Spencer Swim Team will celebrate its 50th year next year, placing it among some of the most long-standing and prestigious masters swimming clubs in the UK. With a strong community of adult swimmers achieving success at regional, national, and international competitions, and the growing interest in all forms of adult swimming, we are experiencing membership growth.

Building on our coaching success

Spencer has already established a fantastic coaching team, with four coaches covering our seven scheduled sessions across the week. With over eighty regular swimmers, the club provides sessions for a wide cross-section of the masters swimming community.

Over the past year, the club has evolved its coaching structure to meet the demands of competition cycles. Our evolving structure has increased the popularity of many of our training sessions.

In response, the club is now seeking to recruit additional coaching experience. This appointment will support our expanding swim squad with development and performance.

Adding the right skills and experience

Spencer Swim Team seeks a passionate coach committed to improving masters swimmers to fulfil an open job role. The role will cover 1-2 sessions per week across our schedule.

An incoming coach must work with an existing team that has deep swim-coaching experience and knowledge. Our goal in appointing a new coach is to identify skills and experience that complement the current team. As a club, we’re interested in assistant coaches and those with more experience in planning and delivering training sessions for masters swimmers. Any new coach should be familiar with the principles of long-term development in adult fitness and performance. Experience of modern coaching approaches, including emerging research. Applicants must be at least a Level 1 Swim England Assistant Coach and preferably a Level 2 Swim England Swim Coach.

The coach must be local to our sessions across South London and able to access Dulwich, Forest Hill, Clapham, Tooting, and Putney.

Coaches interested in talking to us about joining the coaching team, can email us at spencerswimteam@gmail.com

The post Spencer Swim Team Seeks to Recruit Additional Coaches appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

The Masters Swimmer’s Podcasts

Torpedo Swimtalk

Conversations at the heart of masters swimming

Torpedo Swimtalk has earned its place among the most beloved swimming podcasts in the masters swimming community. It brings warmth and genuine curiosity to every conversation, interviewing masters swimmers and coaches, elite age group competitors, and record holders from around the world. The show explores what keeps adult swimmers motivated across decades, how veterans approach periodisation and recovery differently from their younger counterparts, and the personal stories behind some of swimming’s most remarkable late-career performances. Episodes are accessible to swimmers of all levels, making it an ideal starting point if you are new to swim podcasts.

Pursue Potential Podcast

Unlocking the athlete mindset for lifelong competitors

The Pursue Potential Podcast takes a performance psychology lens to competitive swimming, examining the mental frameworks that allow athletes to keep improving well into their thirties, forties, fifties and beyond. Episodes draw on interviews with sports scientists, high-performance coaches, and masters athletes who have found ways to train smarter rather than simply harder. Topics range from goal setting, strength training, handling race-day nerves, to building sustainable training habits and bouncing back from injury. For the masters swimmer who wants to understand the ‘why’ behind their performance, this show offers genuinely actionable insight. Check out the excellent video content from these providers, Aquatic Sports Performance.

Freestyle Media

Swimming culture, stories, and the wider aquatic world

Freestyle Media takes a broader view of the sport, blending interviews, storytelling, and commentary that covers everything from grass-roots club culture to the upper reaches of competitive swimming. Masters athletes feature regularly, and the show does an excellent job of showing the continuum between recreational and elite participation. The production quality is high, the conversation is engaging, and episodes often surface perspectives from parts of the swimming world — open water, triathlon transition, para swimming — that do not always get airtime on more narrowly focused shows.

Unfiltered Waters

Honest, unscripted conversations about the sport we love

As the name suggests, Unfiltered Waters leans into candid, free-flowing discussion rather than tightly scripted interviews. The result is a show that feels like an honest conversation between passionate swimmers rather than a broadcast, which gives it an intimacy that fans appreciate. Topics range from training philosophy and meet preparation to the politics of the sport and the quirks of pool culture. Masters swimmers will recognise themselves in many of the discussions, and the lack of filter means opinions are genuinely expressed rather than carefully hedged.

Propulsion Swimming

Technical depth for the swimmer who wants to go faster

Propulsion Swimming is the show for the analytically minded masters athlete who wants to understand the mechanics of speed. Episodes dig into stroke technique, underwater work, starts and turns, and the biomechanics of efficient swimming with a level of detail that repays careful listening. Coaches and sports scientists appear alongside competitive swimmers, and the show does not shy away from complexity. If you have ever wanted a genuinely deep explanation of how to improve your distance per stroke or reduce drag through better body position, Propulsion Swimming delivers.

