SWIMMING GALAS
Maidwell Hall v Kimbolton
Tuesday 6th December 2011
Having arrived at 4.00pm we had rather a long wait until the start of the gala while we waited for the Bedford girls to arrive. Apologies to the parents who had to wait outside locked doors!
The boys competed against the Kimbolton boys but the girls against both schools. For the Under 9’s it was their first gala and their first experience of start blocks! Throughout the gala there were some excellent individual performances. Well done to Lara Weatherby, for whom this was a debut swimming gala, in beating her Kimbolton opponent! Other impressive individual performances were:
| Lochie Payne |
|
Backstroke |
| Max Pettifer |
|
Breaststroke |
| Arthur Margetson |
|
Breaststroke |
| Hugo Ross-Wilson |
|
Front crawl |
| Michael Keith |
|
Front crawl |
| Matthew Anscomb |
|
Front crawl |
The results were as follows:
Under 9 Boys
Maidwell 7
Kimbolton 16
Under 10 Boys
Maidwell 13
Kimbolton 10
Under 11 Boys
Maidwell 10
Kimbolton 14
Under 12 Boys
Maidwell 12
Kimbolton 12
Under 13 Boys
Maidwell 13
Kimbolton 11
It was not possible for Kimbolton to calculate scores for our girls as we only took two teams.
Overall Scores:
Maidwell 55
Kimbolton 63
Maidwell Hall v Spratton Hall
Tuesday 15th September 2011
Rather too soon for the team to have had much (if any) training, we competed in our first gala of the academic year against Spratton Hall. The changes since our gala against them towards the end of last term, apart from everyone moving up a year, was that the girls were divided into two teams (Under 11’s and 12’s). It was too soon to have established an Under 9 team but it is my intention to do so before we go to Kimbolton in December.
After the final race and before the relays the score was 89 points to Spratton and 113 points to Maidwell. We then went on to win nine out of the twelve relays and the Squadron. The under 13’s won all their events showing depth and talent across the board. Bearing in mind that fifty per cent of the under 12 boys team are made up of boys from the year below, they did extremely well, winning most of their events. The under 12 girls team are looking strong and are definitely ones to watch!
As the overall score suggests, the margin is not as great as it was in our gala against Spratton last term. Fitness levels need to be tip top before we meet greater competition in a less familiar pool on December 6th!
Overall Score:
Maidwell Hall: 205
Spratton Hall: 153
Maidwell Hall v Spratton Hall
Tuesday, 24th May, 2011
This was the largest gala we have ever hosted at Maidwell Hall. There were seventy two swimmers in all, consisting of all age groups from Under 9’s to Under 13’s. There was also an Under 11 representation of girls. In addition to the swimmers there were a great many spectators offering loud and encouraging support from the poolside. We got off to a promising start winning all the backstroke races and by the end of the front crawl races we were holding a lead of 47 points. There were one or two medley relays which lost us a few points but nothing of great concern since we then went on to win six consecutive freestyle relays followed by the squadron.
The swimming was strong throughout the school and the atmosphere at the pool a happy one. I would like to mention in particular Millie Hughes and Abby McCagney, both of whom are relatively new to the school but who gave outstanding performances in all of their races. Max Pettifer and Hugo Ross-Wilson were a dynamic duo in the Under 9’s and between them they certainly caught the attention of the spectators! The Under 12’s were strong as always and the Under 13’s certainly went out on a high.
Thanks to all who supported with such enthusiasm, to Harry McGrath for being such a brilliant Swimming Captain and finally to Nick Owens, Josh Guthrie and Liam Blore for enabling the gala to run as smoothly as it did.
Maidwell Hall v Bedford
Tuesday, 3rd May, 2011
Our boys certainly were challenged in this year’s gala against Bedford as they brought with them a team of very strong swimmers. This was the first competitive event for most of the boys in Form V and I was delighted to see them performing so well. It is a daunting prospect for anyone so young particularly as the spotlight is very much on the individual and the noise level is quite unlike any other sporting event! It was not easy to win a race yesterday but there were three boys who did and who deserve to be mentioned by name.
Max Pettifer Under 9 Front crawl winner.
Oliver Peppiatt Under 11 Breaststroke winner.
Harry McGrath (Capt) Under 13 Breaststroke winner.
Thanks to all the boys who swam with such determination, to Nick Owens for scoring with such precision and to Liam Bloor for organising the boys so patiently. Finally thanks to Harry McGrath who not only swims rather well but is also incredibly efficient!
Final Score:
Bedford 197
Maidwell Hall 114
Prep School Swimming Gala at Uppingham
Tuesday, 1st March, 2011
Fifteen boys and girls attended a ‘Year of Sport’ event on Tuesday 1st March which was held at Uppingham School to celebrate the arrival of their new sports hall. This swimming gala consisted of five prep schools taking part in both individual races and team relays. The competition was tough and I think we were rather surprised by the ability of some of the other swimmers!
For the girls this was their first away gala and despite finding it quite challenging they very much enjoyed being there and were certainly very impressed with the sports hall and its very smart changing rooms!
Many of our swimmers were a year young particularly in the under 11 category. This is due to us having a small Form III and a large proportion of children in Form IV having to participate.
Those that represented the school in the Individual Medley deserve to be congratulated for sheer effort. 100 metres is an extremely long way for an under 11 swimmer (Mimi Cleverly, Arthur Margetson) and also for Ben Clarke who swam this event for the under 13’s. All three swimmers showed a great deal of courage and mental grit.
Harry McGrath won his breaststroke race with an exciting finish in an impressive time of 20.64.
It was not altogether clear where we came at the end of it all. As far as I could gather though it was as follows:
Under 11’s - 3rd
Under 13’s - 4th
Under 11 girls - 4th