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Press Releases

5/10/09

Leander Just Miss National Final

After a close run and exciting Southern Area Final of the Junior National Swimming (Speedo) League, Nottingham Leander SC finished 5th, and so just missed making it through to another National Final this year, for which a top 4 place would have been needed.

Swimming in Grays Essex at Blackshots LC (home of Thurrock SC), the squad set off at 9:30am to ensure being at the venue on time for a 3pm start. Leander were up against strong squads from Hillingdon, Ferndown (Dorset), Leicester, Norwich and Thurrock so it was always going to be difficult to make the top 4.

A hot and noisy gala was punctuated by cheering and flag waving from the respective team supporters, around 40 of whom were from Leander, sporting green hats and Leander flags. The Leander swimmers all tried hard and put up a good fight, taking several first and second places, but in the end the quality of the opposition showed, and Leander ended up in 5th place, beating Ferndown into 6th.

The overall gala winners were Leicester Penguins, who now go on to show the flag for the East Midlands at the National Final in November.

In the previous two weekends Leander had continued its winning ways in local competitions, winning the Autumn Minor Gala series round 1 and the annual Whiting Trophy. We now look forward to the first round of the senior National League on the 10th October. 
 

26/6/09

Leander Triumph Again

 Nottingham Leander SC scored an emphatic win in the Derby & Notts Junior Swimming League Final, at Watermeadows, Mansfield on Sunday 21^st June, beating second place City of Derby by over 30 points.
As the only representative from Nottinghamshire in the final, up against four Derbyshire clubs, Leander were ahead from the start, winning the first 3 races, then stretched this lead through the gala, finishing with 181 points to Derby’s 148. Chesterfield were third, followed by Long Eaton and Rykneld.
The young (ages 9 – 12) squad of swimmers, performed particularly well in the relays, winning 8 and coming second in 5 out of the 15 swum, illustrating the strength in depth of the club.

Leander also won the League Title as winners of the Final, following victories in the two previous galas in the series. The club now will go on to the Southern Region Junior League Final in October, with a prospect of reaching the National Final in November.

Team Captains Hannah Meek & Peter Amante-Roberts, with the League Cup

1/5/09

Nottingham Leander’s Cup Final Day

 Representing the East Midlands, Nottingham Leander took part in the 40^th Cup Final of the National Swimming League on Sunday 26^th April in a very hot, noisy and colourful Ponds Forge International Swimming Centre, Sheffield. This, the first visit of a team from Nottinghamshire to the Cup Final in over 20 years, was a day to remember for the team, the supporters and especially for Tony Holmes the chief coach, for whom this was the pinnacle of his career to date.

The Leander swimmers were competing against nine top teams from the rest of the country, providing powerful competition. With a squad slightly depleted by the illness of Rebecca Adlington, who nevertheless managed to attend as a supporter, Leander finished in a strong ninth position (were seeded 10^th). This was  an outstanding performance from the Leander team, all of whom swam well on the day, setting many new personal best times. One of Leander’s other International swimmers, Helena Thornton came in a bronze position in the 200IM, as did Andrew Mayor in the men’s 100m butterfly. Junior International Georgia Hohmann achieved a gold medal position in the 15/U 100m backstroke.

The travelling hordes of Leander supporters had a great day, and were very vocal and visible waving flags, making plenty of noise with rattles and drums and wearing their Cup Final green polo tops and Robin Hood hats!

The team had trained hard for this landmark event, and were well equipped with pool side kit thanks to the generous sponsorship of Inchcape Toyota Nottingham and Sunpipe Ltd.

Helena Thornton and Alex Thurston with the 9^th place pennant

23/4/09

Nottingham Leander’s Cup Final

 The appearance of Nottingham Leander Swimming Club at the National Swimming League Cup Final at Ponds Forge International Swimming Centre in Sheffield on Sunday 26^th April is proof of the depth of swimming talent in Nottinghamshire. It is important to remember that all of our top swimmers have to start somewhere, and it is the grass roots swimming club where they get their initial impetus. Leander’s achievement of getting through to the National Swimming League Final is the pinnacle for any swimming club,  and in swimming terms is the equivalent of reaching the FA Cup Final. This is the first appearance in the cup final for a Nottingham swimming club in over 20 years, and is indeed a magnificent performance. The entire team is very excited about the event, and look forward to a fun but very competitive gala, cheered on  by 100 travelling supporters.

 The club will be fielding a squad of 38 swimmers  ranging from 11 years of age through  to the  ‘open’ age group (over 15), and will include individuals who have swum at the highest competitive level : Rebecca Adlington (double Olympic gold medallist), Helena Thornton (Youth Commonwealth gold medallist), Stephanie Hill (swam for Scotland in the 2006 Commonwealth games), and Andy Mayor (represented Scotland and GB)  as well as younger swimmers already achieving great things at National level, such as Georgia Hohmann (recently selected to swim at the European Junior Championships) and Hannah Meek (National Age Group Backstroke  Champion in 2008). The competition is unique in  giving  younger swimmers the chance to swim with, and against, Olympians on a national stage.

 The Final includes nine other City squads and clubs   from the rest of the UK, all of whom, like Nottingham Leander, have qualified through their regional finals (Nottingham Leander won the East Midlands Final in December at Coventry). Who knows, another future swimming star could be swimming for the club on Sunday?

 Nottingham Leander SC is the premier swimming club in the county with over 300 swimming members who train at 10 pools across Nottingham. The club is a volunteer run organisation, and is supported entirely by its members with no local authority support or subsidy. The club is very grateful to our sponsors Sunpipe and Inchcape Toyota Nottingham for their financial support that has helped fund the provision of extra swimming kit to the squad and the transport to Sheffield.

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Last modified: December 07, 2009