swimming 29-9-08

If you are a fan of sporting drama, edge of the seat tension and nerve jangling of the highest order then the place for you would have been the QEGS Blackburn swimming pool on Monday afternoon. Five schools - ourselves, QEGS Blackburn, Hulme GS, Hutton GS and St Edward's College Liverpool - competed for the annual Bridges Baton Trophy. The word 'epic' just about sums up the events that followed.

Twenty of Mr Evans's finest swimmers took part in this year's gala. Hutton GS were the holders, with St Edward's winning it back to back in 2005 and 2006, and Arnold in 2003 and 2004.

The first round saw the swimmers compete in the Individual Medley (4x25m). Alex Quarmby came a good 2nd in the U12 race and there were pleasing swims from Chris Bottomley, Daniel Quarmby, Keleigh Spector and Marcus Quarmby. After this event Arnold were in 3rd place, with Hutton GS and St Edward's just ahead.

This event is all about consistently scoring points. 1st places are good but if a school can keep scoring points in each race then they will have a very good chance of finishing in a good position. Mr Evans gave this advice to all the swimmers and they most definitely took it on board.

The backcrawl was next and U12, Hannah Denison, came 2nd in 39.74secs. Courtney Spector stunned all of the boys she was swimming against in the U13 race to win it by a "nautical mile" and with Georgina Higson grabbing 2nd place and the ever reliable, Jamie Findlay, winning the Senior race, the points were rolling in. Hutton GS, St Edward's and Arnold had now slightly pulled away from QEGS and Hulme GS, with Arnold tied with Hutton GS for 1st place.

The breaststroke brought in more valuable points with the pick of the swims coming from Alex Quarmby who swam a fantastic last 25m to snatch 1st place. Jonathan Wells, Jack Ranby and Harrison Kenworthy were all in good form as well, as the competition became a three (sea)horse race with Hutton GS on 54, Arnold 53 and St Edward's 50.

Traditionally the butterfly has not been an event in which we have scored very well but that was all about to change. Nobody managed a 1st place but everyone from U12 to the Seniors came either 2nd or 3rd. Molly Betmead in the U12s swam a technically perfect race to come a wonderful 2nd, as did Daniel Quarmby in the U14s. The scoring was now becoming very stressful as St Edward's were on 76, Arnold 73 and Hutton GS 72! Mr Jones's finger nails would not last the gala at this rate!

The points kept coming in the freestyle with everyone swimming their best. U12, Katie Lawson, started her Arnold School swimming career in style. She won her race by over 3 metres in 33.13secs. Aimee Wilkinson came an impressive 3rd in the U14s; Keleigh Spector just lost out on the touch to come 2nd in 30.44secs in the U15s; and Olly Bentley rolled back the years to show his class with a 28.45secs in the Seniors. Hutton GS 91.5, Arnold 90.5 and St Edward's 89! This was getting ridiculous!

The gala would, therefore, be decided by the relays, which are worth double the points of the individual races (1st-12, 2nd-8, 3rd-6, 4th-4, 5th-2). Placing in the top 2 is imperative and any 1st places are a bonus.

The medley relays were first. None of our teams managed a 1st place, but with four 2nd places and a 3rd place we had scored very well. St Edward's and Hutton GS had grabbed the odd 1st place but they had also finished in a few low positions. This meant that after the medleys relays we were in 1st place on 128.5, with Hutton GS and St Edward's in joint 2nd place on 125!

The final five freestyle relays were all epics in there own right and the lead just kept changing hands.

The U12 relay went down to the last leg and agonisingly we came 2nd to St Edward's with Hutton in 4th. St Edward's now led by just 1 point! A very good 3rd place in the U13s with some good swims by Courtney Spector, Rosie Gillis and Jack Ranby gained us 6 points with Hutton taking 2nd place and St Edwards 4th.

With three races left we were back in 1st place on 142.5, with St Edward's second on 141.5 and Hutton third on 137.5!

The U14 freestyle relay was incredibly close. Hutton won it! Daniel Quarmby and Alex Evans swam good legs at the end but just lost out once again on the touch to come 3rd to St Edward's. Hutton 149.5, St Edwards 149 and Arnold 148! This really was going to the death!

The U15 race also went to the very last touch on the time keeping pads. Hutton GS again came 1st and appeared to have all but won the gala as QEGS stole 2nd place from Arnold. St Edward's came 4th.

Hutton GS 161.5, Arnold 154.5 and St Edwards 151. The maths were simple; Arnold had to win the final race and Hutton come 4th or lower. It did not start well as the first Hutton swimmer was in 1st place at the change over. However, it all became very exciting midway through the race as Olly Bentley swam like a man possessed to storm from 3rd place to 1st place and for the Hutton swimmer to suddenly drop down to 4th!! Jamie Findlay kept the good work going on the final leg to win the race but we were now relying on a favour or two from QEGS and St Edward's for us to take the trophy. QEGS came 2nd but the last Hutton swimmer just over took the final St Edward's swimmer and they came 3rd to win the entire gala by just 1 point!

The final scores were:

1st place - Hutton GS 167.5
2nd place - Arnold 166.5
3rd place - St Edwards 155
=5th place - QEGS & Hulme 117

Well done to everyone who took part in a quite remarkable and thoroughly entertaining gala.

Posted by: M L Evans
Date: Tuesday 30/09/2008