5. Llyn Tegid (Bala)

BLDSA 49th Llyn Tegid – 12th & 13th July 2008

Despite my confident predictions that the weather this year was going to be good, I was proved wrong. The weather this year was ‘changeable’ with some good spells (not many), the rest of the time it was less than good (raining). Nevertheless, it’s the unpredictability that makes Llyn Tegid such a challenge and a greater achievement when it’s been swum.

As usual the Llyn Tegid campaign started on the Friday evening in the White Lion, where the regulars meet to discuss tactics. The tipple of the night was ‘The Rev James’, which was delicately samplegain by the team of organisers. Unfortunately, the pub ran out mid-way through the proceedings. The principal swimmer in attendance was, as usual Leslie DuCane who took the required quantity of carbohydrate loading, prior to leaving with rucksack on his back and flag alpha in hand. However, Simon Lee was once again noticeable by his absent; still unaware of the useful tips he is missing out on to sustain him into his veteran years, now only a season away.

So on to the Saturday morning with the Gazebo erected and equipment out, both ‘Swimrescue’ and Swimsafe’ in the water, buoys in position, the competitors started to arrive and they just kept arriving. We managed to get the briefing underway a few minutes late. Fortunately, despite the quantity of rain laid down in the weeks preceding the swim, the lake level this year was comfortably below the top of the stone jetty. However, the water temperature for the second year running was a little brisk at 55 oF/13oC.

To my surprise we had 30 entries on the day for the 1km race which took some effort to process. Both the 1km and 3km races are now proving to be very popular and are now a substantial part of the Championship entry. Despite the huge entry all swimmers were individually counted into the water and the race got away only a few minutes late. Once again the Wigan Best youngster stormed off into the lead, leaving that BLDSA old boy Tom Wilkinson swallowing splashes in their tracks. The 1km race was convincingly won by Sarah Lucas (Newtonhall ASC) in a remarkable time of 11:54, followed by the first male Daniel Craigen (Chester) in 12:56. In the 3km race Chris Suggitt (Wigan Best) finished as first junior gent in 36:53 with fellow team mate Eleanor Jackson retaining here title in the junior ladies in 39:47. Heading the seniors, Jennifer Jackson (Wigan Best) won the ladies race in 36:53 with Christian Wade (Warrington Dolphins) winning the gents 47:21. Star sprinter Mike Jackson was unable this year to get into the medals.

Entry for the two-way race was down on last year with 15 gents and 3 ladies entered. All swimmers were once again counted in and the swim started only a few minutes late. The conditions this year were much more favourable compared to last year the only point of concern being the unseasonable temperature. We had no retirements on the way down the lake, but it’s the return that proves the challenge and four swimmers retired on their return, none of them more serious than being a little cold. As the 2 hour 15 minute mark approached the leaders were in sight and it was Darron Corden (Sandwell) who finished first making it his 8th victory in a time of 2:28:27. Next to finish was Rebecca Lewis (Barrow) who finished in 2:30:28. Steve O’Brien (Warrington Dolphins) won the breaststroke race in 3:59:03.

The Sunday one-way 3mile Championships again started from Llangower Public Beach, with the briefing at 11:30am all swimmers and their crews were accounted for, swimmers were counted in by the jetty and the race started just after noon. Once again the Wigan Best juniors sprinted away from the rest of the field. The official then collected the remaining equipment together and then quickly proceeded to the over end of the lake for the finish. And a good job they did, because shortly after arriving, the first swimmers were identified and were approaching fast. The officials proceeded to the end of the jetty together with Tom Wilkinson, where it was quickly established that the first swimmers were going to set new records. With Tom leading the shouts, Chris Suggitt increased his pace; the question now was whether he would go under the 1hour. Well, not quite this year, Chris finished 1st junior gent in the new record time of 1:00:52. But that was not the end of the speedy swimmers as only a short distance behind was Eve Fellows (Wigan Best) finishing first junior lady also in a new record time of 1:01:47. And there was more, following a short distance behind them were the seniors, with Chris Malpass (Chester) and Rebecca Lewis (Barrow) racing stoke for stroke, Chris managing to finish first in 1:02:18 with Rebecca finishing in 1:02:27. With Rebecca beating her old course record.