The Aqua Pod

Community, competition, and the joys of adult swimming

A podcast by Scottish Swimming, The Aqua Pod celebrates the community side of masters swimming as much as the competitive side. The show captures the camaraderie of swim clubs, the experience of training alongside people of wildly different ages and backgrounds, and the particular pleasure of a sport you can practise for a lifetime. Episodes feature a mix of competitive masters athletes and recreational swimmers, and the tone is inclusive and encouraging throughout. For anyone who wants a podcast that reminds them why they got into the water in the first place, The Aqua Pod delivers that with genuine affection for the sport.

Making the Most of Your Listening

The beauty of swimming podcasts is that they fit naturally into the rhythms of a training life. Long car journeys to swim meets, foam rolling sessions, early morning commutes before a dawn practice — all of these become opportunities to absorb coaching insights, hear from inspiring athletes, and deepen your connection to swimming.

Consider keeping a small notebook nearby when you listen to these swimmign podcasts. Masters swimmers are typically motivated, detail-oriented athletes, and you may find that a single observation from an interview — a cue for your catch, an idea about how to structure your taper, a mindset shift for approaching a target time — can have a meaningful impact on your training.

The swimming podcasts listed here vary in style, depth, and focus, which means there is something for every type of masters swimmer. Subscribe to a few, follow the ones that resonate, and enjoy the extra lane that swimming podcasts open up alongside the one you already occupy in the water.

The post Podcasts for Masters Swimmers – Dive into the Content appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

As a masters swimmer, that mindset is vital. Winning is always nice. Achieving PBs or setting records is a great reward. However, for most masters swimmers, success is better measured by consistency, health, enjoyment, and gradual improvement. Training in a balanced and methodical way, taking everything from every practice, is an extraordinary benefit of returning to competition.

Many masters swimmers competed as age-groupers or at university and return with a mix of positive memories, unfinished business, and occasional apprehension. But masters competitions are different. The vibe is far more relaxed and community-oriented. And while your teammates will root for you from poolside, the emphasis is on participation and self-challenge rather than comparison. You’ll only ever hear positive support.

The Practical Side of Competitive Swimming

To get back to competing, you’ll need to join a Masters club affiliated with your national governing body (e.g. Swim England). Clubs provide coached sessions, technique advice, and, most importantly, a community of swimmers who understand the challenges of masters swimming and can advise on the best meets and races to target.

You need to register with your national swimming federation, Swim England, as a Masters Category 2 member. The club typically handles this and can assist you. Once registered, you’ll have a membership or ID number, which allows you to enter licensed events. Clubs are usually the primary source of guidance on competitions and entry procedures.

Target Progress not Perfection

Many masters swimmers turn up at competitions after extensive breaks from racing – often after decades away. As a result, swimmers are far from the finished article, and that is entirely normal. Most competitors jump in and give it a go. Don’t judge yourself against the younger you.

Training for competition should be approached with patience. Many returning swimmers remember how they trained in their twenties and are tempted to jump straight back into high volumes or intense sets. This often leads to fatigue, injury, or loss of motivation. A more effective approach is to focus first on consistency and technique. Swimming two or three times per week, with a focus on efficiency, aerobic fitness, strength, and basic skills, will lay the foundation for speed later on. Improvements in stroke mechanics often deliver bigger gains than simply swimming more lengths, particularly as we get older.

Be Selective and Patient

When choosing your first competition, it pays to keep things simple. Speak to your fellow swimmers or coaches for some friendly advice. Local or regional Masters meets are ideal starting points – your club can advise. You do not always need recent race times to enter; many events accept estimated entry times, and heats are commonly seeded to allow swimmers of similar ability to race together. Once you have banked a few times, you can enter swim meets with more stringent entry criteria.

Selecting a small number of races that you enjoy and feel comfortable swimming in allows you to focus on the experience rather than the outcome. For many swimmers, the first meet back serves as a useful benchmark rather than a performance target and helps identify which events suit you best at this stage. Chances are, you’ll climb out of the water totally exhilarated and impatient to swim again.

