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We were joined for the morning by Saundra Satterlee, Tony's long term solemate, who presented the Cuthbert cup to new girl Katie.

This was the fourth of the five race Club Championship series.

Jeremy Newton repeated his 2021 victory, winning the Alan Lacy breaststroke race for the Clary Reed cup.  Is this Newton's Law for the 21st Century?  .....  that twice every three years Jeremy will win the cup.

Plus a fine turnout from the Lacy family, and a fine birthday cake for Simone.

A rich seam of swimming blood runs through the veins of Serpentine distance and ice swimmer Sami Robertson.

Sami’s grandfather, Bill Lovely, was an England international who was also the Team Manager of the GB Water Polo Squad at the 1948 Olympic Games.

Sir Anthony Cleaver sidestroked to victory on an overcast and chilly morning (water 11c, air 9c).

Cup and prizes presented by Tommy's nephew Brian Thomas, joined by many other family members

Saturday saw the 200m (220 yard) leg of the club championship series.  Two more to go, 400m and 800m (440 & 880 yds), and the brothers Luckhurst are neck and neck.

RNLI themed prizes presented by Rob and Sarah Oulcott.

We also took time remember our dear old friend Dave Hoilliday, who sponsored this event for many decades.

Victoria Hasler put in a performance and scooped maximum points and first choice of the table full of prizes.

Anna was a gentle heads-up breaststroke pool swimmer when she joined us full of optimism in 2004 to train for a Channel relay.  Anna was so overwhelmed with the experience that she went on to complete a solo crossing the following year.

Saturday's race was over 100m (110 yards) for the Bill and Ron Maggs memorial cup, with prizes by Jon Benton.  Butler Bill Maggs is recorded as a starter in the Christmas Day race of 1910.  He won the Peter Pan cup in 1920 and again in 1954, aged 71.  Bill continued to race with the club up to the mid-1960s.  Bill's son Ron did not compete in our races but always supported the club and the Maggs Memorial fixture.

Heather Miller won her first club race in very nippy conditions....  water 5c, air 2c (41f/32.2f).

Alan pipped younger brother Will for the Luckhurst bragging rights

A rather bitterly cold morning with the water 7.1c, but the air 3c (44.8f and 37.4) and the wind in the north saw Dave McGregor perform best against his handicap (there were two races) to be crowned 2023's Wendy by the club's poet laurate Mary Gilbert.

Laure Latham stood in for Rob Ouldcott to become the first lady to deliver the traditional post race speech.  Hoorahs all round.

In 2022 Storm Eunice closed Hyde Park and consequently stopped us racing.  Nothing could stop Squirrel storming home in 2023.

The magnificent pewter trophy was presented to then club captain Harry Coulter in 1868. In our foundation year, 1864, Harry became our first club captain and also won the inaugral Christmas Day race.

In addition to Harry Coulter, the 1868 Captains' cup race allows us to celebrate the ever popular, and sadly missed, Gordon Brodie, captain 2003 to 2019, and Deirdre Ward, our current club captain and Irish marathon swimming legend.

The fixture is also the first of four handicapped races through the season over varying distances that count towards the Emmi Hunte cup series -  February 55 yards (50m), March 110 yards (100m), August 880 yards (800m), and October 100 yards (91m).