By Harry Wild and Phil Tanner
The Evening Post.sponsored Reading SC took on swimmers from 31 other clubs at the City of Oxford meet – two days' hard but enjoyable competition at a packed Temple Cowley pool.
Swimmers were out to qualify for 2007's county and regional competitions, and Reading's star was Ellie Wood (12) who made three outright district qualifying times and two "base" times which will probably suffice.
Reading were in the medals in the first event, the 200 IM – a bronze for Wood in 2.43.37. Georgie Wilkins, in the younger half of the 11/12 age group, was a creditable 16th out of 40 in a PB of 2.55.10. El Cawthorne and Jennifer Taylor swam PBs in the 13/14s, and among the boys David Mills beat three minutes for the first time.
Vanessa Wood just missed a 200 breaststroke medal in the 14/15 age group, in a two-second PB of 3.03.78.
More PBs followed in the 50 fly for Issy Keenan, Cawthorne, Zoe Clark, Barnaby Kempster and James Tichband – showing no ill-effects from a school rugby tour to Wales - also recording PBs. Amy Kunicki took the top age group's bronze in 32.25.
Ellie Wood’s 100 free produced one of best swims of the meet and Reading's first gold in 1.05.62, beating 55 in her field. Alice Hopkins swam a controlled race for a PB as did Taylor, Clark and Tichband. The first session closed with a 100 IM fourth spot for Amy Kunicki and another PB from Vanessa Wood.
Only two tackled Saturday afternoon's 200 fly, Wilkins and Mills both placing seventh with big improvements on their entry times.
Vanessa Wood again beat her PB in the 200 free, while new club captain Craig Frankum and Kristian Statham equalled theirs.
The 100 breaststroke saw some excellent swims, Keenan leading the way in 1.28.42 for a fourth spot, with further good times for Ellie Wood (1.29.70) and Wilkins (1.36.09). Clark’s 1.31.14 in the 13/14s was yet another PB.
Ellie Wood just missed another freestyle gold, over 50 metres – pipped by 0.02 - and Keenan, Sonja Buckley and Taylor improved their times.
A long first day ended with a 100 IM bronze for Ellie Wood and yet again PBs by Keenan, Wilkins, Cawthorne, Buckley, Taylor and Clark.
Day 2
Sunday started with the 15& over 200 IM. Markus Orgill, with a typically strong fly leg, placed sixth in 2.31.52, and Vanessa Wood PB'd. Sister Ellie carried on from Saturday with a 200 back fourth place. Wilkins and Mills both swam inside three minutes and Cawthorne took fifth in the 13/14 group.
Captain Frankum was Reading's pick in the 50 free in 6th (27.17), with further fast times from Orgill, Statham and Kunicki.
The 100 fly brought Kunicki another medal, a bronze in 1.11.16, and in the 17& over category Leanne Haas claimed silver in 1.11.84. Orgill and Statham both placed eighth.
Ellie Wood narrowly missed a third freestyle medal, fifth over 200 metres in 2.24.54. Georgie Wilkins, another busy swimmer, produced a good 2.41.62, and Cawthorne looked sharp in 2.23.81, as did Mills and Tichband among the boys.
A very long weekend closed with Ellie Wood again starring - a 100 fly gold in 1.14.24 and a 100 back PB, with Beth Sturgess also at her fastest ever. Fast 100 free swims by Orgill, Frankum and Statham rounded off the older swimmers' events.
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