PBSC has an active Masters section catering for swimmers from 18 years upwards including some in their 70s. Most masters swim one or two nights per week and there are facilities fore more time for the very keen. Apart from public holidays we swim all year through. Swim times are:
Monday 8pm to 9pm at Queenswood School pool
Friday 8.15 to 9.15 at Furzefield
If you want to try it out then come along on Monday to Queenswood for 8pm as we use all four lanes and the lanes are grouped by ability - so there will be a lane to suit you. Our abilities range from "chuggers" to current national record holders, so there is always someone there to offer advice.
The Masters try to enter a few competitions each year. The annual Herts Masters took place on 26th June 2010 and there is an Eastern Region open Masters on 2nd October 2010.
There is also a Barnet Copthall Masters Sprint Gala on Sunday 5th September for which the closing date is Friday 13th August. Speak to Martin if interested. Could be a good day out.
If you have any questions just ask Andy or Ian
Herts Masters 2010 Success Link to article in Welwyn Hatfield Times
A team of 18 Masters swimmers from Potters Bar SC enjoyed a successful evening at the Herts Masters held at the Venue in Borehamwood. This year the electronic timing was working and the whole event had a great atmosphere.
The team notched up 18 first places, 6 seconds and 5 thirds. John Cunningham took two championship records in the 50m free (25.37) and fly (27.02). The fly is also an East Region record. John moved into a new agegroup this year so he gets a fresh run at the records!
Jackie Jackson also took two championship records in the 50m back (52.05) and free (40.92) and the free was also an East Region record. One of these records was broken by over 20 seconds!
The "boys" 4 x 25m freestyle (total ages over 165) clocked an amazing 48.55 seconds which was also a new championship record. The team here was John Cunningham, Chris Andrew, Daryl Mason and Wray Shewell-Cooper.
There were also 17 personal best times recorded across our team, and for many Masters, just matching the previous year's time is quite an achievement.
We entered as many as we could in all the relays and although a bit frantic working out where and when we were swimming a great time was had by one and all. Even the spectators and supporters enjoyed it (I think our supporters get the prize for most numbers and loudest cheering).
Summary results of PB swims here.
Total results for all swims here.
Hearty congratulations to all those who took part. Below is a brief explanation of how it works - mainly for those who might be tempted to start preparing for next year.
The meet is open to swimmers registered with a Hertfordshire swimming club. The Masters agegroups are in 5-year bands starting with 25 to 29 (as at 31st Dec of that year). There is a "Seniors" grouping for 18 to 24 year-olds that have all the individual strokes plus a set of Seniors relays. Individual races are 50m each for back, breast, fly and free plus a 100m IM. The oldest competing swimmer this year was 82 years old. More details in this information letter.
For individual events your entry time determines which heat you swim in - so you will be swimming with people of similar speed but not necessarily same age. Some choose to do all events and some pick their preferred strokes. Your recorded time will put you in a position within your agegroup. If you did not compete this year you might like to look at the total results document to see where you might have come.
We try to assemble as many relay teams as we can and there is a mixed (gender) medley relay that is rather fun too.
The points goes something like this: 8 points for first place in your agegroup, 5 for second, 4 for third and so on. I presume points are equivalent for relays.
With our team of 18 swimmers we did brilliantly this year coming 4th out of 13. Just think what we could achieve with 36 swimmers!
And it was Cate's birthday:
