The Winter NER Championships this year was split into two separate competitions. The Age Group event was held in a short course pool for swimmers aged between 11-13 years at the Sunderland Aquatics Centre. The Senior/Junior event was held in a long course pool at Ponds Forge in Sheffield and open to all qualifying swimmers.

Age Group NERs

The swimmers posted an impressive 60% PB total with a number of these improvements excelling best times set only a week earlier at the Winter Yorkshires. Mollie-Jo Garratt took home five medals with fours wins in the 100m Free and cleansweeping the three backstroke events. The skills displayed by the Age Group swimmers continued to improve from their last competition and the positive results have given them strong momentum leading into the block of winter training ahead of the long course season.

Senior/Junior NERs

The Senior & Junior Championship took place in a long course pool to give the swimmers an opportunity to qualify for the Commonwealth Trials in December. This was unusually early as the long course season normally kicks off in the new year. The swimmers from YCBC and other clubs found it a challenge to adjust to the physically demand of the long course racing at this time of year and PBs were difficult to achieve. The main focus was therefore on developing and experimenting with race strategies and setting benchmark times to improve upon in the new year. Two swimmers made senior finals with both Club Captains Harry Devlin and Neola Thorpe. Harry medalled in all three Breaststroke events with Gold in the 100, Silver in the 200 and Bronze in the 50m and Neola finished 5th in the 50m Fly final. All four final swims were faster than the heat swims in the morning. Amy Durrant won her first NER medal (Bronze) with a strong performance in the 800m Free. Jason Robson and Marcus Walker both won two Junior medals each in the 15 and under age group.

Summary of the Championships:

Age Group:

55 Swims
33 PB
60% PB
5 Medals (Mollie-Jo Garratt 4 Gold in 50,100,200 Back & 100 Free & 1 Bronze in 50 Free)

Senior/Junior:

Heats
45 Swims
8 PBs
18% PB
8 Medals
4 Senior – Harry Devlin: 1 Gold (100 BRS) / 1 Silver (200 BRS) / 1 Bronze (50 BRS) & Amy Durrant 1 Bronze (800 Free)
4 Junior – Jason Robson: 1 Gold (50 BRS) / 1 Bronze (200 IM) & Marcus Walker: 2 Bronze (50 & 100 BRS)

Finals
4 Finals (Harry Devlin 3 , Neola Thorpe 1)
(Harry Devlin – 1 Gold (100 BRS) 1 Silver (200 BRS) and 1 Bronze (50 BRS)
100 % Conversions (Improvement from Heat to Final)