday. This was the reverse fixture from a fortnight ago when Colchester had to fight tooth and nail to salvage a 10-10 draw in Chelmsford. Colchester took a more patient and measured approach this time round. A tidy lob from Craig Snowdon put Colchester one goal ahead. However a mix-up between Snowdon and Chris Harrington led to a penalty which goalkeeper Ryan Van Ginkel was unable to stop. Colchester did not see this as a set back and continued to play the game at their own tempo. Eddie Corcos was on the score sheet again taking both his goals well and never allowing the Chelmsford defence to settle. However later in the match Corcos let his penalty king crown slip. Colchester were awarded a penalty, which Corcos duly slammed against the woodwork. The miss did not come back to haunt Colchester who continued to dictate the game to Chelmsford. In the previous encounter between the teams Colchester had struggled to keep pace with Chelmsford's younger players, but in their own pool Colchester dominated from the start. Simon Lecomber continued his good goal scoring form with a well taken shot when Chelmsford were reduced to 6 players for a major foul and David Nicholson scored an important goal to keep Colchester ahead Colchester were leading comprehensively at half time 5-1 and looked to be cruising towards victory, unfortunately this didn't happen as Chelmsford fought back in the third quarter to leave the score 5-3 going into the final phase of the game. Colchester fought back well and, despite Chelmsford's 'keeper being in top form, started to again resume control. Star man James Tomlinson, who had caused problems for the Chelmsford side all game, was rewarded with a goal and Martin Vinter broke forward to rifle a shot past the Chelmsford keeper.
Colchester welcomed back Stuart White from injury, who gave a good account of himself, never letting the Chelmsford attackers settle into a rhythm and Elliot Tomlinson was unlucky not to get on the score sheet and would have done had a he received a better pass while going one on one with the keeper. Colchester finished the game in high spirits and were more than happy to get back to winning ways. Barker and Associates man of the match was James Tomlinson.
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