Category Archives: News

News, Updates

Big Ricks Swim Team – Channel Swim – 3 weeks to go

In 2012 Big Ricks Swim Team got within half a mile of completing a double swim of the English channel, but due to extreme weather fog,rain,8 ft waves ,force 5 winds, strong sea swells (just a normal day in the channel really) , the swim was eventually stopped , our pilot Mr Freddy Mardle had let us swim on for 4 hrs through the bad weather hoping against hope it would clear enough for us to be able to finish  but sadly the weather to get even worse as we approached Dover as darkness fell , so after swimming for more than 22 hours Fred had to stop the swim due to his growing concerns for not only for the safety of the swimmer in Water , but also for the safety of the 9 soles on board the Masterpiece boat , it was the correct decision off course ,  we loved Fred words after we finally arrived back in folkestone harbour  at 2 am some 26 hours after we left.. ..Well Lads you did okay , you almost made it, i know you are down and disappointed now , but Ha that’s channel swimming for you…Everyday is different , Everyday brings a new challenge , if it was easy everyone would be doing it..!!,  just be glad your safe and well and able to try again.!! .. every channel swimmer knows Captain Webb`s famous remarks about swimming the Channel….”” Nothing Great Is Easy,”” he can say that again..BigRicks2011

After a long hard  re think and then some arm twisting we decided to come  back for one final  go at the English channel ( and it will be our last swim )….! Sure we are older ,sure we are even balder and most of us a lot fatter than last year ,  but we are also wiser ….!!! Hmm well okay maybe only Darran and maybe Gary are wiser but we are Back anyway..!Why….Because The Ricks show Must must go on .!…we cannot stop just because our pride was hurt by not completing last years challenge ..!  Sooo  A  Double English channel re-match has been arranged  for July 14th to 19th 2013…We are the same Team of  Fun ugly chubby middle aged men from the west midlands  , but  this year  there is change, an very important change, We are swimming the 2 way under a new  team name ” Pip`s Double Channel Swim Team ” in memory of Big Ricks Swimmer Richard  Brownjohn’s  partner the beautiful and charming Phillipa “Pip” Thomas who lost her 2 yr fight with breast cancer just a few months ago
…wish us luck…Ricks & PIpsChannelBigRicks2011 1

News

British Long Distance swimming association Champion of Champions 15 June 2013

Perry Beeches Masters’  swimmer  shines at Champion of champions race

Last Saturday 15th june was the famous BDLSA Champion of Champions event down in Dover at the famous swimmers beech in the Harbour. For the uninitiated the champions race is considered the hardest Open Water event in Uk, Why because its consists of a 5mile swim, followed by a 3mile swim and the ending in a 1mile swim – just for good measure. In between each swim is a chance for the swimmers to wrap themselves up in as many layers as possible in the hope that they have enough time before the next swim to stop shaking and regain feeling back in their feet/fingers/lips etc, consume as many cups of tea/coffee/hot chocolate they can manage without spilling (due to the shakes) and eat as much food as they can lay their hands on. All in all it’s a very enjoyable day out…!!

This year Perry Beeches Master swimmer Paul Bates made the long trip from the midlands to join the 90 + entrants completing various combinations of the 3 swims, Paul`s plan was to hopefully swim the 5 & 3 &1 mile swims.

Paul Bates at the champion of champions event 2013

The 5 mile started at 9.30 am in 12.5 degree temperatures (felt colder )  ,the swim proved to be extra challenging as swimmers were forced to battle through some rough conditions as the winds picked up half way through the swim. Indeed there were many comments of “I just wasn’t moving..” at the end of the race. The high winds also had a detrimental effect on the course as one of the course markers came loose and started heading out to sea. However, we the swimmers had no idea of this turn of events and obediently carried on , as result of the planned 5 mile swim turned into almost 7 miles, taking paul almost 3hrs to complete …

Thankfully by the time of the 3 mile swim, the course had been re-adjusted to a  length .75 miles loops and was all the quicker for it. Paul taking and just over an hour to complete it…finally at 5.45 on the night after swimming all day the final mile was started..and thankfully completed …! Thank God.

And massive Congratulations to Beeches swimmer Paul Bates, who produced a suburb performance on the day to come in 3rd place in snr men`s event in a combined time of 4hrs 27 minutes for the 9.9 mile swim (yes we had to do almost an extra mile..) no mean feat against much younger swimmers  . Paul asked after the event said “The conditions were tough all day ,in the end  i was just pleased to have finished and survived, After the 1st section of the race I was all for giving up, i was frozen through plus had jelly stings to my legs and face ,but was  given morale boosting chats by many of the swimmers during the day which helped me carry on… and finish..!” 🙂

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News

British Gas Masters and Senior Age Group Championships

Congratulations to both Becky Smith and Claire Thorn who both competed at the British Gas and Senior Age Group Championships.

