Swimming Metro South West 08 May 2008 Peter-Johnston Latest News Tonight marked the end of an era for swimming in NSW as the Cumberland District ceased to exist and the Swimming Metro South West Area emerged in it's place. Along with the new name, a new logo and colours were selected following an Area wide competition. The winning logo (no 14a), submitted by McCredie Park, includes a shark, providing a sense of history and link to the old Cumberland District. The colours selected are Aqua, Lime Green and Silver/Grey. Both of the other two finalists in the competition were submitted by our club's members. The following Clubs are the Founding Members of the new Metro South West Area: Atlantis Macarthur Indoor Nepean Wenden Blacktown City Macquarie Fields Penrith Wentworthville RSL Bankstown Sports McCredie Park Penrith RSL Camden Merrylands Prairiewood Campbelltown Mount Annan Revesby Workers Holsworthy Mounties Ripples St Mary's Inswim Myswim Swimfit Macarthur Liverpool Narellan All Stars Toongabbie The Wizards Swim Team are also hoping to be granted affiliation with the area. The first swimming meet held by the new South West Area will be the Winter Short Course Meet at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on May 25th. Congratulations to our members whose logos were finalists in the competition. Logo Competition Finalists Following voting by our members, the 3 logos submitted to the Cumberland AGM as our club's top 3 in order of preference were 1a, 2c and 16. The final top 3 logos following all the area club's selections prior to the meeting were, in order of preference 14a (27pts), 16 (24pts) and 1a (17pts). Following voting at the AGM, the placings remained the same. 2nd Placed Logo(no 16)by Peter Johnston 3rd Placed Logo(no 1a)by David Wang See Also Swimming Cumberland The End of Cumberland Swimming Metro South West Logo Competition
Training Moves to Wentworthville 07 May 2008 Peter-Johnston Squad Training News Swimming Training moves to Wentworthville Swimming Centre on Monday, 12th May. Session days and times remain the same at the moment and are detailed on the Training Schedule page here. If you haven’t already, please indicate on the list in the club room if you will be training with us at Wentworthville. Training is expected to return to Merrylands earlier than usual this year. The exact details will be available in the next newsletter and on the club’s website. See Also Training Schedule
The Champion of Champions 29 April 2008 Peter-Johnston Features The Champion of Champions is one of the most prestigious trophies that is awarded at the Presentation Evening. However the Champion of Champions is the only point score for which there are no specific races held during the year. Instead, the point score is a cumulation of the various competitions run during the summer season in an attempt to find and recognise the club's top swimmer for the year. The Champion of Champions trophy was first presented in 1995/1996 after the club's committee decided to create an award to recognise the club's top swimmer each season. Loosely described as the "Swimmer of the Year", the recipients performances in all the club's Saturday morning competitions are taken into account, but also included are their results while representing the club at the various Area, Metropolitan, State and National Championships held throughout the summer season. The point score is designed to encourage swimmers to swim at a competitive level within the Club and at a Representative level. All members who compete in the Club Age Championships in the summer season are automatically included in the point score but how it is calculated is a little more complicated. So how is the point score calculated and what do you have to do to win the competition? Firstly, all the points that swimmers receive in the standard Saturday morning competition, the Graded Races point score, are added to each swimmer's Champion of Champions point score. So if you have done well in this competition, you are already off to a good start. Next, points from the Club's Age and Open Championships are included in the point score, however this is where it gets a bit more complex. To recognise and rate the achievements of swimmers in their championship races, a formula is applied to each event's results. As some swimmers might have 3 or 4 swimmers in their age group and another swimmer might have only 1, swimmers who beat more swimmers in a championship race get more points in the Champion of Champions point score. So, for example, in the Championship point score, all swimmers get 4 points for winning a championship race, but when the formula is applied, a swimmer who came first, but has only had to beat 1 other swimmer to win that race, will get 8 points while a swimmer in another age group who also won their race, but had to beat 3 other