Great Day at SEER Open Water Sunday 9th July 2023 Whitlingham, Norwich
The weather was a little overcast with fear of rain and thunderstorms. It did rain during the 3k however we avoided the storms luckily. Water temperature was 21.1 degrees c so no wetsuits. Open Water is a totally different swimming experience, not everyone can cope with choppy, murky water, weeds or wildlife (above and below the surface). There are no dives or turns either.
Full results can be found here https://norfolkswimming.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-Norfolk-Open-Water-Results.pdf
The day kicked off with 3k National Age Group (NAG) Boys; followed by NAG Girls; then Open swimmers.
3 times around the course and lots of strong swimming – Norfolk Results
14yo Boys: 1st Jamie Wilson WNSC (National OW Qualifier); 2nd Jan Beblot Norwich Swan; 3rd Austin Taylor CoNSc
15yo Boys: 1st Matthew Phoenix CoNS; 2nd Kye Karrington WNSC; 3rd Richard Farrar GYSC
35-39yo: 1st Paulus Maukonen Diss Otters
50-59yo: 1st Simon Buchan Norfolk Vikings
14yo Girls: 1st Grace Cook CoNS; 2nd Elizabeth Mitchell GYSC; 3rd Ruby Jackson WNSC
15yo Girls: 1st Wiktoria Marcinek WNSC; 2nd Millie Storey GYSC; 3rd Poppy Peebles WNSC
40-40yo: Sarah Buchan Norfolk Vikings
50-59yo: Josephin:e Cresswell East Anglian Swallowtails
Next came the 1k event seeing some of our youngest competitors for whom this is their first open water competition.
11-12yo Boys: 1st Lawrence Taylor CoNSC; 13-14yo Boys: 1st David Roczniak WNSC; 15-16yo Boys: 1st Nathan Yeaman WNSC
11-12yo Girls: 1st Polly Anderson WNSC; 2nd Nellie Chadderton WNSC; 13-14yo Girls: 1st Daisy Covell WNSC; 15-16yo Girls: 1st Erin Woodrow WNSC
Then followed the 2k event – Norfolk medalists –
12yo Boys: 1st Noah Buchan (National OW Qualifier); 13yo Boys: Zach Montgomery 1st (National OW Qualifier); 2nd Archie Harris-Joy; 3rd Alexander Pattison WNSC
12yo Girls: 1st Olivia Bradford WNSC; 13yo Girls: Milly Johnson WNSC; 2nd Erin Lovelock WNSC; 3rd Lily-May Freeman GYSC; 14yo Girls: 1st Maia Khalil WNSC; 17-19yo Girls: 1st Abigail Staff Norwich Swan; 40-49yo: 1st Lucy Chadderton WNSC; 50-59yo: 1st Hayley Turner WNSC; 2nd Emma Montgommery Norwich Swan
Lastly the 5k event – Norfolk Medalists –
13-14yo Boys: 1st Jamie Wilson (note Jamie had already competed in the 3k event in the morning!); 16yo Boys: 1st Oscar Smithee WNSC; 17-18yo Boys: 1st Alex Wilson WNSC
Well done to everyone who took part, fantastic results. Big thank you to Paul Kendall (Technical Director OW) and his wife Jacqui Kendall and your huge team of officials and volunteers. This event could not be run without you.
If you have photos of this event please send them to your swim coach who can forward them for inclusion.
Adam Lelean from Diss Otters winning gold in the Mens 60+ 5K with Andrew Wright from Stowmarket finishing in second place.