Becky over the weekend of competition competed in the 200 freestyle (1st place), 100 freestyle (3rd place), 400 freestyle (3rd place) and 800 freestyle (3rd place).

Claire competed in the 50 Breaststroke (4th place), 200 freestyle (3rd place), 400 freestyle (3rd place), 100 Breaststroke (3rd place) and 800 freestyle (5th place).

A big well done to both from all at Beeches.

Full results can be found here.

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News

Mercian League Round 2 at Cheslyn Hay

After an interesting start to the evening, with much of the team held up on M6 due to an accident, the team swam well in the second round of the Mercian League. With 9 first places going to:

Girls 12/under Medley Relay (Danya Gaddu, Hannah Kilminster, Pia Tonks and Sancha Tonks)

Hannah Kilminster (Girls 12/under breaststroke)

Dom Blackwell (14/under Freestyle and 14/under Breaststroke)

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Pia Tonks (12/under freestyle)

Sareena Gaddu (14/under breaststroke)

Katie Gulliver (Open Girls freestyle)

Girls 14/under Medley Relay (Jessica Jones, Sareena Gaddu, Lucy Keyte, Grace Morgan)

Girls 12/under freestyle Danya Gaddu, Hannah Kilminster, Pia Tonks and Sancha Tonks)

With 10 other top three finishers, and a fourth place it was a respectable evening for Beeches.

Personal bests on the night were achieved by Hannah Lawrence (50 Back & Free), Lily Massey (50 Breast & 25 fly), Grace Morgan (100 Free), Sareena Gaddu (100 Breast & 100 Back), Katie Gulliver (100 Free), Daniel Kilminster (50 Back & Free), Kynan Walker (100 Back), Ben Coeulle (100 Free), Dom Blackwell (100 IM), Andrew Gulliver (100Fly & Back), Jamie Keyte (100 Breast).

Well done to all who swam  – results available in the Members section.

A Thank You message from the Head Coach:

I would like to add my congratulations to the team for Saturday’s performance.  We did not have any disqualifications!!  Well done everyone.Thank you all for your efforts and for the team spirit, it was a pleasure to be on poolside with you.  A particular thank you goes to Andrew Gulliver who stood in for Dom Cotter’s two individual events, as Dom had received an injury playing football earlier in the day.Dave

 

News, Updates

Well done to all swimmers at the Stourbridge B Grade 26/05

A big well done to all the swimmers who took part in Sundays Open Meet – the Stourbridge B grade.

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Special mention goes to Jessica Jones, who came first in the 50m Freestyle, winning a crystal goblet, as well as a second place in the 50m backstroke, and fourth place in the 100 IM.

Other competitors on the day were:

Sophie Blackwell, Daniel Cox, Victoria Cox, Raenne Davidson, Reiss Deol, Shantay Douglas, Eleanor Elwell, David Gomez, Dominique Gomez, Hasna Hakim, Chanel Kang, Harvey Kang, Dylan Langston, Elliot Langston, Hannah Lawence, Meth Mahavithana, Neth Mahavithana and Lily Massey.

Well done to all of the swimmers – for many of whom this was their first ever Open Meet.

Many thanks to Dave Marsh and Helen Pordage for their support on the day.

Results available on the Stourbridge website – http://www.stourswim.co.uk/open_meets/b%20grade%202013.htm

News

Water Safety

Water Safety

On the 23rd May, the ASA released a report which stated thatmore 50% of children aged between 7 and 11 years old cannot swim. This is a particularly shocking statistic when we take into consideration the fact that more than 400 people drown in the UK each year, with thousands more suffering from near experiences.
World of Swimming consider Swimming to be one of the most important skills that any person will learn during the journey of life, and are therefore promoting the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s Drowning Prevention Week. This campaign is running from the 22nd to the 30th June 2013 and is a national campaign to promote water safety messages and help reduce incidents of drowning.
Drowning Prevention Week encourages schools, clubs, leisure centres and communities to come up with new and exciting ways to show people how they can have fun and stay safe around water. The campaign also aims to raise money for the charity’s drowning prevention programmes.
We’re all passionate about swimming, so lets make sure that everyone can take part, safely!