News

Very early this morning, the CS&PF suggested that English Channel solo swimmer Stu would be "having a whale of a time swimming alongside 'Optimist' piloted by Paul Foreman." 

And having started at 06:28:26 from Samphire Hoe, Stu's Serpie friends and family have been cheering him on all day. Stu reached France in 15 hours and 31 minutes to complete his fourth solo crossing of the Channel.

Nearing France, it appeared as if strong currents swept him past the Cap, thus adding more time to his endurance feat.   

Congratulations to Jon Southey who successfully swam solo to France.

He started at 04:19 from Abbots Cliff swimming alongside High Hopes piloted by Simon Ellis. “What better way to spend a heat wave than swimming to France!” said the CS&PF social media feed. 

Jon has now amassed an amazing three solo swims to France.  

EC 1: 24 July 2018  14:39

EC 2: 1 September 2020 14:38

EC 3: 18 July 2021 15 hours and seven minutes

It raises the blood temperature when you hear of the first Serps’ English Channel relay of the season. 

And early on Sunday morning, a hardy team of five swimmers with a memorable team name of "5 Go Swimming" set off to swim to France.

‘Splash’ Sunday was recorded at 18 July at 04:12, and team member Ian confirms they arrived 16 and a half hopurs later at 19:42. 

Full tracking details are at the end of this aisle between the milk and the sugar. 

Robert Fisher was first home, followed by John Luckhurst and Judith Charman.

Club member Bobby Baxter is the great-grandson of "Fulham lad" Arthur Hester, who won the 1889 Christmas Day race.  Arthur was a very involved club member who served on the committee in the early 1890s.  Prior to James Barrie's involvement in 1903 and the initiation of the Peter Pan cup, the winner of the Serpentine SC's Christmas morning race was presented with a gold medal.  Bobby is the custodian of this family heirloom and proudly displays the medal on the occasion of the race.

A bit of fixture juggling saw us race 880 yards (800m) in memory of Ron Miller, his son Andrew and the club's great friend from The Royal Albert Hall, Ron Hammill.  No speeches or prizes, so the traditional "Jones's Lucky Dip" multiple prize giving was replaced by a box of chocolates for the cup winner. 

Tim Outen was first home, followed by Chris Hatcher, Debs Byatt and Fiona Campbell.

The 4 x 50 yard Bridgeman Team race was the scheduled fixture, but it was felt the annual "cat herding" event was not suitable for the current Covid19 constraints.  Hence Norman and Lorraine nobly stepping in.  As a consequence, we will be able to hold a race on 16 October in memory of Alan Lacy, whose 2020 and 2021 races were cancelled due to the suspension of fixtures.

Poppy Lenton and Mat provided a lovely spread of individual cakes to celebrate their wedding last weekend

Saturday 26 June saw us race over 880 yards (800m) for an event that has been on the calendar for 60+ years.  Sidney and Charlie Greenbury were two of the three Greenburg brothers that joined the club in 1909.  The other was Albert, club President 1935 to 1955, whose direct descendants present the Peter Pan cup each Christmas -  Albert took over from Sir James Barrie in 1933.  A cup in memory of Tommy Bradshaw, who was already a long-standing member when the three Greenburgs joined, has been used for this race since 2011.

First home was Yvonne Vanderheul (aka "Squirrel"), followed by Andrew Fuller and Linda Paxton.  The Ashrafian family were out in force to present the cup.

Saturday 19 June saw the first one mile race of the season, for the Colin Cooper cup sponsored by one time Club Captain (1971 - 79) Tony Radford and family.  Due to the short notice fixture swap Tony was unable to join us, but he is keen to send his best wishes to all at the club.

First home was James Lythe, followed by John Craske and Katie Berlyn-Holmes.

Over recent years Ingrid, Jeremy and Robin Hunter-Coddington have presented a cup to an individual who they felt had made "an outstanding but largely unrecognised contribution to the club".  The presentation would be made after the Hunter-Coddington Dash, a "scratch" 110-yard (100m) race and the second of the Club Championship series.  Robin & Co. have moved aside from sponsoring the race.  James Norton has stepped into their shoes and will continue the tradition behind this particularly elegant cup.

The cup came back into the club's possession a few years ago.  It was originally awarded for a series of "veterans" races in the 1930s by the then club Secretary Clary Reed.