As usual I am indebted to those who ran the swim for me. Thanks to Daniel and Laura who took charge of safety on the water. Too often taken for granted, yet always appreciated by swimmers who retire. Thanks also to Steve O’Brien who was in ‘swimsafe’ when he wasn’t swimming. A large thank you to Andy Walters and Mike who once again provided valuable canoe support as too did Joe Wilkin-Oxley. To Graham Smith and Daniel for their refereeing and a huge thank you to Robert and Melany Acton, Robert who must be the world expert in sitting at the top of Bala and counting swimmers. John Wilson I am pleased to report wasn’t kept to busy, thanks again for your First Aid cover. Now on to the shore team of Pat, Sandra, Margaret and Nicola, as usual they did everything while I hung around enjoying myself. Finally, thanks are due to the Mayor of Bala, Mr. Pritchard-Jones, Arwel Morris the Park Warden and his team. And lastly can I thank the swimmers, their canoeists, friends and family because without your attendance we wouldn’t have a swim. It was another great weekend with 105 swimmers present and the provisional date for next year is 11th & 12th July 2009, see you all there. Oh by the way, it’s going to be lovely and warm next year!!

Now to the story of the weekend: following the 3km race Dave Reason said to me “by that was cold, I’ve not felt that cold in a swim for years, no I mean since last year’s Bala”.

Andy Wright
Llyn Tegid Swim Secretary
July 2008


To see Photographs of the event click on the PHOTOS button

Results

1000 Metres

NAME CLUB TIME PLACE
Sarah Lucas Newtonhall ASC 11.54
1st
Daniel Craigen Chester 12.56
2nd
Charlotte Cain Wigan Best 12.57
3rd
Paul Ormerod Borough of Kirklees 14.55
4th
Ben Cassidy Everton SC 15.33
5th
Tom Wilkinson Kingfishers 15.35
6th
Siobhan Murphy Everton SC 16.09
7th
Emma Flaherty Halton SC 16.19
8th
Suzanne Hepenstall Mold Masters 16.50
9th
Stephen Molloy Unattached 17.00
10th
Alison Patrick Unattached 17.31 11th
Amelia Grass Unattached 17.33 12th
Gareth Jones Unattached 17.33 12th
Rebecca Dean Halton SC 17.48 13th
John Salisbury Unattached 18.30 14th
Tony Gandy Halton SC 18.40 15th
Lyndsey McGreger Kilmarnock 18.45 16th
Carl Turner Unattached 19.21 17th
Gareth Wilson Unattached 20.11 18th
Scott Webster Kingfishers 20.23 19th
Will Stevens Wakefield 21.17 20th
Marion Ankcom Unattached 21.23 21st
Alison Traynor Unattached 21.39 22nd
William Inglis Unattached 22.00 23rd
Jane Sedman Kingfishers 22.41  24th
Claire Page Chester 24.14 25th
Alexandria Sedman Kingfishers 24.19 26th
Niel Wilson Unattached 27.11 27th
David Molyneux Crewe Flyers 28.13 28th
Kirsty Hellon Unattached 28.14 29th
Beverley Thomas Halifax SC 28.19 30th
David McGreger Kilmarnock 31.08 31st
Peter Ankcom Unattached 31.21 32nd
Chloe Springall Scarborough 36.39 33rd
Mark Maddox Yard Doga DNS  

 

