National Masters Championships takes centre stage with thrilling opening session

After Saturday’s National Age Group Championships, the GoCardless Swim England Open Water National Masters Championships took centre stage at Rother Valley Country Park.

On a beautiful summer Sunday morning, the 5km and 2km races kicked off the day with Simon Scully of Woking the first overall finisher, completing 5km in a time of 01:08:01.

Hannah Dodwell, representing RAF Swim, was the first female home, also winning gold in the 30-34 Years 5km race with a time of 01:10:12.

Swimming in the 25-29 age category, Scully took the title, finishing more than three minutes ahead of nearest challenger, Joshua Wong, with Jake Simm of Prescot taking the bronze medal.

Speaking afterwards, Scully was understandably delighted with his efforts.

“Feeling good, it was a really nice race,” he said.

“It was really nice to swim around Rother Valley, and it went well. It’s quite open here so you can see the course very easily.

“It’s not too choppy and made swimming quite enjoyable. Especially with the weather today, it was perfect conditions for an open water race.”

Scully explained how his training prepared him for the race.

“I’ve done a lot of practice. I’ve swam around my local lake quite a lot, building up distance to around the 5k.

“Because of that, I’d know how it would feel, so when I came today, I’d be confident of my pacing, and I wouldn’t go out too hard or have too much to do at the end of the race.”

Greet celebrates double gold after recovering from Covid

A number of swimmers have been celebrating double gold medal success, including Thomas Greet of Carrandon.

He was first across the line in the 5k in 01:20:03, and 29:33 in the 2k despite having just recovered from Covid.

Speaking on his win Greet said that it makes his success even sweeter.

“I’m happy to be here. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, but I’m really happy with my results.

“It was a long drive up; I’m all the way from Cornwall so a bit tired, but really happy.”

Despite having Covid, Greet was still confident of success in South Yorkshire.

“I was quite confident, but I’ve never swum the 5k before, so I was a bit anxious going into that, but I knew that I had the fitness, and I knew that I could do it.

“But the 2k, I did not think I was going to get this result at all. I’m really happy with it.

“I guess the results tell you how much I worked for it.”

Justin Palfrey of Loughborough is another to have two gold medals hanging around his neck. Palfrey took the 5k gold in 01:14:13, in the 50-54 category, with 29:41 his winning time in the 2km.

Also taking two gold medals home with them are Susan Evans of Biggleswade, who won the 45-49 female 5k in 01:14:27, whilst clocking 29:53 in the 2km.

Racing in the 55-59 category, Heidi Nevin of Rochford won the 5km in 01:18:24, whilst also crossing the line in 32:30 after 2km, almost three minutes ahead of silver medallist, Karen Bassett. Emma France representing Guildford City took bronze.

Elsewhere in the Female 2km races, Sarah Lock surged to victory in the Female 50-54 Years age category.

She set a 32:48 as the Tigersharks swimmer won by just over two minutes after five laps of the Rother Valley lake.

Around two-minutes further back was a strong swimming Sarah Coatsworth from Borough of Kirklees with Suzzanne Patterson completing the podium in a time of 35:58.

Isobel Sharp almost broke the 30-minute barrier on her way to gold in the Female 18-24 Years race.

The Northampton swimmer set a strong pace to touch the finishing line in 30:10 with Stephanie Austin and Sophia Staddon rounding out the top three.

Mary Ferrier and Emily Nardini enjoyed a tight battle for gold as they stopped the clock within 15-seconds of one-another.

The pair were close throughout the race but it was Newcastle’s Ferrier who managed to get ahead to finish in 29:26.

Boston’s Sally Norman won bronze, clocking in at 31:39.

Emma Joyce was also on top in the 25-29 Years race whilst Hayley Davis took away the 40-44 Years gold medal.

Peacock delighted with gold

Another gold medal winner in the men’s 5km races was Michael Peacock of Preston in the 30-35 age category.

He touched the line in a time of 01:11:54, more than a minute ahead of silver-medallist, James Gibson of the British Army, with Sean Cuffley of Lincoln Vulcans, third.

“I didn’t really know what to expect to be honest,” Peacock admitted on his time.

“I don’t normally do the 5k’s, but I’m quite happy with how I placed overall. I was quite confident; I was hoping for a top-five [finish], which I got!

“I didn’t think I’d get the gold in my age group but managed to pip it.”

Like Scully, Peacock was also impressed with the Rother Valley course.

“I thought it was lovely. “The weather was really nice, and the water was beautiful.

“Bit of glare from the sun as we come back, but it was a lovely swim; really good temperature.”

Andrew Hitchcox won gold in the 30-34 Years Open/Male 5km event by around 15 minutes.

The Impington swimmer clocked in at 1:27.20 to finish ahead of Michael Tsang from ?, who completed the course in 1:43.15.

A closer finish came in the Open/Male 40-44 Years 5km where Neale Parker and John Ferguson were split by just a minute.

GB Police’s Parker managed to get clear water from his rival from the Bristol Henleaze in the end to set a time of 1:20:50.

Peter Glead and James Bridges also put in strong swims to come away with golds in the Open/Male 5km 60-64 Years and 65-69 Years races respectively.

Katie Irving ‘really happy’ with 2km title

Katie Irving of Tower Hamlets is celebrating 2km Female 30-34 Years gold.

