On Saturday 16 October our County Team travelled north to Sheffield for the annual Inter-County Competition held at Ponds Forge. With good team spirit, everyone swam well and supported each other enthusiastically but this year’s competition proved strong and Dorset finished 18th out of the 20 teams in Division 1; this will see Dorset once again competing in Division 2 in 2011. However, with 11 out of 24 individual swimmers competing at the younger end of their age group along with nine first time swims, the young team shows great promise for next year’s competition.
Special mention should be made of the following swimmers – Dan Speers, 3rd Boys 12/13 yrs 100m Freestyle (56.27), Jay Olenicz, 2nd Boys 14/15 yrs 100m Backstroke (1:00.01), and the Boys 14/15 yrs Medley team of Thomas John, Thomas Mules, Jay Olenicz and Harry Thorpe which finished 5th overall in a time of 1:52.47 beating Lancashire who went on to win Division One.
Congratulations to all our swimmers, and thanks go to our officials, coaches Emma Hirst and Sam Woodward, and to County President Mary Rousell who also accompanied the team.
The Team: Bournemouth Dolphins – Tess Carter, Olivia Esposti, Isabelle Frampton, Jamie Holmes, Charlotte McRae, James Seddon, Harry Thorpe, Jack Thorpe; Ferndown – Christina Cole, Craig Freeman, Fiona Hardy, Francesca Hughes, Jay Olenicz, Luke Raggett, Thomas Tiller, Naomi Vides, Alan Wong; Poole – Courtney Rowan, Daniel Speers; Torndoes of South Dorset – Thomas John, Thomas Mules, Jennifer Scott, Alyce Westwood; West Dorset – Olivia Thornton.