Wisbech Swimming Club make waves in Patterns Trophy and Anglian final

Wisbech Swimming Club made a splash and won the Patterns Transport Trophy for the first time in their history last Saturday.

The gala, held annually, took place at the Wisbech’s Hudson Sports Centre and welcomed swimmers from across Cambridgeshire. Inaugurated by former club chairman Michael Pattern in 2006, the competition features strict cut-off times for every event. resulting an a fast-paced gala that allows swimmers of all ages to compete.

For the first time in its existence, the trophy went to Wisbech, with the home team dominating from the beginning with a series of impressive swims in the gala’s 41 events. Wisbech scored 169 points from 27 first places, nine second places and five thirds, for 35 personal best times.

Several swimmers took the maximum possible two individual wins, including Mia Gilbert (12/U 50m freestyle and 13/U breaststroke), Grace Seaton (11/U 50m breaststroke and butterfly), Kevin Huang (11/U 50m breaststroke and butterfly), Amelia Mitchell (25m butterfly and 50m breaststroke), Chloe Gibbs (12/U 50m backstroke and butterfly), Ethan Evans (12/U 50m backstroke and butterfly), Sophie Fenner (11/U 50m backstroke and freestyle), Nicole Guarino won the 50m butterfly and breaststroke, Bradley Burton took home the 50m freestyle and backstroke titles, and Chloe Pearson was victorious in the 50m butterfly and backstroke. Remarkably, all but one of these swims created a new personal best, reflecting the quality of the Wisbech performance.

Both Wisbech Swimming Club teams were also in action when they turned out for the Anglian League final on Saturday 26th September. The A team took an impressive second place with 154 points and the B team finished in seventh on 82 in their first year of competition. Wisbech A took seven first places in the gala’s 31 events, along with a similar number of seconds and three thirds with swimmers accumulating 13 personal best times. Wisbech A finished just five points behind winners Boston.

The victorious A team athletes were Mary O’Neil 13/U 100m individual medley (PB), Will Bell (open 50m butterfly), Carl Purvey 15/U 100m freestyle, Alice Dennis 15/U 100m freestyle, Sam Smith 13/U 100m backstroke (PB), Elouise Youngs 13/U 100m backstroke (PB) and Megan Kierman 13/U 100m butterfly (PB).

The B team took a second place and four thirds, its swimmers working hard to accumulate 11 PBs. The team’s second place went to Mary O’Neil in the 13/U 100m backstroke, her 1.21.86 time also giving her a new personal best.