Why competitive swimming?

Our development programme is designed to safely teach the basic skills needed by swimmers, whilst having fun every time they get in the water. Through this they gain lifelong water safety and make new friends. 

As they progress mentally and physically, we "train them to train", with a view to competition. They begin to understand the importance of an active lifestyle, develop self confidence and learn to understand the concept of individual competition, whilst very much being part of a team.

Through regular competition, they learn to set their own goals and love the feeling of success. They also learn to reapply themselves if those goals aren't achieved, and through this learn the fine art of hard work and dedication. They become physically fit, mentally strong, individually driven and team orientated.

If you have achieved level 8 or ASA Gold standard and would like to experience competitive swimming training, or already train and would like extra sessions, then come and try a free one hour session! We look forward to hearing from you.

The distance events, held in Leeds, saw Max Nozedar (17), Zak Moorcroft (13) and Emily Hill (11) achieve a full set of personal best long course times; Zak achieving top ten finishes in both the 100m and 200m backstroke events

At the sprint events, held in Sheffield, Esme Littlewood (13), Rhiannon Wood (13) joined Emily Hill and Zak Moorcroft in representing Team Jorvik. All previous long course personal times were smashed by the swimmers with Zak narrowly (0.17sec) missing out on a medal (taking 4th place) in the 50m backstroke event.

The Championships finale; the team relay events - Everyone rose to the occasion by laying down some truly outstanding splits. The girls 11/12 age group freestyle team [Jessica Buckton, Emily Hill, Yasmin Hardaker and Natasha Sanderson] swam a massive 7 seconds under their entry time; taking seconds off their medley time in their next race. The boys Open age group team [Max Nozedar, Jordan Littlewood, Harry Nozedar and Joseph Senior] then followed by taking two seconds off both their freestyle and medley entry times. Not to be outdone, the girls’ 13/14 age group team [Esme Littlewood, Rhiannon Wood, Antonia Bunyan, Georgia Kemp and Ellie Fothergill] matched this feat by shaving 3 seconds off both relay entry times. 

Twelve Team Jorvik swimmers came away with 51 best times, 33 speeding tickets or medals from 62 swims at Scarborough’s Kingfishers SC annual B/C grade meet.

Gala débutantes Amy and Faye Clark came away with a full set of Personal Best times, 4 medals and a speeding ticket between them. Supporting them were team mates, Sam Enticknap, Lacey Small, Patrick Neary-Lamond, Freyr Smithson, Imogen Wood, Natasha and Gabby Sanderson,. Sam and Natasha both swam excellent breaststroke races, this was mirrored in the backstroke by Patrick and Freyr both medalling. Imogen and Gabby significantly lowered their previous 100 Individual Medley times, both winning medals (4^th and gold respectively). Lacey, at her first gala, achieved a full set of PBs, a speeding ticket in the backstroke and a 6^th place medal in breaststroke. Newcomers’ Caitlin and Jamie Parsons came away with many personal bests, gold medals and many new friends by the end of the day, cementing their place in the Team.

Leading the team were experienced competitors Antonia Bunyan, Georgia Kemp and Joseph Senior. Antonia claimed gold medal and overall fastest time of the day with a PB in the 100 IM. Georgia achieved a personal best and medals in breaststroke and freestyle. Joseph came away with 4 personal bests, 3 silver and 2 gold medals. Antonia and Joseph also qualified for the “Skins” competition at the end of the day, finishing 5^th and 3^rd respectively.

After Christmas indulgence and a break from training, swimmers from Team Jorvik competed in the first swimming meets of the New Year.

3 Swimmers travelled to Harrogate for its annual Janus Meet. Yasmin Hardaker (11), competing in 6 events took gold in 200m freestyle, silver in the 200m individual medley event, narrowly missing out on a medal in her first 400m freestyle race. Emily Hardaker (10) competing in 5 events took bronze in her first 400m freestyle race, and silver in the 200m freestyle. Relative newcomer Sam Enticknap (12) achieved personal best times in all his 4 events and took bronze in the 50m breastroke event.

7 Team Jorvik swimmers tackled the tough long course City of Leeds New Year meet; Antonia Bunyan (13) achieved personal best long course times in all her 5 swims.; a feat matched by Emily Hill (11) in her 4 events. Ellie Fothergill (13) in her first long course meet with Team Jorvik made notable personal best times in 50m breast and 50m freestyle. Jess Buckton (11) recorded an impressive 100m freestyle time, whilst Rhiannon Wood (13) took a bronze medal in the 50m backstroke event along with 3 other personal best times. Max Nozedar (17) competing in 7 events took gold in the 50m butterfly, bronze in 50m backstroke and personal best long course times in 3 other events. Zak Moorcroft (13) narrowly missed out on a medal achieving 4^th place finishes in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events and recorded 3 personal best long course times in 3 other events.