Enjoy the process

Keep expectations realistic and flexible. Identifying the right races for your current abilities takes time, as does relearning race pacing and skills such as starts and turns. You’re on a new swimming journey, and what you swam as a younger person may not carry over to masters competitions. For some swimmers, podium finishes may be realistic. For many others, the early goals should centre on enjoyment, confidence, and producing performances you feel proud of. Progress accelerates once consistency is established.

The truth is, unless you try, you’ll never know. And that is the spirit of masters swimming. One further key piece of advice: bring good snacks.

The post Advice for Masters Swimmers Returning to Competitive Swimming appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

We spoke with three of our swimmers to share their experiences and achievements.

Josh’s Incredible English Channel Swim

We’re proud to celebrate one of our own Josh, who took on the legendary English Channel.

“Training for the English Channel felt almost more gruelling than the swim itself,” Josh says. Preparation started two years in advance, building cold water resilience and even putting on extra insulation. When Covid closed pools, he improvised: “I was sneaking into a friend’s garden, tethered to a bungee cord, in water often below 5°C. January, February, March hardly tropical but it paid off.”

Training included long Dover weekends, with one brutal session: “7 hours on Saturday, 6 on Sunday to mimic the Channel distance. Fun times!”

The Swim

Josh had the first swim slot of the week, though the weather was tricky. “At 10pm, I jumped in 50 metres offshore, stood alone on a dark pebbly beach, waiting for the horn. No lights, no company just the cold.”
His feeding plan was simple: no feeds for two hours, then hourly, then every 45 minutes toward the end. Around hour four, nausea hit. “I got cold and told my crew they reminded me quitting wasn’t an option. Thirty minutes later, I warmed up and felt much better.”
He swam without a watch, counting strokes to keep focused (Coach Steve would have approved!). Around 2am, something large bumped him. “Pretty sure it was a seal but let’s call it a shark for dramatic effect.” Jellyfish stings provided the occasional distraction!

The Finish

As dawn broke, Josh knew he was closing in on France. His crew urged him to sprint for the finish, though it felt like the shoreline never got closer. “I could see it and swam straight for it, but the boat guided me to a restaurant ramp to avoid rocks.” He finally reached the ramp, much to the surprise of the early morning diners, before swimming back to the boat for the return trip to Dover, where family and friends waited to celebrate his achievement.

Aftermath

Saltwater left him with a throat full of needles and a doubled uvula. “Explaining to the pharmacist at Boots that I’d just swum to France was… interesting, especially when they suggested a saltwater rinse!”

Josh calls it “the best experience of my life”, meeting inspiring swimmers and conquering a challenge few dare attempt.
We’re incredibly proud of Josh and his phenomenal achievement. Here’s to the next adventure!

From Lockdown to Lake Annecy: Emily’s Open Water Adventure

Over the past few years, Emily’s open-water journey has grown from a lockdown hobby into a true passion. She first discovered the joy of sea swimming during Covid, often heading out alone along the wild west coast of Scotland. That love for adventure soon led her to SwimTrek holidays starting with 5 km days and, more recently, taking on longer 7 km routes.

While Emily has dipped her toes into events like the Seahorse Swim in Dorset and the Southeast Region Open Water Championships, her focus so far has been on swimming for the pure enjoyment, freedom, and fitness that open water brings saving her competitive edge for the pool.

This summer, she completed her biggest challenge yet: a self organised two-person relay along the full 18 km length of Lake Annecy in France.

Emily credits the Spencer community for helping her continue to grow drawing on the advice of seasoned open-water swimmers and building strength and confidence through club training, especially the endurance sessions at Dulwich.

                                   Emily in Scotland in 2020

Hannah’s 33.3km Open Water Adventure in Croatia

Hannah’s passion for open water swimming has grown rapidly over the past two years. What began as a spontaneous 5k race with just a week to prepare soon became a full-blown love for the sport.

Earlier this year, Hannah took on her biggest challenge yet: the Ultra 33.3km Challenge in Croatia, swimming across four days. She followed a 16-week training plan, covering 24–30km per week in the pool, combined with strength work and weekly sports massages to manage a shoulder injury.

Reflecting on the experience, Hannah says, “Training taught me so much—not just about my body, nutrition, and rest, but also about staying accountable, motivated, and disciplined. Those lessons carried me through the challenge.”

