North Eastern Regional Championship 25th & 26th Nov Harrogate Hydro

The Skipton Swimmers took the short drive over Blubberhouses to attend the Regional Championship last weekend. With only one week to go to the target meet in Wolverhampton the swimmers were eager to see what 15 weeks of heavy endurance training had produced. It was going to be tough to compete with no rest or taper and producing fast swims was going to be a challenge.

Hannah Robertshaw, who has over the past 2 years has maintained a top 10 ranking in the country in 200 backstroke, was one of the swimmers that rose to the challenge. She produced a solid swim that was high in skill and technical ability - her turns, start and stroke showed her true ability as a backstroker. Swimming a lifetime best time by 2 seconds, which included breaking the performance club's own age group and open record, as well as a National time for 2007? Her time of 2.26.15 gave her 4th in the 13 year old age group. Her other events also yielded good times and edged her closer to a clutch of National qualifying times, she was 10th in the 400IM with a 3 second best time and in her other main event, the 100 back she just mis-judged her 3rd turn which cost her a possible National time. Missing it by 0.4 seconds will surely give her confidence for hitting the mark at this weekend meet in Wolverhampton.

Two swimmers who have great potential in breaststroke at the club are Abigail Kerr and Niki Chatburn. Both qualified on the 100 and 200m events. Both swam solid 100m races but the 200m event turned out to be the better event for both girls. Niki produced an excellent timed swim with a 3 second best in a time of 3.28.21, which placed her 12th overall and Abi swam to 13th place in her age group in a 4 second best time of 3.02.55.

Carolyn Haworth, who has yet to return to full training due to a long term illness still managed to produce swims that she will be able to build on in the rest of the season. Her 100m butterfly race broke the club's performance record in a time of 1.18.90. Her best swims were in the 200m and 400m Medley event. She has been working on improving technique rather than her intensity in training and her improved times has come from this work. A three second best in the 200 and a four second best in the 400 showed that with increased fitness and time she will return to her best in the New Year.

Ellie Belk, another of Skipton's 2006 National qualifiers had solid swims in the 400 Medley and 400 free events and will be looking to carve off more time this weekend given more time to recover from a heavy training schedule.

The only boy to qualify was David Fong, having secured his time at County Championships in October he did not have a long time to prepare for the Regionals. His basic speed in the swim was not in question but his lack of skill training showed as he missed timed his last turn. Nevertheless he finished in a time of 63.93 only 0.16