North-East Region Short Course Championships - 30/11/13 - 01/12/13

Big congratulations to Alistair Cooper and Zak Moorcroft who both travelled up to Sunderland Aquatic Centre and swum PBs in 400 IM and 100 Backstroke respectively. Well done!

A very respectable 50 medals and 3 speeding tickets from 64 swims was the well-earned bounty for the 11 squad members competing at the Harrogate Autumn Age Group Meet.

Zak Moorcroft had to settle for a bronze in the 200m breast which otherwise would have been a full complement of gold medals for his swims. He gained gold in 50m free, back breast and fly, 100m free, back and breast and 200m free and back. Eleanor Cooper out swam all the competition in the 200m and 400m free and the 50m fly and was awarded with speeding tickets. She then went on to win gold in the 100m back and fly and 200m back and fly and settled for a silver medal in the 200m Individual medley.

Rhiannon Wood won the 50m free and fly and was awarded gold and followed with a silver in 100 free and bronze in the 100m back. Antonia Bunyan took silver in the 200m individual medley and bronze in the 200m free. Georgia Kemp swam herself into bronze medal positions in the 50m and 100m breaststoke. Jess Buckton took silver in her first ever 400m event. Imogen Wood, 10 years, took 6th place runner up awards in both the 50m free and 50m back.

The Nozedar brothers each competed in 5 events. Max taking gold in 200m and 400m Free, 100m back and 200m fly. Harry won gold in 50m free and 200m individual medley, silver in 50m breast and bronze in 100m free and 200m back. Alistair Cooper took 6 gold medal positions in 200m & 400m free, 100m & 200m back, 200m breast and 200m individual medley and 2 silvers medals in 100m free and 50m breast. Joseph Senior competing in 6 events in one session took home 2 silvers for the 50m fly and 100m free and 4 bronze awards in 50m & 100m breast , 200m free and 200m individual medley.

At the close of the gala the swimmers recorded a massive 47 personal best times from 64 swims.

Antonia Bunyan was the star of the day with a full set of personal best times, a speeding ticket, 3 top six places and a 3.5 second personal best on her 100m Individual Medley. Rhiannon and Imogen Wood were both awarded with speeding tickets in the 50m Freestyle. The sisters also gained 2 top six finishes each, Rhiannon in the 50m Butterfly and 50m Backstroke and Imogen in the 50m Breaststroke and Backstroke. Georgia Kemp took honours for the clubs fastest girl in the 50m Breaststroke and narrowly missed out on a trophy for her efforts. Georgia also took a 3 second personal best on her 50m Butterfly. Patrick Neary-Lamond improved his times in the 50m Backstroke and Breaststroke with the breaststroke getting him a 3rd place. Patrick also walked away with a trophy for the 50m Butterfly. Joe Senior improved on his recent 100m Individual Medley personal best by taking another 2 seconds off his time. He alos achieved 2 top six finishes in 50m Backstroke and his best position of 4th place in the 50m freestyle.

Over the same weekend some squad members ventured to the John Charles Centre in Leeds as part of their training experience in racing to gain position for a final at the Leeds Grand Prix Meet. With seven swimmers over the two day meet it provided plenty of experience for all as no less than 26 finals were swum. Team Jorvik had 4 swimmers achieve places for the Open 50m Backstroke final where the Gold and Silver positions were won by 2 of our swimmers. Although the meet was not targeted for improving times by the close of the gala 18 personal best times had been achieved. A total of 10 top 3 finishes were just rewards for the efforts of the squad members.

Those swimmers representing the club were : Jon Beardsley, Alistair Cooper, Eleanor Cooper, Jack Dorland, Zak Moorcroft, Harry Nozedar and Max Nozedar.

Team Jorvik had a total of 25 swims over the weekend for which the swimmers had been in full training since September, the start of the new season. By the final swim on Sunday evening the Team Jorvik representation had massed a total of 23 personal best times and had joint winners of highest placing for club members – Alistair Cooper 12^th in 200m Individual Medley and Zak Moorcroft 12^th in 100m Backstroke in their respective age groups.

Experienced Yorkshire qualifier, Emily Hill, opened the personal best count in the 100m Breaststroke. Yasmin Hardaker left with 3 Personal Best times in the 100m Backstroke, 100m Freestyle and the 200m Individual medley. Jess Buckton, unphased by her first ever Yorkshire Championships experience, matched Yasmin’s achievements. Emily Hardaker fought every stroke to win her 100m freestyle heat and gaining a personal best time. She also took a personal best time in the 100m Backstroke. Max Nozedar qualified for all 5 events and came home with personal bests in 100m freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly and 200m Individual Medley.

Brother and sister duo, Alistair and Eleanor Cooper, each qualified for 4 events and both achieving personal bests in all. Alistair 100m freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and 200m Individual medley. Eleanor 100m freestyle, backstroke and butterfly and 200m Individual Medley. Zak Moorcroft had 2 events. 200m Individual medley, in which he gained a personal best , and 100m Backstroke where he achieved a personal best time and a North Eastern qualifying time.