German Agonisingly close to Bronze in National Age Group Open Water Event

Sx3 Open Water Swimmers

Six Sx3 swimmers competed at the National Age Group Festival of Open Water competition at the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont this weekend. On a very cold, windy and wet day all of the swimmers produced outstanding performances.

Kieron German was the star performer for Sx3. German, who less than two weeks ago had achieved a sixth place finish in the arduous 3,000m indoor event at the National Age Groups, achieved fourth place in a field of 25 in the Boys’ 15/16 age group with a time of 22:55.37 for the 1,500m race. German’s lack of open water experience showed in the early stages and he found himself blocked into the pack at the 1,000m point, however his determination and strength paid off and he managed to break away to secure an excellent final placing.

The pick of the girls was Rosemary Broad, finishing ninth in a time of 21:13.09. Broad was within a minute of the eventual winner in a fiercely fought competition in the Girls’ 13/14 year old age group, held over 1,000m. In the Boys’ 13/14 group, again covering 1,000m, Liam Tubb recorded a time of 22:02.25, also needing to break clear of a crowded pack to secure an eighth place finish.

There were impressive swims from other Sx3 swimmers in this event – Chris Chapman and Rebecca Healey both competed over 1,000m and finished 15th and 19th respectively, and Tim Newcombe, a relative newcomer to distance swimming, finished in 21st place in the 1,500m event.

German, Newcombe, Broad, & Tubb were joined in the Wiltshire team by Rebecca Carling of Bradford-on-Avon and George Viner of Chippenham. Carling and Viner both competed in the 17/18 year age group, finishing eighth and tenth respectively. This was the first time Wiltshire had entered a team in the Open Water competition and a respectable overall team position is a creditable achievement in this fast growing sport.