Irving crossed the line in 29:24, just over seven-tenths of a second ahead of silver-medallist Fiona Carroll (City of Southampton) with Kirsty Durose from Ebwall, picking up the bronze.

“I am absolutely delighted, really excited, really happy [to win gold],” Irving said after collecting her medal.

Irving was new to open water swimming so was unsure what to expect.

“I’ve never done this before, so I was a bit apprehensive, didn’t know what the course would be like, haven’t swam here.

“But the sun came out and it’s a beautiful day, so things were on my side. I’m really happy with how it went, happy with my time.”

“I tried to stay on course as best I could. The water was lovely, temperature was nice.

“It was slightly hard to sight, there was a lot of distance between two of the stretches.

“I haven’t done a lot of open water competitions, so it was a bit scrappy at times. I think on the 2k as well, it’s a little more of a sprint than the other ones [longer races].

“But once we got going, it was good fun.”

Hannah Dodwell, of RAF Swim was the first female swimmer to cross the finish line, and second finisher overall, winning 30-34 Years 5k gold in an impressive 01:10:12 – over four-and-a-half minutes ahead of nearest challenger, the afore-mentioned Fiona Carroll, who becomes a double silver-medallist. Emma Bartlett of Trafford Met took the bronze.

Molly James, also of Trafford Metro, took gold in the Female 25-29 Years 5k, in a time of 01:17:47, over three minutes ahead of clubmate Suzy Hill who took silver.  Fiona Westcough of Enfield took the bronze medal.

In the Female 18-24 Years event, Sian James of Halesowen, stormed to victory in 01:15:53, over seven minutes clear of Trafford Met’s Eleanor Conway. Lucy Summers from Thirsk White Horse made up the podium by taking the bronze.

Nick Parkes’ returns with double silver

Nick Parkes made also made his emotional return to the competition after a medical emergency at last year’s event.

He loved being back in the water at Rother Valley and won two silver medals in both the 5km and 2km races.

In the 5km, the Harrogate swimmer finished in 1:21:07 whilst he set a 32:35 in the 2km race.

Sean Kinsey came out on top in the 60-64 Years 5km event however, finishing more than seven minutes ahead of Parkes.

The Stroud Masters swimmer clocked in at 1:13:49 with Stephen Bottomley (Borough of Kirklees) in third.

Terry Wright won the 2km race in that age category setting a 32:17 to finish around 20 seconds ahead of the Parkes who was overwhelmed to be back.

There was a rapid dash for the medals in the 25-29 Years 2km event.

George Russell, Joshua Wong and Daniel Evans were all split by just over a minute and a half as they touched the finish line.

It was Russell who came out on top however, setting 27:20 to finish more than a minute clear of his two challengers.

Wong was second on 28:39 with Daniel Evans completing the podium in 28:53.

Pip Bennett was just as quick, setting a 27:48 as he was the only swimmer to go under the half an hour mark in the 40-44 Years age group.

The Otter swimmer finished ahead of Jamie Hockley and Craig Jones who joined him in the medal places.

The top two were even closer in the 45-49 Years 2km event. Stewart Worthy and Jon-Paul Hemmings finished with just 13 seconds between them.

Both swimmers finished in less than 30 minutes with Worthy coming out on top in a time of 29:24.

Justin Pavier was one of the fastest swimmers on the day as the swimmer in the 55-59 Year category clocked in at 28:38 for gold.

He was three minutes ahead of Andrew Lovell in second as Lyndon Williams completed the top three.

Robert Steel (65-69 Years) and Lionel Spittle (70-74 Years) also stood out to win gold at Rother Valley in the Open/Male 2km races.

Dawn Smith puts in strong swim

One of the standout swims at Rother Valley must go to Dawn Smith in the Female 50-54 Years 5km competition. She set a time of 1:20:22 which was fast enough for gold in two of the groups below her.

Her time was a 1:20:22 which was 23 minutes quicker than Susan Harrison who impressed for second place and a silver medal.

Catherine Hartle finished in 01:34:57 for the title in the 65-69 Years race whilst Alaine Tsang was slightly faster for the 40-44 Years crown.

She won a close battle with Athene Schur which went right until the closing stages with Tsang coming out on top in a time of 1:33:15.

Today’s oldest swimmer Bill Moore came home in a time of 1:04.37 to complete the morning session.

The East Leeds man was roared home by the crowd after the 87-year-olds incredible display at Rother Valley.

He proved that swimming is for everyone as he completed the 2km course to take away the gold medal in the 85-89 Years event.

On the women’s side Shelley Robinson proved the same in the Female 70-74 Years 2km.

The Sevenoaks swimmer set a 46:45 to take the title in the South Yorkshire sunshine.

There were also golds in the morning session for Michael Boyle (Open/Male 5km 55-59 Years), Nuala Muir-Cochrane (Female 5km 60-64 Years), Matthew Chadwick (Open/Make 30-34 Years 2km), Robert Gilbert (Open/Male 35-39 Years 2km), Suzanne Hollick (Female 60-64 Years 2km) and Katherine O’neill (Female 35-39 Years 5km).

For all the results from the GoCardless Swim England Open Water National Masters Championships 2024, click here.

Images: Will Johnston Photography