The challenge itself was unforgettable. “The first two days were brutal—a storm rolled in, waves and winds were ridiculously high, and breathing became nearly impossible. But the final two days were magical: crystal-clear water, calm crossings, and even a dolphin sighting!”

Hannah’s results were impressive:

• 4th in her Age Group
• 5th Female Overall
• 34th out of 160 swimmers
• First British Female across the line

Beyond the statistics, Hannah highlights the community spirit. “I’ll never forget feeling mentally defeated on Day 2, and having Andy Donaldson swim up to encourage me—it unlocked something in me. Those moments, and the shared struggle with everyone else, made it so special.”

Day 3, an 11km solo swim, was her proudest moment. “Being surrounded by the stunning Croatian coastline, I felt a real sense of pride in how far I’d come. It taught me the biggest lesson of all: to believe in myself.”

We’re proud of everything our Spencer swimmers have achieved and inspired by what’s still to come.

The post Open Water Swimming Adventures of Spencer Members appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

Choosing one, however, can be a bit of a minefield. Here’s a few tips on how to find the right tech or race suit that suits your goals, body, and swimming style.

1. Be Clear About Why You’re Buying It

Masters swimmers race for many reasons — personal bests, podiums, qualifying times, team points, or simply the fun of competition. The frequency of your racing and the seriousness of your goals should guide your choice of race suit.

If you race a few times a year, one reliable, mid-range tech suit might be all you need. If you’re training and competing regularly at national or international masters meets, investing in a high-performance model could be worthwhile.

If you expect to be in medal contention and every tenth of a second counts, then the right tech suit might be what you need.

2. Fit Is Everything — But Comfort Matters Too

Tech suits are designed to be tight, sometimes very tight! However, there’s a fine balance between performance compression and comfort. As adults, we value a suit that feels supportive without cutting off circulation or requiring a 20 or 30-minute struggle to get on.

Look for a fit that:

• Offers firm compression but allows you to breathe normally.
• Feels snug around hips and thighs without digging in too much.
• For women, it gives full shoulder and hip mobility for your stroke.

If you’re between sizes, many masters swimmers prefer going up one size from what an elite junior might wear — the difference in performance is minimal, but the comfort and confidence are much higher. *It is worth getting guidance on sizing, because the sizing is different for a tech suit than your usual swimsuit.

3. Match the Suit to Your Stroke and Events

Not all suits are created equal. Some are built for explosive power; others for flexibility and comfort.

• Sprinters (50–100m events) often benefit from high-compression suits that provide muscle support and stability off the blocks and walls.
• Middle- and long-distance swimmers (200m+) might prefer a lighter, more flexible suit that allows more freedom of movement and sustained comfort.
• IM or breaststroke specialists should look for flexibility around hips and thighs to accommodate varied kick movement.

4. Don’t Be Fooled by the Hype

Arena, Speedo, TYR, Mizuno, Jaked — every brand has its loyal fans. But the best suit for you depends on your build and how you swim, not what the pros wear.

Masters swimmers come in all shapes and sizes, and different brands fit differently. Try before you buy if possible, and don’t be afraid to mix it up — many seasoned swimmers switch brands once they find a cut that fits their body comfortably and performs well.

Here is a website that offers advice on the best brands and models for your needs: https://www.theswimsuitguy.co.uk/which-tech-suit-should-i-buy

5. Consider Longevity and Value

Let’s face it — tech suits are expensive. In the UK, top-tier models can easily cost £300–£450, and they don’t last forever. Their compression and water-repellent coatings fade with use.

As a rule of thumb:

• Expect about 5–10 meets of peak performance.
• Rinse gently in cold water after racing.
• Air dry (never wring or tumble dry).
• Store flat, not folded or scrunched.

If you’re not racing every month, a mid-range suit may actually be a smarter investment — less expensive, longer-lasting, and still fast.

6. Prioritise Ease and Confidence

Masters swimming is as much about enjoyment as performance. Choose a suit that makes you feel fast, supported, and confident. If you’re comfortable in your suit, you’ll warm up and race better.

Remember: your suit should help you focus on your swim, not distract you from it.

7. Plan Ahead for Race Day

Don’t save your first wear for the championship final. Test your suit in training once or twice before your main event — just enough to know how it feels off the blocks and through turns. That way, you can avoid surprises on race day.

