Swimming

The season began with a close contest in the Easter Term against Leeds Grammar Schol. We lost despite a good effort particularly by the Juniors. The Summer Term started badly at Durham where good opposition and lack of confidence overcame the team. However, confidence was inspired by two easy wins over Stonyhurst and Worksop College.

As was expected we were outclassed in the quadrangular match against Bolton, Bootham and Barnard Castle. Nigel Denison is to be congratulated, however, on breaking the School record for the U.15 50 yards Butterfly on this occasion with a time of 29.1 secs.

We then had a rather unlucky match against Ampleforth when absentees enabled them to beat us by a narrow margin.

This year's trip to the Public Schools in London was more notable for the performance and promise of our younger swimmers, namely Nigel Denison and Kevin Clarkson, than for the results of the team as a whole, which were very mediocre.

Throughout this lean season there has been an underlying streak of ability which has not flourished; we must hope that next year will see a realisation of this strength and result in the deserved rewards.

P.G.

INTER-HOUSE SWIMMING COMPETITION

This year's competition was very closely contested by The Manor and Queen's throughout the 27 events. After 8 events Queen's were in front 27 points to 23, but by event No. 16 the scores were dead level with 50 points each. Manor went well out in front with 80 points to the 68 points of Queen's, as we started the final team events. The battle was eventually decided by the Senior Relay results, which help tell the story.

Event No. 24 Dronfield Manor Queen's School House Senior 4 x 25 58.5 552 55 . 2* 58. 3 Medley Relay 4th 2nd 1st 3rd *New School Record Event No. 27 Dronfield Manor Queen's Rise Senior 4 x 25 54.0 49.6 49.5 52.8 Freestyle Team 4th 2nd 1st 3rd

Although Manor's juniors were very strong, Queen's, aided by their own strong intermediate section, were eventual winners with 108 points to Manor's 104. School House were well back in third place with 53+ points.

J. N. Denison (Queen's) was the only individual to set a new mark with 29.9 in the Intermediate Butterfly, though the Manor House Junior Relay squad set formidable new targets in the Junior team events. Their new Freestyle record of 532 seconds was easily 8 yards faster than any other team has previously swum.

P. Green, Captain of the School Swimming Team and Captain of Queen's, had a right to be pleased with his own performance in steering his team to victory. He gained three individual wins and "anchored" both of the Senior Relays to creditable first places.