Serpentine Swimming Club in Latvia photo taken by Steph

Top of the Hill for Colin, while Jenny displays the ice in Rice
Sun, 22 Jan 2012, Jurmala, Latvia

Congratulations to the Serpentine Swimmers, our friends at SLSC and elsewhere who took part in the Winter World Swimming Championships. The British team finished fourth in the medal table with a haul of 22 medals, nine gold, eight silver and five bronze.

Serpentine SC are delighted that two of their members won gold medals and a place at the top of the podium. Colin Hill won the energy-sapping 450m freestyle endurance race, and Jenny Rice set the fastest time of the Championships in the women's 50m freestyle.

The cold weather conditions in Jurmala, Latvia would have made Robin Hunter's teeth rattle. The air temperature was -3C (27F) which had a real feel of minus 8C (17F). Snow and ice were aplenty and all part of the expected conditions for the World Winter Swimming Championships. Perhaps swimming could be added to the Winter Olympic Games in the future?  

Dan Burke was ninth in the 25M freestyle in a time of 13.95 seconds, the Russian winner finished in 12.71. Ben Collins (15.41) finished ahead of Mark Faure Walker (17.24).

Dan Burke, Ben Collins and Mark Faure Walker also swam in the 50m freestyle. The race was won by a Russian in 27.27. Dan (30.92) was 11th. Neil Price (32.63) who won the 2011 Peter Pan cup, had a good swim to finish 17th but was five seconds off the medals. Ben finished in (33.14) ahead of Mark Faure Walker (37.11) and Andrew Deeley (39.72).

Andrew Allum, an occasional Serps swimmer came sixth in his age group in the 50m free with a time under 30 seconds. The Irish team was seventh in the table with two golds and two silvers.

And should the International Olympic Committee decide not to fill the half-pipe snowboarding course with water to make a suitable swimming venue at the next Olympic Games, then keep an eye out for the next Winter Swimming World Championships which will be held in Finland in 2014.

http://winterswimming2012.com/

(johntierneyswim at live dot com)

 

Top of the Hill for Colin, while Jenny displays the ice in Rice gallery