Author Archives: blackcountrynpotteries

Staffs Masters, Stafford, 14 April 2024

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Here’s the stats…

14 first places

Justin and Harry, 3 each

Kath and Ian, 2 a piece With Ian setting a new Staffs record in the 200 Free 2:19.16!

Sharon and Roger both gained a 1st place

The 200+ Ladies Freestyle (Kath Justin Caitlin Sharon) won

The 160+ Mixed Medley (Ian Justin Harry and Sharon) won with a new club record time of 2.18.47

In addition the 160+ Ladies Medley ( Kath Justine Caitlin Di) set a new club record time of 2.35.20

Well done Justin you seemed to be a the heart of … everything!

Black Country n Potteries Masters Presented with Major George Evans Memorial Trophy by Staffordshire County Swimming Association

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Black Country n Potteries Masters were presented with the Major George Evans Memorial Trophy by Staffordshire County Swimming Association at The Staffs Masters in Stafford on April 14th 2024.

The presentation was made by President and BCPM member Tony Ward. The trophy is given by the county committee members to individuals, a group or club who’ve done something outstanding.

Black Country n Potteries were recognised for…

  • Growth ….. from 15 members to 34 members in 5 years
  • Channel relay swims by club members, including a ‘Guinness Book of Records’ World Record by the oldest mixed combined age team (Lionel, Caroline and Di + one)
  • Tony Ward was Technical Delegate at The World Para Swimming Championships in 2023
  • Tony and Helen provide significant input into Masters events at all levels, including the National Championships
  • Club members set 34 new county records in 2023 – Lionel, Martyn and Ian five each, Lindsey, Kath and Roger four, Justine three and Di and Jaq two.
  • Kath secured five Long Course National Championship titles, Sadie Turner three Silvers, and Lindsey two Silvers and a Bronze
  • Kath won individual world titles at Fukuoka, Japan in the 50 and 100m Free, 100 and 200m back, and broke her own British Record
  • Female squads dominated the 4 x 50m Short Course National Championships winning both the Medley Relay (Jen, Justine, Lindsey and Barbara) and the Freestyle (Sharon, Kath, Jen and Lindsey) 
  • Short Course National Championships: Kath five golds, Lindsey two golds, Barbara and Athene two bronze each.

West Midland Masters Championships, Coventry, 30 March 2024

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This weekend, Black Country n Potteries members took part in the West Midland Masters Championships, achieving 16 first-place finishes and four county records (subject to ratification).

Our first place finishers were:

  • Justine x 1
  • Lionel, Kath, Richard W, Jen x 2
  • David x 3
  • Lindsey x 4

Our new Staffordshire record holders are:

  • Lionel Spittle 800 Free 13:01.35 Age 70+ set a mark not previously held
  • Lionel Spittle 200 Free 3:04.99 Age 70+ broke his own record
  • Jennifer Powell 200 Back 3.03.53 Age 55+ set a mark not previously held
  • David Blakemore 1500 Free 24:48.11 Age 40+ set a mark not previously held

All you Staffs record holders are to be congratulated! You are amongst Olympians. Nick Gillingham set a Staffs 200 Breast stroke record in 2010 The same event he won World (short course), European and Commonwealth gold! AND I notice a gentleman who has joined us this year, Robert Pullan holds a 200 Fly Staffs Record set in 2008. Wonder when will we see him compete for BCPM?

Lionel has performed remarkably well since becoming a Guinness World Record holder with club mates Caroline and Di. Swimming the channel in a mixed relay has improved his times amazingly. He knocked 8 secs in 2 years from his 800m free time and 5 secs from his 200 free in just a year! Quite remarkable!

Swim England Masters National Championships, Sheffield, 27-29 October 2023

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At the 2023 short course Masters Nationals in Sheffield nine Black Country n Potteries swimmers competed. They didn’t come home empty handed winning two relay events and six golds, two silvers and four bronze medals in individual events.

The 4 x 50 Female Medley Team: Jen Powell, Justine Doody, Lindsey Gowland and Barbara Boxall won the 240 plus race, beat all the 200 plus teams, and set a new club record!

The 4 x 50 Female Freestyle squad of Sharon Evans, Kath Tunnicliffe, Jen Powell and Lindsey Gowland had stiff opposition but managed a second victory in the same age group in another club record time.

Individual honours:

  • Gold Kath (5) Lindsey (2)
  • Silver Lindsey (2)
  • Bronze Barbara (2) Athene (2)

Swim England West Midlands Masters Championships, Coventry, 30 September 2023

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Whilst, with some confidence, I can say we had 13 individual wins, this does not equate to Midlands champions as several of our swimmers were beaten by athletes from outside the region, and would have medalled as district champions.

