News Archive - November 2009

25 November 2009

EP Swimmers records fast times

Grey High School's top swimmer, 16 year old Chris van de Sande, led the way this weekend to win the 5km open water swim at the second round of the Eastern Cape Swim Series, recording a fast time of just over 1hr and 1min which should put him in the top 10 in the country this year.

16 November 2009

Cameron and Darian set world records at the final leg of the FINA/Arena Swimming World Cup in Berlin.

Cameron van der Burgh recorded his second breaststroke world record within 24 hours, and together with a world best from Darian Townsend and a meet record from Roland Schoeman, led the SA swim charge for glory in the final session of the FINA/Arena Swimming World Cup in Berlin, Germany today.

Fresh from having bettered his 50 metres breaststroke world mark to 25.25 secs the previous evening, Van der Burgh clocked 55.61 in the 100 metres breaststroke to dip under his world record of 55.99 set at the Telkom SA Short Course Championships held in Pietermaritzburg in August this year. Neil Versfeld took the bronze medal in 57.06.

Townsend continued his impressive form in the FINA/Arena Swimming World Cup short course series, by setting a world record time of 1:51.55 in the 200 metres individual medley – faster than the previous world best of 1:51.56 held by American Ryan Lochte. Townsend’s triumph resulted in American swim sensation Michael Phelps having to settle for the silver medal (1:53.70) with Durban-based Chad le Clos ending third in 1:54.28.

Both Van der Burgh and Townsend will each receive US$ 10 000 from world aquatics body FINA for their world record achievements.

Schoeman, the world record-holder in the 50 metres freestyle set at the Telkom SA Short Course Championships earlier this year, showed fine form in the short sprint, clocking a meet record time of 20.57.

Gerhard Zandberg’s win in the 50 metres backstroke in an African record time of 22.85 was another special moment for the SA swim camp, as he held off a strong challenge from American world record-holder Peter Marshall, who ended second in 22.86.

In the 200 metres freestyle final, Townsend ended third in an African record time of 1:40.89, while Mandy Loots (silver in the 200 metres butterfly) and Chanelle van Wyk (bronze in the 100 metres backstroke in 56.56) also posted African records.

Russian Arkady Vyatchanin bettered George du Rand’s world record in the 200 metres backstroke, finishing in 1:46.11. Du Rand, whose world best had stood at 1:47.08, finished second in 1:48.05.

Garth Tune finished seventh in the 100 metres butterfly in 50.62 while Kathryn Meaklim ended ninth in the 400 metres individual medley in 4:39.21.

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02 November 2009

CHANGE TO EPA PROGRAMME E.P. CHAMPIONSHIPS AND 3RD ‘A’ LEAGUE GALA

Due to unforeseen circumstances way beyond the control of the EPA Executive Committee, we have to advise that the completion of the Newton Park Swimming Pool has been somewhat delayed and the Executive Committee have had to revisit the Programme.

Please note the following changes that have been made:

E.P. CHAMPIONSHIPS:
These Championships will be held at the Uitenhage Swimming Pool on Saturday 5th December 2009 and Sunday 6th December 2009.

The programme will be exactly as last season. Day 1 & Day 2.

We will not be swimming the 800m and 1500m events. Times for these events will be taken off the data base for the End of Season awards.

Download Day 1 and 2 programme here.

3rd ‘A’ LEAGUE GALA:
Will be held on Saturday 12th December 2009 at the Uitenhage Swimming Pool.

We will swim the 3rd ‘A’ League programme as advertised in the EPA Handbook, but on the Saturday only. Events 101 – 209. We will have an hours break after event 109.

Please note that the Uitenhage Pool will only be opened 1 hour prior to the start of the gala.

Should there be any further changes the Clubs will be notified timeously.

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