Four East Region counties took part in the National Inter County Masters and Seniors Competition on Sunday November 15th 2009 at the Newmarket Leisure Centre, and it proved to be one of the closest fought competitions yet.
Individual events are in ten-year age bands apart from the 18 – 24, thereafter, 25+, 35+ up to 65+. Team events are Mixed 240+ and 260+, Men’s and Women’s are 72+, 100+, 160+ and 200+. All the Regions stage a similar competition on the same day and the times are collated nationally to determine the winning County. The full results will be on the British Swimming web site in the next few days.
The lead switched between Norfolk and Hertfordshire with Suffolk just behind and a depleted Essex team producing some great individual swims but not able to compete quite so well in team events.
Suffolk’s Zoe Cray was once again in record-breaking form. She broke her own European and GB record in the 50m freestyle setting the new mark at 26.37 and went on to break a GB record in the 50m breaststroke with a time of 34.62. Two East Region records were broken, firstly Peter Rae – Essex - (55/59) in the 50m Freestyle with a time of 28.22 and Craig Kirkland – Hertfordshire - (40/44) in the 50m Butterfly recording a time of 29.04.
In the first quarter of the programme (after the freestyle events and first set of relays) Norfolk took an early lead with 45 points, just 2 ahead of Suffolk, 3 ahead of Hertfordshire and 6 ahead of Essex.
The breaststroke events and the next set of relays saw Hertfordshire take the lead with 89 points, Suffolk remained in 2nd place on 86 points, Norfolk slipped to 3rd on 84.5 points and Essex 4th on 78.5 points.
Norfolk dominated the butterfly events and moved back into 1st place at the ¾ stage in the programme on 133.5 points, Hertfordshire went 2nd on 130 points Suffolk 3rd on 121 points and Essex remained 4th on 118.5 points.
The last ¼of the programme, the Backstroke events, saw a charge from Suffolk winning 5 of the 12 individual events, and despite winning 2 of the last 5 relays, could not improve on 3rd place finishing with 167 points. Hertfordshire just did enough to remain in 2nd place just 3 points ahead on 170 points.
Essex battled magnificently despite missing some key swimmers to finish 4th on 159.5 points.
The Norfolk team, managed by Sally Lelean, were very consistent throughout the event and took the title for the first time with 175.5 points and duly received the trophy from the ASA East Region President, Sheila Mackenzie.
For full results click here
