Dorset County ASA

Dorset Masters (and friends) set new World Record

November 30, 2024 By Dorset ASA

A six-man relay team that included two Dorset Masters has set a new Guinness World Record for swimming the English Channel.

Departing from Shakespeare Beach in Dover on 8 October 2023 at 2.42 am and arriving at Sangatte, France at 7.47 pm, 81-year old Robert Lloyd Evans from Poole SC and 76-year old Weyport Masters Bob Roberts, together with team-mates of equally senior years from 74 to 80 years of age, made the arduous crossing in an impressive 17 hours 5 minutes.

The record was set under the auspices of the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation and the team, known as ‘One Foot in the Wave 3’, was piloted by Simon Ellis onboard High Hopes.

With an average age of 77 years 105 days, this bettered the previous record (average age of 73 years 318 days) set by ‘The Septuagenarians’ on 7 September 2015, a team of British swimmers which also included the-then 72-year old Robert Lloyd-Evans.

The oldest solo male to swim across the English Channel is South African Otto Thaning who made the swim aged 73 years 177 days on 6 September 2014.

The female solo record is still held by another Dorset swimmer and Triathlon Age Group World Champion, Weyport Master Linda Ashmore who swam the Channel aged 71 years 305 days on 21 August 2018.

Photo: (L-R) Brits Bob Roberts (b: 1947), Chris Stockdale (b: 1943), Andy Nation (b:1949), Kevin Murphy (b:1949), Robert Lloyd-Evans (b: 1942), and Australian Don Riddington (b: 1945).

Masters Inter-County Competition 2024

November 25, 2024 By Dorset ASA

On Remembrance Sunday a small team of Dorset Masters swimmers made the trip to Millfield for the South West Region round of the National Inter-County Masters Competition. The team comprised of nine men and 17 women from the following clubs: Poole (9), Seagulls (6), Weyport (4), Swim Bournemouth (3), Weymouth (1) and Wareham (1). With so few men on the team, including no men in the 25-34 years or 65 years age group, the event was always going to be a challenge but the team hoped to improve on Dorset’s National position of 28^thlast year.

On the day, Dorset finished in fifth place in the South West just one point behind Somerset. When the National results were collated Dorset finished in a creditable 23^rd place just in front of county neighbours Somerset and a move up of five places from 2023. Next year the aim is to make the top 20!

Top ten National placings were as follows: 2^nd – Liam Small (35+) 50m Backstroke; 5^th – Viv Jones (65+) 50m Freestyle, Alex Sims (35+) 50m Butterfly, Liam Small (35+) 50m Butterfly; 6^th Alex Sims (35+) 50m Breaststroke; 7^th Liam Small (35+) 50m Freestyle; Liam Small (35+) 50m Breaststroke; 8^th Tilly McHugh (18+) 50m Butterfly, Mixed 260+ Years Freestyle Relay (Clare, Viv, Neil and Andy); 9^th Viv Jones (65+) 50m Butterfly, Female 140+ Years Medley Relay (Basia, Alex, Fiona, Sian), Female 140+ Years Freestyle (Sarah, Basia, Alex, Sian).

Dorset County hats were awarded to 17 swimmers for First County Selection and Dorset County lead crystal cubes were awarded to four swimmers (Andrew Small, Jude Barton, Kelly Stocker and Dorset County President Karen Yendole) for their third time representing the County since the records were started in 2020.

Dorset County Championships 2025 merchandise now on sale!

October 11, 2024 By Dorset ASA

Dorset County Championships 2025 merchandise is now available to order from All4Swim. Hoodies and crew neck quick dry t-shirts come in a choice of Jet Black, Bottle Green and Red Hot Chilli, all with matching hood linings and gold Dorset County ASA branding. Cost is £34.95 for hoodies and £17.95 for shirts. Matching silicone swim hats come in a choice of black and gold, price £7.95. Visit the Merchandise page at All4Swim https://www.all4swim.co.uk

2024 National County Team Championships

October 11, 2024 By Dorset ASA

The 2024 Dorset County Swimming Team headed to the annual National County Team Championships in Sheffield last weekend with hopes of holding on to their Division One placing having gained promotion from Division Two in 2023. It was not to be as the four county teams of Scotland North, Cheshire, Cambridgeshire and Dorset, all of which were promoted in 2023, found themselves back in Division Two for 2025 but nevertheless the event produced some exciting racing and an array of personal bests from our swimmers.

The start of the competition saw a colourful parade where team captains Jessica Huggins and Freddie Beasley introduced Dorset to the competition while Dorset President Karen Yendole enjoyed the hospitality that all county presidents receive.

Layla Wareing broke into the top three placings, finishing third against a hard fought battle with Hampshire and Sussex in the 12/13 100m Freestyle and breaking the minute with a creditable PB of 59.75. Next best placing came in the 12/13 100m Breaststroke with Leo Condie who battled neck-and-neck with Essex and Yorkshire to take fifth place in 1:12.19 while knocking over four seconds off his previous short-course PB set at the 2024 Dorset County Championships. Other top ten placings came again from Layla Wareing finishing ninth in the 12/13 100m Butterfly with a PB of 1:08.22 and Jessica Huggins in ninth in the 16/17 100m Butterfly in 1:02.65. Tenth placings also went to Elliott Dunnett in the 16/17 100m Butterfly (57.72 PB), Halle Harris 16/17 100m Backstroke (1:04.06) and Daria Korotkova 12/13 100m Backstroke (1:09.22 PB).

Sincere thanks must go to all of our swimmers together with coaches Barry Alldrick and Jeff Sandley, team staff of David Clark and Amanda Osgood, and Dorset Official Lyn Young.

The Dorset Team was as follows: Bournemouth Collegiate – Oliver Cocks, Lucas Rijvers; North Dorset – Oliver Buck; Poole – Freddie Beasley, Macie Cailes, Poppy Collins, Leo Condie, Halle Harris, Jessica Huggins, Daria Korotkova, Amelia Newsum, Jack Palmer, Henry Walker, Leo Wisbey, Hugo Young; Seagulls – Edward Bell, Sophie Kilby, Freya Treliving; Swim Bournemouth – Kira Burghart, Elliott Dunnett, Lucas Garel-Jones; West Dorset – Sadie Robinson, Anna Miles-Simmonite, Layla Wareing.

Paralympic success for BCS

September 10, 2024 By Dorset ASA

Dorset club BCS is celebrating the success of Leo McCrea who swam his way to a gold medal in the SB5 100m Breaststroke in the final at this year’s Paralympics. Following a great start, Leo was two metres ahead after the first length and determinedly held off the competition to claim gold in 1:27.15 and his first Paralympic medal.

Leo, though sporting the Swiss team colours (his mother’s nationality), is coached by James Ryan and still undertakes all his pool training at Bournemouth Collegiate School where he was a former pupil, while Strength & Conditioning is provided at Bournemouth University where he is now a student. A truly home-grown talent!

BCS Head Coach, Sam Woodward, commented: “We’re over the moon for Leo – what an achievement. It’s such a fitting result for an extremely talented swimmer – it’s been a pleasure to watch him grow and develop through his journey from training at BCS Prep, through to BCS Senior and beyond.”

Alice Tai, another ex-pupil and former BCS swimmer, also made a remarkable come-back in Paris less than three years on from major surgery by clocking up five medals in five events and winning the Women’s S8 100 Backstroke in a Paralympic record time of 1:09.06.

On the home front, congratulations must also go to BCS SC which has been nominated for the Swim England South West Swimming Club of the Year 2024. The National Awards take place on 28 September.

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