400m Free Trophies

The Horace Davenport Cup (400m Free) is awarded to the fastest male senior swimmer in the 400m Freestyle at the National Winter Championships (25m).

While the Winter Championships are traditionally a short course event, they were held in the long course 50m pool in 2017.

Until 2015, the Horace Davenport Cup (400m Free) was awarded to the fastest male senior swimmer in the 400m Free at the ASA National Championships (50m).

Past Winners: Horace Davenport Cup (400m Free)

History of the Horace Davenport Cup (400m Free)

Horace Davenport was president of the Swimming Association of Great Britain from 1880 to 1883.

During this time, the Association went through hard times and Davenport baled them out. He felt he could no longer stay in this post following 1883 as his club had a disagreement with the Association and resigned itself from their membership.

After lots of changes in the following years, Davenport agreed to take on the position of president again in 1890 and continued in this post until 1894. He was a great swimmer and won several of the events that the ASA promoted (all in outdoor facilities).

He followed his father into industrial chemistry and made his money by marketing Collis Brown Mixture, adverts for which can be seen in early swimming magazines.

The recipe was gained from his father watching an army sergeant mixing a concoction for his men suffering from stomach upsets on the front line.

The Horace Davenport Cup (400m Free) was originally promoted by Portsmouth SC and was known as the quarter mile (440 yards) salt water championship.

The Paris Trophy is awarded to the highest ranked female senior swimmer in the 400m Freestyle at the National Winter Championships (25m).

While the Winter Championships are traditionally a short course event, they were held in the long course 50m pool in 2017.

Until 2015, the trophy was awarded to the fastest female senior swimmer in the 400m Free at the ASA National Championships (50m).

Past Winners: Paris Trophy

The David Benny Cup is awarded to the highest ranked male junior swimmer in the 400m Freestyle at the National Winter Championships (25m).

While the Winter Championships are traditionally a short course event, they were held in the long course 50m pool in 2017.

David Benny was a long-standing volunteer from Derbyshire and was president of Midland District ASA in 1986. The David Benny Cup was first presented to the winner of the junior men’s 400m Freestyle in 1992.

Until 2015, the trophy was awarded to the fastest male swimmer in the 400m Free at the ASA National Youth Championships (50m).

Past Winners: David Benny Cup

The Marl Rutter Memorial Trophy is awarded to the highest ranked female junior swimmer in the 400m Freestyle at the National Winter Championships (25m).

While the Winter Championships are traditionally a short course event, they were held in the long course 50m pool in 2017.

Marl Rutter was the Midland District Secretary for 30 years, a member of the ASA board, ASA President in 1975 and chairman of The Amateur Swimming Federation of Great Britain in 1980.

Until 2015, the trophy was awarded to the fastest female swimmer in the 400m Free at the ASA National Youth Championships (50m).

Past Winners: Marl Rutter Memorial Trophy