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WHALES IN FINE FORM AT ESSEX CHAMPS
Kirsty Forbes, Dan Hime and newcomers Lauren Rouffe and Dean Smith were in exceptional form at Essex.

Killerwhales swimmers competing at the Essex Junior and Senior Championships were in great form, many swam to sparking new best times which for some credited them with a finals place and a medal. Throughout the competition Kirsty Forbes, Dan Hime and new Killerwhales swimmers Lauren Rouffe and Dean Smith were in exceptional form.

Kirsty’s performances were nothing short of remarkable. Having just returned from a weeks training camp with the Essex ASA in Spain she took part in 9 events, such was her success that including heats and finals she swam in 17 races over the weekend. She picked up 14 medals (7 Junior and 7 Senior), she set 1 new personal best time and attained the National qualifying standard for 3 events.

Gold medals in the 100m backstroke (one for Junior title and 1 for Senior title) was followed with the same success in the 200m backstroke.  In both of these events she attained the National Championships qualifying mark, the former of the two events was in a new personal best time. Kirsty took the silver medals for the 200m and 400m individual medley’s, the latter event being her 3^rd National Qualifying time. Silver medals in the 50m butterfly was followed by bronze in the 50m back and 200m freestyle. For the record Kirsty finished just outside the places in her two other events the 50m free and 100m fly in 7^th place.

Boys Captain, Dan Hime was busy over the weekend, he competed in 12 events which including finals meant he had 18 races. Like Kirsty being under 17 he was able to compete in both the Junior and Senior Competitions. Silver in the Junior 50m fly was good enough for 5^th in the Senior event, Silver in the 100m breaststroke gained him bronze for the Seniors. His 200m fly performance was good enough for bronze in both age groups. In the 50m breast he qualified for the final where he finished 6^th. Dan was very keen to defend his Junior 400m individual medley title, a valiant effort saw him fall just a little short taking the bronze medal (4^th Senior). He did qualify for the final of both the 100 and 200 medleys taking Junior 4^th (Senior 6^th) and Junior bronze (senior 4^th) respectively.

14 year old Lauren Rouffe was competing in her first major championship for the club since moving from another local club. What an asset she will be as she proved that the new training regime is having an impact setting new personal best times in all of her eight races. She took medals in the Junior 5^th place (Senior 6^th) in the 400m free and had best places of 8^th, 10^th, 13^th in the 100m, 400m and 200m individual medleys. 10^th in the 200m free was followed by 13^th in the 50m back, 17^th in the 50m fly, and 19^th in the 200m breast.

Another newcomer, 14 year old Dean Smith, was also having his first major championship in the black and white Killerwhales hat. His performance endorsed the fact that the change in  training has boosted his performances. His best finish of 6^th in the Junior 50m back was in a new best time as where 7^th 100m back and 9^th 200m back, 8^th 50m breast, 7^th 50m fly and 12^th 100m medley. He also swam to 14^th 50m free and 16^th 100m fly.

Steven Dawkins had a great meet considering he had not eaten for three days and had only started training again this season having taken a year off. Swimming as a Senior he qualified for four finals finishing in 4^th in the 100m back, 5^th in both the 50m and 200m back, and 6^th 100m breast. He also took 9^th place in the 5m breast.

Henny Andrews who has hardly trained for a month due to knee problems showed what a gutsy performer she is. She qualified for the finals of both the 50m and 100m breaststroke taking Junior 4^th (Senior 5^th) and Junior 5^th (Senior 5^th) respectively. She also managed 7^th 100m medley, 16^th 200m medley, 11^th 50m free, 16^th 100m free and 13^th 200m free.

Alice Scott took a fabulous 6^th place in the final of the 50m breast, she also finished in 14^th and 17^th place for the 100m and 200m breaststrokes. She was rewarded for a very fine swim in the 400m medley with a new best time, finishing in 14^th place. Alice’s younger sister Ellen had just returned from training in Spain with the Essex elite and in her 4 races of 50m, 100m and 200m breast plus 200m free she took the Junior 15^th place.

David Haynes had three races, he finished in 11^th and 14^th place in the 200m and 50m fly both of which were new best times, he also managed 20^th in the 100m fly. 15 year old Adam Conway was competing in his first major meet and in his 50m breaststroke he set a new best time to finish 15^th.  Like Adam, Johnny Congdon was also at his first Essex Junior/Senior meet, swimming 50m fly he finished 14^th.  Ben Clifford-Stephenson swam the 50m fly, 50m free and 50m back finishing in 10^th, 15^th and 20^th places.

Janine Rayner had four swims in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke and the 200m medley, she was unlucky to finishes marginally out of a final spot for the 50m breast taking 9^th place, 11^th in the 100m was followed with 24^th in the 200m. In the medley she finished 22^nd.

Laura Andrews had 7 swims in the 100m medley (11^th) 50m fly (12^th) 100m fly (12^th) 200m fly (15^th) 100m free (25^th) 200m free (23^rd) and 400m free (12^th). Another busy girl was Lauren Andrews she swam 100m medley (10^th) 100m fly (14^th) 50m free (21^st) 100m free (18^th) and 200m free (25^th). Julia Braybrooke set a very impressive 12sec pb in her 200m fly finishing in 11^th place, in the 50m fly she finished in 16^th. Young Katinka Merchan took 15^th place in her 50m backstroke setting a new best time in the process. Robyn Beadel finished 18^th in her 200m backstroke.

Overall a great performance by Killerwhales with some exceptional personal displays shows very positively for next years Age Group Championships.

See the results sheet.