And give yourself plenty of time before your race to get it on. Tech suits take patience, especially if they’re dry!

In Summary

Buying a tech suit as a masters swimmer is about balancing performance with practicality. You want compression and hydrodynamics, but also comfort, durability, and confidence.

A great race suit won’t do the swimming for you, but it will help you feel sleek, supported, and ready to swim fast. Choose wisely, take care of it, and enjoy the feeling of being a pro!

The post 7 Tech Suit Tips for Masters Swimmers appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

Masters swimming revolves around personal improvement and enjoyment. Participants include former competitive swimmers, triathletes, and those who have discovered the pool later in life. Some thrive on the excitement of racing in scheduled events throughout the year, while others seek fitness, and many cherish the camaraderie both in the water and beyond. The structured coaching in a masters program enables adults to train purposefully, with sessions tailored to individual ability levels that focus on technique development, aerobic conditioning, and speed work.

Masters swimming is overseen by the national governing body, Swim England Masters, which promotes adult swimming through local clubs, sanctioned meets, and open-water events. Masters competitions are organised by age groups, usually in five-year bands (25–29, 30–34, 35–39, and so on, all the way up to 100-104), creating a level playing field that encourages lifelong participation. Many swimmers involved in masters swimming find renewed motivation through setting goals, tracking progress, and celebrating achievements both big and small.

Beyond the stopwatch, masters swimming fosters community and wellbeing. Training together encourages accountability, friendship, and fun — essential ingredients that keep swimmers returning to the pool. Plus, there are many social opportunities within the club and across the swimming community, with swimmers often making life-long friends. The low-impact nature of swimming makes it ideal for maintaining fitness and mobility throughout life. Many masters swimmers report improved physical health, mental clarity, and stress reduction.

Whether you’re aiming to compete at national championships or simply swim a few laps with good company, masters swimming offers a flexible, supportive environment. It’s a reminder that the love of the water doesn’t fade with age — it evolves, deepens, and continues to inspire. For many, joining a masters program is not just a return to swimming, but a rediscovery of why they fell in love with it in the first place.

Dive in — the masters swimming community is waiting to welcome you to a life of health, wellbeing and fun. Sign up for a free trial with Spencer Swim Team now!

Based outside London? You can also join our club as an out-of-town member and benefit from being part of our community, giving you access to competitions and relay opportunities.

The post What is masters swimming? appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

Anna

When did you join Spencer Swim Team?

I rejoined in April 2025 (I joined in 2019 and stopped in the pandemic).

What is your swimming background? 

About 10 years ago I did an ‘Adult Improver’ course of swim lessons with coach Steve Baker at the Clapham pool. It was very fun. We did one session on synchronised swimming. The Lifeguards loved that one. 

When and where do you train with Spencer? 

Mondays at Clapham and Thursdays at Ernest Bevin. 

What are your swimming goals?

I’ve got loads. To get fitter and stronger. Tumble turns at both ends as a normal thing. Improve Butterfly. 

What is your best stroke? 

Front Crawl

What do you enjoy about swimming in a team set-up?  

Helps massively with discipline and motivation. 

What has been your best moment as an adult swimmer? 

For me, it’s all about the experience and how it feels to swim fast and strong. I have moments like that quite often and they are increasing as I slowly get fitter. 

What swimming achievement are you most proud of? 

The other week we did 6 x 50s with a tumble turn at the deep end and I did all 6 turns. 

What song gets you in the zone? 

Everyday/ Loud Places feat. Romy by Agnelli & Nelson, Jamie xx

Which podcast or online swimming resource do you follow? 

None. 

What swimming advice would you give to another masters swimmer? 

Brush up on lane etiquette or ask because the other members are too polite to tell you when you’re in the way. Listen to the coach give the sets because otherwise confusion and chaos reigns. Give it a go. 

The post Anna’s Journey: Rejoining Spencer Swim Team appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

Besides the easy access to the pool in Putney, it is the club atmosphere that makes it special. With adult swimmers coming in from Barnes, Wimbledon, Richmond, Fulham, Wandsworth and further east, the club’s sessions are a greater mixer for members to enjoy their swimming but also socialise. After sessions, it is not uncommon for teammates to head up the road to the pub or tennis club for a catch-up.