3000 Metres

NAME CLUB TIME PLACE
SENIOR FEMALE
Jennifer Jackson Wigan Best 36.53
1st
Amy mellor Wigan Best 47.26
2nd
Margaret Smith Grimsby Water Rats 1.33.30 3rd
Emma Goodwin Wigan Best DNS
Siobhan Murphy Everton SC DNS
JUNIOR FEMALE
Eleanor Jackson Wigan Best 39.47
1st
Eve Fellows Wigan Best 41.10
2nd
Samantha Farrow Wigan Best 45.42 3rd
Alex Lee Kingfishers 53.45 4th
SENIOR MALE
Christian Wade Warrington Dolphins 47.21
1st
Stuart Taylor Atherton S.C. 48.07
2nd
Andy Wright Warrington Dolphins 50.21
3rd
Dave Reason Howebridge Marlins 50.43
4th
Francis Kilgannon Halton SC 51.01
5th
Kevin Saunders Warrington Dolphins 53.19 6th
Mike Jackson Wigan Best 1.05.53 7th
Niel Davis Torquay
Daniel Farrow Wigan Best Ret
Chris Hargreaves Salford Ret  
Jonathan Field Preston Tri DNS  
Gary Parker BLDSA DNS  
Colin Benn Peterborough DNS  
Christopher Evans BLDSA DNS  
JUNIOR MALE
Chris Suggit Wigan Best 36.53
1st
Sam Sedman Kingfishers 58.04
2nd
Joshua Caton Barnstaple DNS

 

Senior 6 Miles
NAME
CLUB
TIME PLACE
MALE
Darron Corden Sandwell LDSC
02:28.27
1st
Simon Lee Solent S.C.
02:41.00
2nd
Wilfred Larder Aquabears of Rochdale
02:52.46
3rd
Richard Davidson Sandwell LDSC
02:58.59
4th
Steve Breary Liverpool
03:25.04
5th
Andrew McDonagh Serpentine
03.37.18
6th
Stephen O'Brien Warrington Dolphins
03:59.03
7th (1st Breaststroke)
Garry Vilmans City of Bradford
04:31.47
8th
Gareth Evans Bronwydd Dolphins
04.44.59
9th
Leslie Du Cane Serpentine SC
5.06.27
10th (Bst)
David Casson Norley Retired  
James Whittaker BLDSA Retired  
David Bowker Warrington Dolphins Retired  
Joe Coy Warrington Dolphins Retired  
Leonard Sheldon Featherstone DNS  
FEMALE
Rebecca Lewis Barrow LDSC
2:30.28
1st
Dee Llewellyn Halifax S.C
2:35.45
2nd
Jo Norton-Barker Warrington Dolphins
3.59.14
3rd

 

Junior 3 miles
NAME
CLUB
TIME PLACE
MALE
Chris Suggitt Wigan Best
01:00.52
1st (New Record)
Sam Sedman Kingfishers
1.29.24
2nd
FEMALE
EveFellows Wigan Best
01.01.47
1st (New Record)
Alex Lee Scarborough Kingfishers
01:22.58
2nd

 

Senior 3 miles
NAME
CLUB
TIME PLACE
MALE
Chris Malpass City of Chester
01:02.18
1st
Simon Lee Solent SC
01:12.44
2nd
Steve Breary Liverpool
01:22.50
3rd
Joe Coy Warrington Dolphins
01:39.15
4th
Paul Watson Sandwell LDSC
01:42.41
5th
Gavin Floyd Liverpool LDSC
01:45.48
6th
Peter Windridge-France BLDSA
01.50.40
7th
Colin Baillie Mersey Tri
02:03.52
 8th
Leonard Sheldon Featherstone
02:09.35
9th
Leslie Du Cane Serpentine
02:16.06
10th (Bst)
James Whittaker BLDSA
DNS
FEMALE
Rebecca Lewis Barrow LDSC
01:02.27
1st ( New Record)
Dee Llewellyn Halifax S.C.
01:07.44
2nd
Cara Lawson Sedgefield 75
01:13.46
3rd
Sally Chapman Barow LDSC
01:27.47
4th
Linda Bruce Gloucester
01:47:32
5th
Janet Wilson Leeds Phoenix Lifeguards
02.20.11
6th

 

© DL / BLDSA 2008