swimmers to win, will get 16 points. The same process is applied to both the Club Age and Open Championships. Points are also awarded for each Championship record broken by a swimmer. Lastly performances at swimming meets over the summer are taken into account. Swimmers are awarded points for their results at the Merrylands SwimFest, Speedo Sprint Series Heats & Finals, Cumberland Championships, Cumberland Sprint Meet, Cumberland 5-8yrs Meet, Metropolitan, State and National Championships. The more events you swim, the more points you get. The final point score is usually fairly close but none closer than last year's result where first and second were separated by only 15 points. The big question is, who will win this year? The exact details of the Champion of Champions pointscore, including points awarded for various events are listed in the Race By-Laws. Did you know? In the last 12 seasons, only 5 different swimmers have won the competition with most of them having won it on multiple occasions. 3 swimmers have won the competition more than once. Giuliano Soto, Robert Griffey and Brittany Johnson. Robert Griffey and Brittany Johnson have won the competition the most times, winning it on 4 occasions each. Matthew Buckler and Peter Johnston are the only swimmers to have won both the Graded Races Point Score and the Champion of Champions point score. Brittany Johnson is the only female to have won the point score. The club used to run a Swim-A-Thon as a fundraising activity each season. Each swimmer who participated in the Swim-A-Thon was awarded 25 Champion of Champions points. The current Champion of Champions Trophy was donated by the Johnston Family. Past Winners 1995/96 Matthew Buckler 1996/97 Giuliano Soto 1997/98 Giuliano Soto 1998/99 Peter Johnston 1999/2000 Robert Griffey 2000/01 Robert Griffey 2001/02 Robert Griffey 2002/03 Robert Griffey 2003/04 Brittany Johnson 2004/05 Brittany Johnson 2005/06 Brittany Johnson 2006/07 Brittany Johnson See Also Champion of Champions Race By-Laws
Swimwest Open Short Course Meet 21 April 2008 Peter-Johnston Latest News After a long day, 36 new personal best times were swum by Merrylands swimmers from 54 events at yesterday's Swimwest Open Short Course Meet at Sydney Olympic Park. At the 10½hr meet, 9 out of 10 of the club's swimmers broke at least one of their times, with 4 swimmers achieving PBs in all of their events and 3 swimmers taking home medals. Anthony Ventra finished the meet with 3 medals, finishing 1st in the 14yrs 50m Freestyle & 50m Breaststroke and 3rd in the 50m Backstroke. David Wang also finished 3rd in the 50m Backstroke, in the 15yrs age group, while Amber Johnson finished 2nd in the 15yrs 50m Backstroke. Belinda Sloane, Chantel Teakle-Jones, Anthony and David all swam new personal best times in all of their events. The following swimmers all swam at least one PB with some taking huge amounts off their times: Ryan Bartolo Ethan Burton Tanya Cleland Amber Johnson Logan Woodcock Congratulations to all our swimmers on their results at the meet. The full results with splits are available here. Medal Tally Gold 2 Silver 1 Bronze 2 See Also 2008 Swimwest Short Course Qualifying Meet - Results
Wentworthville Invitational Results 18 April 2008 Peter-Johnston Latest News Merrylands' swimmers won 26 medals at the Wentworthville Invitational Carnival on Sunday, 6th April. The meet was held in some gloomy conditions and occasional rain at Wentworthville Swimming Centre. Rebecca Tuivawa won 5 medals, finishing 1st in the 12yrs 50m Butterfly, 2nd in the 50m Freestyle, 50m Breaststroke & 200m Individual Medley and 3rd in the 50m Backstroke. Erin Cooper also took home 5 medals, all silver, after finishing second in all four of her individual 50m events. Erin then teamed up with David Wang, Jacqueline Gardner and Peter Johnston to take second place in the 15yrs & Over 4x50m Freestyle Relay. David and Peter also won individual medals at the meet. David took home 4 individual medals with gold in the 15yrs 50m Freestyle & Breaststroke, and silver in the 50m Butterfly & Backstroke. Peter won gold in the 16yrs & Over 50m Breaststroke and silver in the 50m Freestyle. Mitchell Burt won 6 medals at the meet, with gold in the 14yrs 50m Freestyle & 50m Butterfly, silver in the 50m & Open 100m Backstroke & 50m Breaststroke and bronze in the Open 100m Freestyle. Ryan Bartolo took home bronze in the 11yrs 50m Butterfly while the club won medals in the 9yrs Boys events as well, with Ethan Burton 2nd in the 50m Backstroke and Timothy Tunks 3rd in the 50m Freestyle. Ethan and Tim also won a medal in the 10yrs & Under 4x50m Freestyle Relay with Logan Woodcock and Angela Gardner, finishing in 3rd place. Likewise, our other swimmers at the meet swam well, with a number of new personal best times swum. The following swimmers all swam at least one new PB: Ryan Bartolo Ethan Burton Tanya Cleland Erin Cooper Angela Gardner Jacqueline Gardner Paige Scurrah Belinda Sloane Lachlan Stewart Chantel Teakle-Jones Rebecca Tuivawa Timothy Tunks David Wang Congratulations to all our swimmers on their results. The club's results are available here. Thank you to Teresa Johnson, Janet & Darren Sloane and Ian Wilson for their assistance in organising shelter for the day. Thank you to Janet who also acted as our Team Manager for the meet. Medal Tally Gold 6 Silver 15 Bronze 5 See Also Wentworthville Invitational Meet - Results