Most people are familiar with Putney for the famous Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge, which is perhaps one of the most significant symbols of sporting endurance and teamwork. A short walk from where these elite athletes are pushing themselves to the very limit on the water, the Spencer swim team are also challenging themselves in pursuit of competition honours, personal bests, or fitness improvement.

Whether you’re training for Masters Nationals, aiming to perfect your butterfly, or love the feeling of moving through water, you’ll find yourself surrounded by people who share your drive and who support your journey. Coaches know every swimmer by name, sessions are structured with purpose, and progress is celebrated at every level.

In this corner of southwest London, you’ll find more than a pool — you’ll find your team, your challenge, and your swimming home.

The post Putney Remains Popular Swimming Home of Spencer Team appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

Joe

When did you join Spencer Swim Team?                

April 2022

What is your swimming background?                     

I am a lapsed triathlete after having done two Ironman events. I later found that I wanted to continue my swimming journey as this was the event that I enjoyed the most. This led to an enduring love of outdoor swimming, especially sea swimming.  I eventually began missing the pool and the need for some training discipline and rigour that led me to Spencer.

When and where do you train with Spencer?      

Putney and Earnest Bevin, but I do visit Clapham and Dulwich

What are your swimming goals?                               

To get better and quicker each year at my favourite events, mainly 100m front crawl and 100m IM

What is your best stroke?                                             

Definitely front crawl, but I also enjoy the variety of individual medley.

What do you enjoy about swimming in a team set-up?   

I enjoy the familiarity of being in your lane with your training buddies (who support you during those times when you are not feeling your best), and the different coaches who ensure that it is always a fun and varied session. Swimming is often seen as individualistic. But Spencer has brought me real community

How do you keep disciplined to train frequently?              

It is that desire to want to be quicker (at your next event) and just to be fitter.

What has been your best moment as an adult swimmer?              

Plunging into the exhilarating waters off Cornall and immersing myself in the thrill of sea swimming, which offers the perfect combination of adventure and natural beauty. 

What swimming achievement are you most proud of?    

Seven podium finishes at the Staffordshire Masters in 2025, and I hope to do better than that in 2026.

What song gets you in the zone?              

“Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen

Which podcast or online swimming resource do you follow?        

An Open Water Swimmer’s Podcast, where Will Ellis asks guests to tell their swim story.

What swimming advice would you give to another masters swimmer?                     

My advice to a Spencer masters swimmer is to pace yourself for the 90-minute session, keep smiling, and do everything the coach says or incur their wrath.

The post Meet a member – Joe appeared first on Spencer Swim Team London.

Tick, tock…boom. On a weekend when we saw the clocks go back, Spencer swimmers had their eyes fixed on the times flashing up on the jumbo scoreboard looming over the competition pools at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, during the 2024 GoCardless Swim England Masters National Championships. 

The swim meet produced an outstanding level of swimming with an incredible 119 British records, 44 European and 17 World records, many exciting races, inspiring swims, and countless personal achievements by 1600 swimmers across all age groups. 

The Spencer team contributed to the records tally thanks to the explosive performances of Daniel Cotton, who was in imperious form, claiming four gold medals, all in British record times, plus a silver medal in the 200m freestyle (2:02.77). Becoming National Champion in the 50-54 age group in 200m backstroke (2:11.09), 200m IM (2:14.86), 100m backstroke (1:00.92), and 400m IM (4:49.20) – makes him the most successful male swimmer from Spencer at the meet and crowns a great 2024 in the pool. 

Amanda Heath, who is no stranger to British and International records, once again showed her versatility and excellence with an equally impressive medal haul, winning gold medals in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke (yes, the triple), 200m IM, 200m backstroke (age group best time) – all season’s best times. To add to this impressive collection of golds, Amanda also stepped onto the podium and collected silver in the 200m freestyle, and bronze in the 100m backstroke in the women’s 65-69 age group.   

But the team was performing well, and medals were collected elsewhere, with Matthew Taylor bagging himself a well-deserved bronze in the men’s 55-59 age group with a master’s lifetime PB of 2:37.95 in the 200m backstroke. He narrowly missed out on medals, collecting fourth spots in 100m (1:12.45 – PB) and 50m backstroke (33.40). He also carried his freestyle form through from Crawley recently to produce a 2:21.88 in a master’s lifetime PB. 

