North Norfolk Vikings Swimming Club held their Annual Presentation of Awards and AGM on Saturday. (virtually) Club Chairperson Sarah Buchan, reported that the club had returned to training with renewed vigour when restrictions were lifted and the swimmers are hungry to get back to competing as soon as possible. This comes as no surprise because under the auspices of lead coach Sam Watts, proportionally results at competitions have been excellent; namely at the Norfolk County Championship, the Warwick Thompson and the County Development Gala held just before lock down at the beginning of the year. In the masters section, Mark Claxton competed at the World Cold Water Masters Championships in Slovenia where he achieved 2 bronze medals a 4th place and a 6th place respectively..
As the “lock down” restrictions were lifted in the Summer, the club committee took effective action to ensure there was a safe, covid compliant transition and wasted no time in increasing and rejuvenating swimming by launching their SOFA Project (Swimming Opportunities For All) using Beeston Hall School Pool before they returned to the North Walsham and Aylsham pools respectively on their reopening. This proved very popular with more people joining the club either to learn to swim or squad training.
The future looks positive too and shortly they will be staging a Level X Meeting at the Victory Pool in North Walsham facilitated by Swim England. The competition is best described as a virtual endeavour whereby swimmers compete mainly against the clock, as opposed to competitors and the times are recorded nationally. It will take place over three separate sessions as soon as the Victory re opens.