This Saturday was the third week of high quality handicap racing for the Winter Series. Water temperatures were near 11C. The highlight had to be the very friendly swans, including a beautiful black one. As for numbers of swimmers, Dani Lobo and Alan Nash ocordinated about eight races with up to 12 entrants in each race.
And recently, one swimmer drew attention to the success ratio of women swimmers which is better than previously interpolated. This was investigated and is addressed below.
Time for a look-back and an honourable mention for the Ladies Series cup winners before it was merged into a mixed competition. The winners of the Ladies race are on the list here. While no lady was competing for the Fettes Cup prior to 2009; it changes the recent ratio to a more positive balance and now means that two women have won the Winter Series in the last six years of combined races.
When the gender separate races occurred, a woman won every year (obviously) and occasionally surpassed the men's totals. Thankfully the club had an elegant sufficiency of trophies to cater for the races.
And today with a tilt towards a politically correct attempt at phraseology, may the best most consistent gender neutral non sex specific swimmer win. **
[Yours swimmingly, John T and photos Mike Harris]
Week two of Winter Series here
**SUBSEQUENT TO POSTING ON THE SITE, A POINT OF ORDER FROM BRIAN OUR CLUB SECRETARY
"When the gender separate races occurred is completely wrong" writes Brian. "There have never been separate men’s and women’s races in the club. The Winter Series ladies cup was introduced in the 1990s at a time when there was but a handful of women racing. The women swam in the series heats and totalled-up points the same as the men. Club members swam in the heats and were awarded points for where we came in the race, irrespective of gender. When it came to the overall placings at the end of the series, if they came second, third or fourth in the race etc. there was no differentiation as to gender when it came to prize giving with he ladies cup being awarded to the lady that came the highest in the "table". However, if she came first overall she was awarded the rather small and insignificant Ladies cup. The first man in the points table was awarded the rather magnificent and historic Fettes cup, even though they may not have been the swimmer with the most points in the series.
As with many things in the evolution of the club things happen by good intention (i.e. encourage the women that competed) and then move on to something else. The Ladies cup, like the Wendy cup on Christmas morning, was introduced to encourage and reward the few women members that we had. Things have moved on and past AGMs have debated and agreed the principle that the first swimmer home wins the race cup, irrespective of gender. We swim on a handicap basis, which makes gender performance difference irrelevant.
The change was nothing to do with so called "political correctness" and everything to do with fairness and equality to all club members."
[Brian Thomas - Club Secretary]
| Winter Series Ladies Cup | 1998 Y. Sarusashi |
| " " " " " " " " | 1999 Y. Sarusashi |
| " " " " " " " " | 2000 Y. Sarusashi |
| " " " " " " " " | 2001 Y. Sarusashi |
| " " " " " " " " | 2002 Y. Sato |
| " " " " " " " " | 2003 Frey Martha |
| " " " " " " " " | 2004 Durrant Pippa & Anna Hillyer |
| " " " " " " " " | 2005 Murphy Jane |
| " " " " " " " " | 2006 Constance Alice |
| " " " " " " " " | 2007 Harling Leanne |
| " " " " " " " " | 2008 Kelly Trish |
| 2009 | |
| 2010 | |
| 2011 |
