English Schools Swimming Association 2005 Relay Championships for Secondary Schools

Congratulations to the Junior Girls Swimming Team who represented the school with such distinction in the National Finals of this event.

Kate Hutchinson 10B (team captain)

Suzanne Ward 9P
Fern Gardner 8H

Emma Nutting 8S

In November they became regional champions for the Yorkshire, Humberside, North Lincolnshire area with a performance, which placed them in the top 10 from an entry of almost 300 schools from throughout the country.

The National Finals of the Championships were held at the Neptune Centre, Middlesbrough on Saturday, February 5.

The school had its first entry in the ESSA Championships only seven years ago and the girls become the fourth team from the school to qualify for the final stages in that time; a magnificent achievement for the girls and a great honour for the school!

The top 13 schools in the country were invited to these prestigious Championships. The girls were seeded 8th going into the event with a time of 2-17.98 from the regional rounds. In the first of the two heats in Middlesbrough, the girls excelled themselves with a time of 2-14.40 to qualify for the Grand Final in 3rd place and a realistic prospect of a medal.

However, a very closely contested race in the Grand Final saw them eventually finish in 5th place against some notable opposition; all this from a nationwide entry of 286 schools.

Grand Final Result
1. Kelly College, Tavistock 2-09.42
2. St Laurence School, Wiltshire 2-13.89
3. Coopers Company and Cobourn School, Upminster 2-14.10
4. Plymouth College 2-15.27
5. Heckmondwike Grammar School 2-16.09
6. Thomas Telford School, Telford 2-16.65
7. Parkstone Grammar School, Poole 2-18.45
8. Wellsway School, Keynsham 2-18.49

Other National Finalists
Cockermouth School, Cumbria
Guildford High School
Tanbridge House School, Horsham
Mountbatten School, Romsey
Ripley St. Thomas School, Lancaster

W. Allen