Hollingsworth swims three miles in hour to win gold

THERE were more than 1,600 entries in this year's annual postal swim, staged by the British Long-Distance Swimming Association. The event attracts entries from throughout the world and the aim is for swimmers to go as far as they can in one hour in their home pool.

The Beau Sejour Barracudas excelled, probably having their best year ever in this event, gaining no fewer than 11 gold, five silver and four bronze medals, as well as setting four new club records.

Completing the greatest distance in the hour was Thomas Hollingsworth, who swam 5,130m, or more than three miles, gaining him the gold medal in the open section as well as setting a new club record replacing that set by Russell Gidney back in 1995.

Jonathon Le Noury took gold in the 20-24 age group, ahead of Dover Lifeguard Club member James Cotton with a distance of 4,845m.

Hollingsworth and Le Noury were then joined by Ian Hubert to record the longest distance in the men's open team event to take the gold for the Barracudas with a combined distance of 14,410m.

Individual golds also went to Kristina Neves and Victoria Parfit, who recorded 4,075m and 4,490m respectively in the under-10 and 12/13 year groups. Both were also new Barracuda records.

The final individual gold went to Joshua Lewis in the 12/13 age group with a distance of 4,585m.

He finished ahead of Trowbridge ASC with teammate Jacob Cherry taking a well-earned bronze with a distance of 4,404m.

William Bodkin joined Lewis and Cherry to take the team gold in the 12/13 age group covering 13,004m.

Team golds were in abundance for the Barracudas with the under-10 girls and boys both taking the honours.

Neves, Sebina Steininger and Katherine Jensen, Miles Munro, Toby Belton and Joshua Butler were the team members. Munro also took individual silver in his age group with 3,432m.

Parfit, Martha Le Poidevin and Lauren Hearse combined to win gold in the 12/13 years age group with a distance of 12,022m.

The masters teams also fared well with David Chamberlain, Davy Le Marquand and Nick Moss taking the team gold in the 35-plus age group, completing 11,794m.

In the same category, the women took silver with Rebecca Simmons, Gail Merrien and Debra Thompson completing 11,550m. Simmons' distance of 4,305m also earned her an individual bronze.

John Dedman, competing in the 30/34 age group swam 4,030m also to take bronze.

Finally, team silvers went to the 14/15 years' team of James Dickinson, Matthew Allen and Edward Dickinson and the 10/11 of David Hall, Luke Belton and Joe Ogier.

James Dickinson swam a new Barracudas record distance in this age group of 4,885m to take a silver behind Matthew Henry, of Kelly College, and David Hall also took an individual bronze in his event.