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The winner on points was Brian Thomas, followed by Ilyan Kovatchev, Stuart Bowman, Mary Olivari, John Tierney and Sakura Adams.

Brian previously won the competition in 1987....  "if I have to wait another 34 years before claiming it again I will be 100!"

The Dani Lobo award for the "most competitive swimmer" went to Will Luckhurst.

In 1963 South London Swimming Club contacted all the open water swimming clubs in London to ask if they would like to take part in a gala. Only the Serpentine Swimming Club responded and a tradition was born.  A bright but chilly Sunday morning saw the annual SLSC v SSC gala for the Doug Smith cup.  Doug was a popular member of both clubs who died suddenly in 1967.

The first of the seven rounds of "heats" commenced on Saturday 6 November.  Deb Byatt won the first race, which started just after 7.30 am. The Bernard Fettes cup will be presented at the end of the series by the Kelly family.

The series also acts as a qualification for the Christmas Day race for the Peter Pan cup.

Linda Paxton romped home to win the Louis Schendler Bowl, presented by Louis' daughter Bunny.

This was the last 100-yard race before the start of the 55 yards (50m) Winter Series sprints to be raced over the next seven Saturdays before Christmas.

Saturday 23 October saw the final leg of the Emmi Hunte series of races.  The morning's two 100 yard races saw victories for Vannessa Marshall and James Lythe.  However, Fiona Campbell won the cup by virtue of her performance over the series.

In "normal" circumstances the Emmi Hunte series is raced between February and October over varying distances -  February 55 yards (50m), March 110 yards (100m), August 880 yards (800m) with the final 100 yard (90m) race held in late October.  Due to the Covid fixture suspensions, 2021 saw only two races counting toward the final result -  the August and October events.

Jeremy Newton breaststroked to glory to win the Clary Reed cup, swum in memory of both Clary Reed and Alan Lacy.  The delightful Lacy daughters and granddaughters were all lakeside to watch the race and present the cup and prizes.

Apparently not everyone realised it was a breaststroke race and "one or two" people were disqualified.  Not that anyone complained and, as usual, swimming fun was had by all.

Tory and Jonny Long (and Archie) were with us to present the Stovold cup and prizes.

Mike Olizar, first in and first out, was victorious.  Very fitting as Mike always asks very loudly "did I win?" at the end of each race, irrespective of how many swimmers were in front.  Tony Schiemann and Anita Goyos achieved second and third place.

Mike Olizar -  a man of letters and a man of The Times (read on to discover why).

Memories of an international class high diver, musings on Tory and Jonny, plus some information on previous Serpentine eating establishments.