A fitting start to the weekend as we remembered Cyril and Yvonne Wood and looked forward to Sunday's "match" against South London Swimming Club. Cyril and Yvonne were stalwarts of both South London and Serpentine swimming clubs.
Two heats, with Victoria Hasler performing best against her handicap to take the silverware. Inventively, Paddy presented invigorating liquid prizes to 1st, 3rd, 5th and last place across the two races. Some fast post-race calcutations by the handicap team enabled Rosie George to announce the grateful recipients.
Victoria Hasler swam fastest against her morning's handicap
Cyril and Yvonne Wood, long term members of South London Swimming Club, joined the Serpentine SC in 1980 when Tooting Bec was under refurbishment. They became fully ensconced with the club. Yvonne would swim before races and then help with judging. Cyril, a strong swimmer, carried on racing into his late 80s.
A frozen February, 1986 - Cyril graced the Sunday Times
Cyril was club President, 1995 to 98 and Hon. Handicapper 2001 - 2004. In his role as Handicapper, Cyril introduced a "modern", scientific approach to the handicapper's art. With his trusty assistant Yvonne, he could be seen, stopwatch in hand, giving a running commentary of the proceedings into a cassette tape recorder hung around his neck, which he would painstakingly playback and document once home. Cyril would hand out detailed result sheets the following week, down to the last second, all punched out on his old "Department of Education" typewriter.
This was quite some contrast to the previous "back of an envelope" approach, with handicaps produced on the morning of a race, depending on who had turned up - the number of racers was somewhat lower then.
Paddy's popular prizes
Paddy Boyce has sponsored the Cyril and Yvonne cup since 2016
Seen here in 2001, Paddy has been charming swimmers at the Serpentine since 1997
Nicola Sanderson, a coveted Paddy formula prize for third place
Fifth place Vanessa Marshall felt very honoured
Matthew Johnson, proudly wearing his elegant warden's tabard, was called forward to received a prize for a gallant last place
The gin was a lovely surprise
Another beautiful Hyde Park autumn morning lured us into the lake
(photo: Robert Fisher)
Last minute checks and calculations
Some "second wave" swimmers were getting ready before the first race had started - Katie Irvine and Gary Duffield itching to go.
The "slower" half of the handicap list commenced proceedings. (photo: Norman Jones)
100m mark, and a tight turn around both buoys. (photo: Norman Jones)
Jamal Saad was the first finisher in the first race, having powered strongly ahead of the field.
Celebrations were cut short though. Jamal had gone off a minute too early. One minute 50 seconds, instead of two minutes, 50 seconds. Not that such technicalities would stop Jamal from sporting his beaming "first place" smile for the rest of the morning.
The also-rans stretching for the finish
Two heats for the cup
The second half of the handicap list take their place for their splash and dash down to the end and back.
Gathering ready in the early morning autumn light
Race well under way
As the swimmers in second race were getting going, Ros Young was getting out after her own social swim
The field was bunching up after the 100m turn
Stuart Bowman stretched for home to win the second race
Serpentine racers paused for breath as Canada geese took flight
Paddy also showed his appreciation "for people behind the scenes who work tirelessly for the Club" (only a few photos though)
A very pleased Rosie George
A massive Paddy thank you to the morning's handicapping team - Thanos Papasavvas, Stefano Giardina and Mike Barron
President Rob, with hand firmly on bubbly bottle, was not going to allow himself to be overlooked!
Bubbly and extra training for our Channel swimmer Hon. Secretary
Brian too
Cyril won the 2000 Peter Pan cup, exactly 50 years after he won the South London SC Christmas moring race.
Cyril would regularly wear a green blazer with the Serpentine SC badge when officiating as President
Aside from swimming, Cyril became a keen road runner in his 60s.
London Marathon, 1991
2005, Cyril completed his 20th Harry Hawks 10 miler
For further information on Paddy's history with the club, and on Cyril and Yvonne, please follow these links to previous news items -
2021 report Serpentine Swimming Club
2022 report Serpentine Swimming Club
South Londoners Cyril and Yvonne were introduced to each other early in WW2 by one of Yvonne's brothers. Yvonne was a great athlete. She was County standard in the high jump, though her mother saw this as "unladylike" and was more keen for her to concentrate on the track. Progression beyond county level was thus curtailed.
Soon after they met Cyril was sent out to the Far East and was one of General Slim's "Forgotten Army ". In the 1980s, Cyril spoke with respect to a 1945 promise made by his Colonel, who said his men needn't worry as he would ensure they saw action even though the Japanese were on the cusp of surrender. Cyril will always be remembered to all in the club as an absolute gentleman, yet his telling of the story involved language I never heard him utter before or since. He really was speaking from the heart. They had got through safely to the end, and were "not at all happy" that their gung-ho Colonel was going to rob them of a happy return back to Blighty. (Brian)
During the war Cyril and Yvonne kept in touch by letters which of course took a long time to reach destination. Soon after Japan's surrender Cyril was demobbed and they married in 1947. Yvonne was working for the Pullman train car company and as a wedding present the company gave them a pullman car railway ticket to Swanage where they spent their honeymoon. During the sixty plus years of their marraige they hardly spent a night separated. When asked about the secret of the success and longevity of their marriage, Cyril said this was down to two simple words - "Yes dear".
Yvonne joined Mark Longley for a reel at the 1984 Christmas party, serenaded by piper Mario McClarnon
In 2012 Yvonne joined Cyril as a club vice President in recognition of her many years of service, dedication and good cheer.
And finally, birthday wishes to Natasha (and to John Luckhurst and quite a few others who were not present)
(report compiled by Brian Thomas)