Audis & Baker on Top at 2007 Club Champs

Date: 15th & 16th December

Venue: Link Centre, Swindon (25m)

Event: 2007 Annual Swindon Dolphin ASC Club Championships

The 2007 Swindon Dolphin Club Championships, held for the first time in the club’s illustrious 55 year history away from its home pool at Milton Road , came to a successful conclusion at the Link Centre on Sunday evening. The annual event proved to be an excellent opportunity for swimmers, ranging in age from 8 to 70 and of all abilities to evaluate their progress, test their skills and gain valuable race practice in a competitive and friendly atmosphere in the midst of a partisan home crowd.

Jon Audis and Kath Baker emerged as the gala’s top swimmers – Audis lifting nine Senior Championship titles and Baker claiming eight. Junior Olympic Squad star, Samantha Berry, was victorious on more occasions than any other competitor winning eleven gold medals across most stroke disciplines and distances. In the Masters’ 50m sprints Richard Fouracre and Shaun & Paul Matthews were jointly the highest male achievers while in the women’s Masters’ events Liz Matthews and Kath Baker were unsurpassed.

Meanwhile, Joe Grant, Adrienne Southern, Alexander Johansson-Brow, William Pilsworth, Gemma Lucas and Rebecca Matthews shared the main honours in the Swim Channel 14 years and under, 50m sprints.

The ‘Mystery Medley Skins’ finals on Saturday, won by Jon Audis and Tilly Gray turned out to be a firm favourite with the swimmers and a real crowd pleaser too. Younger participants also got some amusement and satisfaction from witnessing two of the club’s more experienced swimmers, Jon Audis and Cathal Westman, miscounting their lengths in the 200m breaststroke.

Special thanks goes to all the officials, organisers and helpers who generously gave their time and expertise to make the event possible, to the spectators for encouraging, and to all the swimmers poolside who played such a big part in making the occasion special by supporting their team-mates.