A six race series for a trophy crafted to Mike Small's own specifications - one arm and a wonky leg.
Niklas Ahman first. Others in the mix for points and generous prizes provided by Andy and Bill Deeley:
2nd Heather Miller
3rd Paul (the hat) Atherton
4th John Reid
5th Norman Jones
6th Mary Olivari
The crowd were also in fine voice whilst singing "Happy Birthday" to Anne Mannix and George Cselko. Cake was consumed.
Cup winner, Niklas
President Rob Ouldcott was away on a family birthday weekend, so past president Brian Thomas stepped in to welcome the Deeleys (photo: Norman Jones)
It was great to see Bill Deeley back at the lake
Bill sharing stories with John Luckhurst (photo: Norman Jones)
The Mike Small cup
The series trophy is in memory of Mike Small, another of the club's great characters from the past. Mike had a horrific motorcycle accident in his youth which left him with one arm, a club foot and in continuous pain. Mike viewed this as a hindrance, not a handicap nor a disability. His wicked sense of humour never left him and is reflected in the shape of the Mike Small cup adapted to his own specifications by club silversmith Bill Phipps: half an arm and a wonky base.
Second place Heather Miller thanked Club and Channel legend Rosie George (photo: Norman Jones)
One of the Deeley twins trying to make a break for it. (photo: Norman Jones)
The post-Christmas winter series (optimistically referred to by some old timers as the "Spring Series") was reintroduced into the race calendar in 1964 and ran through to the end of March/Easter, i.e. into spring. The series had been dropped at the outbreak of WW2, which meant the race calendar finished on Christmas morning and did not recommence until late March/Easter. The competition is now swum over a series of six 40-yard races from the Saturday after Christmas until the beginning of February.
Mike Small ready for his handicap mark of "go", Christmas morning 1991
The series started on a steely grey last Saturday of 2023
30 December 2023
A very photogenic morning.
Water 2.3c. Air 3c. A tad nippy.
(photo: Vanessa Marshall)
(photo: Vanessa Marshall)
Chris Hatcher and Mary Olivari first on the board for the first race of the morning (photo: Vanessa Marshall)
"Ice, ice baby" (photo: Vanessa Marshall)
Another heat gets underway (photo: Robert Fischer)
Much of the lake was frozen, but not the race course (photo: Vanessa Marshall)
Bill Deeley joined the club in 1967. He faithfully served the club as Hon. Auditor from the mid-1970s until 2017 and is a club vice-President.
Bill entered the merchant navy straight from school in the early 1950s, and by the age of 16 was at the helm of a cargo ship heading to Cyprus. The merchant navy life gave Bill the chance to travel all over the world, though he especially enjoyed the far east, Hong Kong and Singapore. He became a navigator but his naval career was cut short due to an accident in Vancouver where he broke his leg. On return to England he trained to be an accountant, hence his value to the club as an auditor and advisor on all things financial.
For many years in the 80s and 90s Bill would be accompanied both in and out of the lake by Steed, his golden Labrador. Steed regularly swam along with Bill in the races and his name even graces one of the cups (the Daily Telegraph cup, now rededicated as the Emmi Hunte cup). Silversmith Bill Phipps cheekily engraved Steed in 1st place, with W Deeley recorded on the cup as 2nd.
Bill Deeley won the Bill Phipps cup in 2004. Silversmith Bill Phipps (blue t-shirt) crafted today's trophy, Mike Small cup
Andy has been around for quite a while too
Christmas morning, 1980
February 1991 - a teenage Andy being "encouraged" to take an icy dip by Norman Jones and Alan Titmuss
The hole in the ice
With the air a mild 12c, the contrasting water temperature of 7.3c felt especially chilly.
Thanos and Robin get proceedings underway. In the background John and Dani exchange a rather late new year's greeting. Signore Piccoli uncharacteristically nonchalant
Second heat ready for the handicapper to call the marks (photo: Norman Jones)
A close finish for second, third and fourth place (photo: Norman Jones)
Brian, Henry and Alan - Likely Lads? (photo: Norman Jones)
And finally, a post race competition "on the board" in the Serpentine Cafe
John Reid and Topo Wresniwiro battle it out, whilst Grasshopper and Persie Ashrafian watch and learn.
(report compiled by Brian Thomas)