Can’t be sure I can accurately report individual championship performance so I’ll highlight the Staffordshire County Record breakers (subject to ratification)

400 Free70+ Lionel Spittle6:33.45
65+ Martyn Finney6:41.78
45+ Ian Hicks4:51.78
50 Fly70+ Lionel Spittle0:51.79
200 IM45+ Ian Hicks2:35.02
200 Back45+ Ian Hicks2:32.09
100 Back80+ Roger Crannage2:30.92

Congratulations to all, particularly Ian who produced some excellent swims!

Our relay teams included all squad members, and came in 2nd and 3rd in their respective age groups.

Our 160+ teams:                                   
Medley = Leah, Justine, Martyn, Ian H
Freestyle = Leah, Jen, Martyn, Ian H set club record’s, as  it’s the first time we’ve managed to field a squad in this age group

BCnP Crosses the Channel, August 2023

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Five members of Black Country n Potteries were part of two relay squads who swam the channel in August 2023. 

The first of these crossed on August 20th, Brainwaves, and finished in a time of 12hrs 21mins, a Guinness World Record (to be officially confirmed) for the oldest four person mixed relay swim. This team included Chair of BCPM, Caroline Jones, Diane Asbury and Lionel Spittle.

Team bch had to wait nearly a week in Dover before heading off for a very impressive swim of 11hrs 59mins This squad included club members Martyn Finney and Paul Tucker.

Their efforts were all to raise desperately needed funds for The Brain Tumour Charity and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Allianz World Para Swimming Championships, Manchester, 31 July–6 August 2023

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Our own club member Tony Ward played a significant role in the Allianz World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester from 31 July to 6 August.

As Technical Delegate he was one of the chief organisers and was given the honour of presenting five sets of medals on Day Five of the world event. Our club chair Caroline Jones also helped out as an NTO.

In preparing for the meet Tony was involved in coordinating the staging, lighting, TV camera’s, commercial branding and the important work of para classification.  

The competition involved nearly 550 competitors from 67 Counties and  resulted in the setting of 22 New World Records and 168 Championship or Regional Records. 

No rest for Tony his next trip is already booked … the World Para Series in Egypt this November.

World Aquatics Championships, Fukuoka, Japan, 6–13 August 2023

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Black Country n Potteries Swimmer Kath, 71, scooped six world titles at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka Japan.

Kath won gold in the 70–74 years 200 and 100 backstroke, 100 and 50 freestyle, the mixed 280–319 years Medley and Freestyle Relays, with a Silver in the 50m backstroke.

Competing for Spencer they set two British and a European record in their relay victories. Kath also set an improved her own mark in breaking the British Record in the 200 back.

British Long Course Championships, Sheffield, 2–4 June 2023

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Just three Black Country n Potteries Masters Swimmers made the British Long Course Championships in Sheffield on the first weekend in June. Between them they collected 11 medals.

In the 70-74 yr age group Kath achieved wins in all three backstroke distances (50/100/200) along with wins in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

25 year old Sadie Turner reached silver in highly competitive 50, 100 free and 50 fly races, two of her swims were lifetime bests, and she claims the improvement is just because of weight training!

Lindsey Gowland has had a bit of a layoff and her two silver and one bronze suggested she’s getting back to form.

Next racing for club swimmers is the Calverton and Bingham meet next weekend, and there’s still time to enter Stockport on 15th July.

Shropshire County Masters, Wolverhampton, 21 May 2023

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Eleven Black Country n Potteries Masters performed at Wolverhampton in the Shropshire County Masters on May 21st.

Between them they combined to win 18 individual titles, set 8 Staffs County Records and win both the 120+ Mixed Freestyle and 200+ Mixed Medley relay events.

The record breakers were:

1500 Freestyle

  • 45-49 Diane Asbury*  22.28.45
  • 55-59 Craig Edwards  22.50.12
  • 65-69 Martyn Finney  25.36.11

800m Freestyle

  • 45-49 Diane Asbury*  11.42.78
  • 55-59 Craig Edwards 12.04.88

400m Freestyle

  • 35-39 David Blakemore 6.02.24
  • 50-54 Justine Doody 5.23.36

400 IM

  • 40-44 Athene Brown 7.04.09

* Diane is considered (by me … Kath) to be THE swimmer of the meet with two outstanding ‘personal best’ performances (anyone would think she’s training for a channel swim!!!!!!)

PS Justine, consider yourself runner up, brilliant 400m swim to beat your own county record!