After a lengthy hiatus, Spencer Coach Graham Huntingford was back in competition mode, in only his second competitive swim as a master’s swimmer. After contributing to the relays, Graham put it all together in the 50m freestyle to swim an impressive 26.3 seconds in the male 45-49 age group. 

Relatively new Spencer member Alex de Tullio also flexed his competition muscles again as he continued working towards finding his best form after returning to the pool earlier this year. Playing an outstanding team role in the men’s relays, Alex was also showing some remarkable form in his individual events too, swimming the 50m (30.91), 100m (1:06.83) and 200m (2:31.90) breaststroke in the men’s 30-34 age group. We’re all excited to see Alex get stronger and faster in the months ahead. 

Another recent and very welcome addition to the Spencer team is Lauren Willcox, who delivered some excellent swims. A string of season’s best times, including 2:12.88 in the 200m freestyle (women’s 35-39 age group) secured her gold, as did 4:42.51 in the 400m freestyle and a 1:10.00 in the 100m backstroke meant she would narrowly miss out on gold and collect silver. 

Moving into the 60-64 women’s age group this year, Diane Ridings took just 1:30.98 to scoop a fantastic silver medal in the 100m breaststroke. She then backed it up with a bronze medal performance in the 50m breaststroke, touching in 41.18 seconds. 

On the meet’s final day, Frances Baker saved the best until last, winning silver in the most enduring of contests, the 400m IM. Frances swam an impressive 7:10.61 in the women’s 60-64 age group, some 11 seconds ahead of the bronze medallist.  

Having had a head-scratching first day in the 1500m freestyle and 200m back (losing to a childhood clubmate), Simon Berry did what all good athletes do. He returned the following day and left it all out there in the 800m freestyle to come home in a very satisfying 10:35.80 in the men’s 50-54 years, recording a season’s best time. With belief restored, Simon was back on Sunday, where he replicated his good form with a 5:10.37 in the 400m freestyle. 

Robyn Le Friec placed second in women’s 30-34 age group for 200m fly in a very impressive 2:30.77 and in the 100m fly, showed the importance of a strong finish by claiming bronze by two one-hundredths of a second in 1:08.00. 

Moving into the 70-74-year-old men’s age group this year, Godfrey Admans delivered some of his best times for several years, with a superb 1:25.78 for the 100m backstroke, earning him a silver medal and 38.9 seconds in the 50m backstroke, seeing him just off the podium in 4^th place. 

Suzanne Maidment hauled in a bronze medal in the 400m freestyle in a time of 5:38.93 in the women’s 55-59 years age group after a strong weekend of swimming across all her events. 

In the 75-79 age group, Peter Stevens seemed to be Spencer’s busiest swimmer, taking on team relay duties and an extensive individual program. Peter managed medals of all colours in the following races: 800m freestyle (bronze), 400m freestyle (gold), 200m breaststroke (silver), and 1500m freestyle (bronze).  

With the assistance of some intense physio work, Guy Emerson shook off the effect of a back injury that prevented him from swimming during the first two days of competition to claim a bronze medal in the 50m backstroke in the men’s 60-64 age group. 

Karl Simpson produced master’s lifetime personal best times in the 50m freestyle (28.7), 100m fly (1:16.19), and 200m freestyle (2:20.26) and equalled his PB in the 100m freestyle (1:02.7). In the final session, after a strong weekend, he came home in the 400m freestyle in a season’s best time. 

Elsewhere, the team performed impressively in the relays without winning any medals. Also, breaststroke specialists Rebecca Pritchard and Fiona Wiggins delivered impressive swims across the meet, achieving PBs in several different events. Rebecca wiped 4 seconds off her 200m PB. Helen Cumber achieved four PBs and slipped just out of the medals in the 50m backstroke. Luca Milana and Sally Ritchie both showed encouraging signs of their best form in their selected events, too. 

It was a monumental three days of competitive swimming, with many incredible individual performances. The medals and times are the rewarding dividends of many months of hard training. But it isn’t only about podiums and personal bests, as many other accomplished goals don’t appear on the scoreboard, and every master’s swimmer goes home proud of their achievements. It was a privilege to be part of such a great community of passionate swimmers giving their all, and hopefully, many more Spencer swimmers can enjoy the fun experience in 2025. 

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