Two of our more senior Masters took advantage of moving up into a new 5 Year age band to claim Long Course East Region Masters records. The seven strong squad returned home from the South East Long Course Masters with 5 Gold 4 Silver and 4 Bronze medals. Over the two days they claimed 3 East Region 7 County and 9 Club records.
2025 brought countless new individual best times, 35 Age Group and 38 Masters Club Records, together with 5 Eastern Region and 21 Beds County records.
Parents and swimmers should all take a moment to recognise their personal achievements. However, it would be remiss to not extend our appreciation to Dave Wright, Gary Smith, Izzy McCulloch, James Fuller, Jane Cattle, Matt Wright and Pauline Harrington. We could not have done what we did without you who turn up on poolside come rain, shine or on those frosty/ icy mornings!
Tom Burns travelled to Poland to compete in the European Masters Short Course Championships where he produced a lifetime best by almost eight seconds in his 200m Individual Medley.
Sam Bradley didn’t travel quite as far earlier in the month to set new County Long Course figures for the 30-34 years’ 1500m Freestyle at the East Midlands Masters championships. It brought the Club’s total of individual Masters County records set in the year to 25.
Sexagenarians, Ian Stoughton and Dave Wright, were both in County record breaking form in November albeit at opposite ends of the spectrum of freestyle pool events.
Seven medals and seven Club Masters ‘ records – not all in the same events- were achieved at the 2025 Swim England National Masters championships together with a chance encounter with a “Geordie speaking” Darth Vader!
Read here for a full report on yet another year of highly creditable performances.
Two of our Masters swimmers have demonstrated it is never too late to take up a fresh challenge.
In her first competitive swim, Nicola Monk came 7th in her 50-54 years’ age group in the Serpentine 2 Miler in a time of 1:01.44.
Aged 65 Alastair Gibb has swum his first ever 200m Butterfly. His swim at the Sth East Regional Masters saw him not only beat the County’s 65-69 years’ record but also, subject to ratification, claim the East Region’s record for that age group.
It may only be half way through the month of September but East Region, Beds County and Club records have already fallen.
Both 9 year old Lucy Biscoe and 12 year old Alice Buckingham broke age group Club records at the Sprint With The Stars meet at the London Aquatics Centre.
Club coaches Matt & Dave Wright have also featured in Masters’ Regional and Club record breaking races. Read the report from the Barnet Copthall meet for details of the “199 years’ record” and also the 1983 Masters record previously held by one of the Club’s longest standing members just broken by a Club newcomer.
Congratulations to both Mark Lewis and Graham Powell who smashed long-standing records at the 30th Berks & South Bucks Masters Meet.
Having added Ulster earlier in the year, Mark Lewis ensured Singapore was included in the Beds County database of locations for its Masters Long Course records.
Competing in three races over 50m, Mark set new County Masters’ figures for the 50m Butterfly whilst also smashing his own Club Long Course Breaststroke record.