Backstroke championships were swum this week at Canowindra Swimming Club, but improvements came across all four strokes.
Winner of the boys’ backstroke dash was James Vitnell, a fraction of a second ahead of Nigel Knight with Isaac Beath half a second away in third place.
Peta Edwards took out the girls’ backstroke dash with Rossanne Holmes and Madison Vitnell filling the minor placings.
The Learn to Swim Cup, (open to those who have swum their first lap this year) was won by Max Coady as Sophie Huckle (two seconds) and Jacob Nash (four seconds) improved their times by too much in the swim.
In the 33m freestyle the improvements kept coming as Joe Clarke smashed his previous best by four seconds while Jacob Nash and Sophie Huckle improved their time by three seconds, which confirmed their improvements in the Learn to Swim Cup.
Max Coady and Rosie Beath took two seconds off their personal bests but it was Hannah Roth who took out the spoon in a time of 25 seconds, her second spoon in a row.
The school swimming carnival season has obviously contributed to improved times as well as the efforts of Casey Edwards, James Vitnell and Mark Edwards who have helped the swimmers with stroke correction and training on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
There were 11 improvers in the 33m breaststroke with Joe Coady in the lead as he took five seconds off his previous best.
Amanda Ovington was next best as she lopped four seconds off her best while Erica Blanch, Rosie Beath, Josh Flannery, Hayley White and Jenna Wensley removed three seconds off their times.
Two second improvements in the 33m breaststroke came from Tom Robson, Eloise Beath, and Alicia Earsman.
In one particular heat of the 33m butterfly, every swimmer improved their time with Tim Wythes and Brocke Harvey-Dale leading with three second improvements.
Katrina Nash and Regan Hughes lopped two seconds off their times while Hannah Roth took one second from her best time.
Alicia Earsman also took two seconds off her time in the next heat of the one butterfly lap and massacred her time in the 66m freestyle with an eight second improvement.
Joe Coady continued to swim fantastically as he took eight seconds from his 33m backstroke time while Erica Blanch took four seconds off her time and Sophie Huckle improved by two seconds.
Erica also took five seconds off her two laps of freestyle while Tom Robson swam his two laps seven seconds faster.
Amelia Holmes swam the 66m freestyle six seconds faster than before, while Ali Beath and Hannah Roth removed two seconds from their previous best times.
Once again the relay finished the night and 54 swimmers took part, six lanes of nine swimmers.
Handicap times were proved right as the relay came down to a neck-and-neck struggle between Bailey Cain and Curtis Hughes who swam stroke for stroke down the last half of a lap.
Lane four was declared the winner led by Bailey Cain, Rossanne Holmes, Ali Beath, Amanda Ovington,Max Wensley, Alicia Earsman, Sophie Huckle, Regan Hughes and Sam Willson. Congratulations to all swimmers who make the relay such a fun event to watch.
This week the championships is a straight open 200m freestyle with no age groups, so sign up and good luck.
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