Saturday saw the 200m (220 yard) leg of the club championship series. Two more to go, 400m and 800m (440 & 880 yds).
Katie Irvine took the honours.
With a blue sky and fluffy clouds it was almost as if spring had arrived, though with the water 9.7c and the air 10c it still felt a tad nippy.
We also had a delayed presentation of a cup for a club member who "unnoticed, goes above and beyond behind the scenes". To be honest, the recipient's dress sense ensures they never, ever go unnoticed.
(photo: Anthony Wood)
The club championship is swum over a series of five scratch races during winter, spring and summer over varying distances as the water (hopefully) warms up. February 50m (55 yards); early March 50m (110 yards); late March 200m (220 yards); April 400m (440 yards); culminating in the 800m (880 yards) race in June for the honour of winning the Arthur Goffrey cup.
First home on Saturday was Katie Irvine (photo: Anthony Wood)
President Rob gave an enthusiastically delivered speech - "it's all about me"
Rob joined the club in January 2012 to swim outdoors in non-chlorinated water (no one thought to mention the biting bugs to him!). He was soon followed by Sarah and daughter Lily. The Ouldcotts quickly found themselves completely hooked on the lake, and on somewhat longer exploits - by September that year Rob completed a solo crossing of the English Channel in a very respectable 14 hours and 35 minutes. Soon after a young Lily completed an English Channel relay in September 2013, a month after her 13th birthday.
Said Rob with respect to his English Channel exploits:
"It was only when I arrived and heard about the Channel swimming that I became interested. I blame Boris (Mavra) as he had a chat with me about it. Nick (Adams) also persuaded me to sign up".
Lily's Channel relay inspiration occured when she was crew on Rob's solo swim and mentioned “that didn’t look too hard”. Hearing that, Rob signed her up for a relay.
Never one for the "usual", Rob was part of a 2015 Serpentine team that completed the first-ever butterfly relay of the English Channel.
"Sarah is a devout heads up breaststroke swimmer who does not race, so perfect for the Serps", said Rob.
Rob was elected onto the club committee in 2018. The Covid 19 restrictions of 2020 and 2021 saw Rob step forward and play a real hands-on involvement in the club's "back to swimming arrangements", with The Royal Parks keeping a close watch on progress and proceedings.
In 2022 Rob succeeded Alan Mitchell as club President. Some club members (Boris?) have the opinion that the Saturday speech is the highlight of Rob's week, rather than anything undertaken actually in the water!
For lots more information on the Ouldcott swimming exploits, plus some background on Dave Holliday who sponsored this event for many decades, please follow this link to the "race we missed" report from 2021 - Serpentine Swimming Club
Literary themed prizes, plus choice of a scrummy Easter egg
Katie's choice
Happy Easter bunny?
Will Luckhurst, 2nd in the contenders' race
Alan Luckhurst, 3rd home (photo: Norman Jones)
Past club champion Norman Jones won "the others" race
John Crace, the second "other"
Lewis watched proceedings with humility. Earlier he had been sent to the naughty step for having a chew at James's changing mat (photo: Norman Jones)
(photo: Anthony Wood)
(photo: Anthony Wood)
(photo: Anthony Wood)
(photo: Anthony Wood)
The contenders, on the board and ready
"Go"
(photo: Norman Jones)
As ever with the championship races - amidst the white water no quarter is asked; none is given
Will (red hat) and Alan (blue hat) led Katie (yellow) at the 100m turn (photo: Norman Jones)
Heading back east, and Alan had pushed himself to the front at the buoys
Final lung busting push (photo: Norman Jones)
Stroke for stroke between Will and Katie, almost to the last metre
Alan Luckhurst was hard on their heels
Thumbs up from our winner
Third place thumbs up from Alan (photo: Norman Jones)
A rare and appreciated race appearance from Hon. Handicapper Dani Lobo (photo: Norman Jones)
We also had a trophy presentation held over from the James Norton race in March
A cup not for competition
Swum in early March, the 100m leg of the Championship Series had long been sponsored by Robin, his brother Jeremy and sister-in-law Ingrid - "the Hunter-Coddington Dash" as it was known. In 2014 they introduced a trophy - not for the first swimmer home but for an individual who they felt has made an "outstanding but largely unrecognised" contribution to the club.
James Norton took on sponsorship of the 100m championship race in 2021. With this fell the responsibility of deciding who deserved the silverware. The presentation was not made in early March, so an Easter surprise was revealed on Saturday.
The very much appreciated Ilyan Kovatchev
The award was not for sartorial elegance, though Ilyan's appearance does always make us happy even in the depths of winter
Rob told the crowd how Ilyan is one of those people who step forward and take on tasks where others show reticence. As a committee members he leads on membership and new member inductions. He is also working hard to devise a "guests procedure", something hat many members would appreciate, but is not as simple and straightforward as may first seem.
(Report compiled by Brian Thomas. Images provided by Brian, unless credited to individuals)