2nd July, 2006

With Open Water Swimming being added to the events at the next Olympics in Beijing, more swimmers are looking to compete in open water events and Kelly College Swim Squad are no exception.  Caroline Ball (17) and Matthew Henry (16) competed in the Festival of Open Water Swimming at the London Regatta Centre, Royal Albert Docks, London.  They were both in the 3k Junior International and came 9^th and 7^th respectively in their gender.

The following weekend, Weymouth Beach was the venue for the ASA South West Open Water Championships.  Kelly College sent three swimmers, Caroline Ball, Matthew Henry and Matthew Stacey (14).  They were all competing in the 3k swim in the 15 to 18 age group. 

Caroline Ball led the way from the start in the girl’s race and in doing so became a Western Counties Champion for the first time in an impressive time of 42 minutes 37.80 seconds.  Caroline was awarded not only the Western Counties gold, but the Open gold and Western Counties Trophy.

In the boy’s race, it was Kelly College all the way; Matthew Henry, like Caroline, led from the start and was seven minutes faster than last years winning time in 37 minutes 33.40 seconds.  Matthew also picked up the Western Counties gold, the Open gold and Western Counties Trophy.

Matthew Stacey, the youngest boy in the age group, swam with three other boys most the way round, but with about 700m to go he made a tremendous effort and pulled away from the other boys to take second place behind his team mate in 40minutes 43.26 seconds.   This placed Matthew second in the Western Counties and second in the Open.

All three swimmers, along with some other members from the Kelly College Swim Squad, will be taking part in the Devon County Open Water Championships to be held on the 23^rd July at Oddicombe. 

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