South Lincs Competitive Swimming Club made a flying start to the new open water season with a number of big successes on multiple fronts.
Starting with the British Selection Trials in Llandegfedd, Wales, Mollie Briggs was representing the Spalding-based club and put in a stellar showing.
The event was an opportunity to swim a major distance, with Briggs competing in the girls’ 17/18 years age group 7.5km race.
It also served as the selection event for British Swimming for a number of European Cup competitions scheduled to be held in the coming months. Briggs put in an excellent performance and crossed the finish line in eighth place in her age group, some 20 minutes faster than she completed the course last year.
A week later, a team of five South Lincs swimmers headed to Cirencester for the Regional Open Water Championships.
This was a combined event with swimmers from three regions – East Midlands, West Midlands and the South West – all participating.
Despite the rainy conditions, spirits were high amongst the South Lincs swimmers and there were some excellent results.
Both Briggs (girls’ 17 years group) and Luke Blanchard (men’s 18-24) competed in the 5km event. Briggs has been working hard in training and is moving into some impressive form – and did not disappoint in her race.
She completed the course in 1.07.46hrs to take the gold medal for the East Midlands region and silver for the combined Midlands region.
Blanchard faced a strong field and completed the course in 1.06.52hrs to take the gold medal for both the East Midlands region and the combined Midlands region.
At the age of 21, this was his first open water event and his first regional medal.
The three remaining South Lincs swimmers, Matteo Monaco, Frank Lamb and Emily Briggs, all competed in the 13 years age group who faced a 2km race.
All three were taking part in their first major open water race and had been undertaking some preparation at Tallington Lakes in the build up.
Monaco had a very strong race, despite struggling with the mass start and getting off to a slow opening.
He soon found his rhythm and completed the course in 29.12mins to claim the gold medal in both the East Midlands region and the combined Midlands region.
Lamb, never a fan of long distance swimming, put in a tremendous effort to follow him across the finish line in 29.49.40mins and claim the silver medal for both the East Midlands region and the combined Midlands region.
Emily Briggs is making great progress with her swimming and over the last six months has achieved both her first county and regional qualifying times.
Her hard work in training paid off as she completed the course in 34.43.55mins and claimed the silver medal in the East Midlands region.
Not only did they collect a total of nine medals for their performances, but there was an added bonus for four of them. The top three swimmers from each region around the country automatically qualify to National Open Water Championships, due to be held on August 10 at Thrybergh Park.
Mollie Briggs, Monaco, Lamb and Emily Briggs all achieved qualification in their respective age groups.
Head coach Keith Haynes said: “I am delighted with these fantastic results in the open water events.
“All the swimmers thoroughly deserved their placings as they have been putting excellent work into training. I am delighted to have three additional National qualifiers for the club as well and look forward to them racing in August.”