Swimming Metro South West Logo Competition 17 April 2008 Peter-Johnston Latest News The new Swimming Metro South West Area is running a competition to select a logo for the new Area. Submissions have now closed and the procecss of selecting the logo has begun. The area has received a number of submissions for the new logo from members and clubs throughout the area. Swimming Metro South West Member Clubs will be required to vote for one of these logos at the May Area meeting. So to help our club committee to decide which logo to vote for, all First Claim Financial Members of Merrylands A.S.C. are invited to give their opinion to our club’s committee by selecting their top 3 logos from the list of submissions. Preferences should be provided, along with your name, on the appropriate form (available at club races and training) and placed in the club box or sent via email to before 6pm on Monday, 28th April, 2008. Preferences should be provided as follows: 3 points for the first preference 2 points for the second preference 1 point for the third preference The club will then use this feedback in deciding on which logo to vote for. The logo submissions can be downloaded here. See Also The End of Cumberland Swimming Metro South West Logo Submissions
How do you rank? 13 April 2008 Peter-Johnston Latest News How did your performances at club during the summer season compare to those of other swimmers? Are you in the Top 10? Did you swim consistently through out the season or did you gradually improve? The 2007/2008 Season Rankings will give you the answers. Rankings are available for all events in 2 age categories; Open and 12 & Under. See the Club Races Results for the Top 10 and Full Lists. See Also 2007/2008 Season Rankings - Open Top 10 Club Races Results
Cumberland Sprint Meet Results 09 April 2008 Peter-Johnston Latest News The Cumberland Sprint Meet was held in brilliant conditions at Merrylands Swimming Centre on March 29th. Merrylands' team of 16 swimmers took home 10 medals from the 56 events contested with 10 personal best times swum. Anthony Ventra won three Gold Medals at the meet, taking out the 14yrs 50m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke and 50m Butterfly. Amber Johnson won 4 medals in the 15yrs & Over events, taking home the Bronze medals in the 50m Breaststroke and 50m Butterfly and the Silver in the 50m Freestyle and 50m Backstroke. Peter Johnston won the Gold medal in the 15yrs & Over 50m Breaststroke while Chantel Teakle-Jones won Gold in the 11yrs 50m Breaststroke and Ryan Bartolo took home Bronze in the 11yrs 50m Butterfly. Tanya Cleland, Belinda Sloane, Chantel, Taysha Wilson and Logan Woodcock all swam new personal best times. As the host club, thank you to all our members who helped run the meet - whether it was running cards, collecting entry fees, officiating or helping setup and pack up - you all did a great job. Congratulations to all our swimmers on their results. Club results are now available, the full results will be posted once they are available. Medal Tally Gold 5 Silver 2 Bronze 3 See Also Cumberland Sprint Meet - Results
State Masters Results 07 April 2008 Peter-Johnston Latest News The NSW Masters State Championships were held at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on the weekend. Merrylands was represented by Peter Johnston swimming in the 50m, 100m & 200m Breaststroke and 50m Freestyle. Peter won 4 medals in the 25-29yrs age group finishing with silver in the 50m and 200m Breaststroke and Bronze in the 100m Breastroke and 50m Freestyle. Overall the club finished in 35th place with 34 points. Medal Tally Gold 0 Silver 2 Bronze 2 See Also NSW State Masters Championships - Results
Winter Season Hits the Water 05 April 2008 Peter-Johnston Latest News Our club's Winter Season hit the water this morning with approximately 20 swimmers taking the plunge in the steamy conditions at Merrylands Swimming Centre. The highlight of the morning was the hotly contested Freestyle Knockout Skins, with Anthony Ventra, Erin Cooper and Chantel Teakle-Jones winning their respective heats in this new event. Next week's special event is the 200m Mystery Medley. The Winter Season Program is available for download from the Club Races page. See Also Club Races Get Ready for the Winter Season