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Dolphin of the Month - July
Alison Leeson
Ali has only been with the Club a short while & competed at the recent State Champs with some impressive performances
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Dolphin of the Month - August
Peta Harvey
Winner of the Pacific Open Water Challenge, Samoa 2015
10km + 5km Swims
3rd Overall (2nd Female) in the 2015 Samoa Swim Series 4km swims (x3)
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Club Captains Report - September 2015
FINA World Masters, Kazan, Russia
Dolphins had 3 representatives: Dot Dickey (85-89), Robyn Gillespie (65-69) and Andrew Gilchrist (50-54).
Dot had an amazing meet with 1st places in all her events- she will get done for excess baggage on the way home. Her most outstanding result was the 800m free where she picked up another world record to add to her 800m freestyle short course record from Hobart. Her other wins were in the 100m, 200m and 400m free and the 200m back. The 400m time was a national record.
Robyn had many great performances as well: despite recent illness she picked up top 10 placings in 200m free (10th), 800m free (7th), 100m breast (10th), 200m breast (8th), and her highlight was a 6th place in the 400m free.
Andrew was probably not at his best, probably exhausted after supporting son Jarrod in the Australian water polo team in the World Champs the previous week, but still clocked very good times that most of us dream about.
Of note, Jan Jeffrey from Malvern Marlins also had an outstanding meet with two world records in the 100 and 200m breast.
Samoa Swim Series
Peta Harvey, Jan Sayers, Ros Mclean, Kim Dewar and Jenny Baillie all ventured off to Samoa for the swim series. Peta’s dedicated training over the past few months paid off as she won the 10km + 5km Open Water Challenge and came 3rd in the aggregate for the 3 x 4km Samoa Swim Series.
However all that training and success was not enough to save her from a post competition bush walking injury: she has fractured her arm- now in plaster for a few weeks after having it painfully reset on her return home. We all wish Peta a speedy recovery before the start of the OWS season.
Mildura Masters
“Northern branch” members Don Wilson and Christine Dumesny were competing along with Frank Hayes. Don looks to be a very useful breaststroker in the 60-64 age group and won all 4 of his events, Christine had 2 firsts, 3 seconds and a third, and Frank had 4 firsts and a second.
Tassie Short Course
Dee Sheffrin ventured down south for this meet prior to heading off overseas- hot off the press results show she won everything she entered: 25/50/100/200 breast, 25 fly, 50 free.
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Kazan, Russia - by Dorothy Dickey
FINA World Masters, Kazan, Russia
After all the problems of obtaining Visas etc. Robyn and I with several other Aussies arrived in Kazan via Melbourne/Dubai/Kazan in one hop. It seemed a very long journey, but on arrival in Kazan we were met by the very jolly Reception Committee and ushered through a “special” aisle for our entry into Russia. This was supposed be a “fast” aisle, but the other queues were much quicker. After going through Immigration, we hopped on the bus which took us immediately to the Village. We were in Building No. 22 on the 5th floor where most of the Aussies were.The village was huge, so huge they had little electric buses taking people from the Admin to the Supermarket, or the entertainment tent or back to your building.The Admin building was at the end of a very long avenue of sculptures, gardens and water fountains. There was a restaurant, a supermarket, medical centre, bank, immigration, travel etc. We were given our ID’s and off we went to our room. Our room had a small kitchen (nothing in it) a sink, a fridge the bathroom was opposite and the bedroom had plenty of cupboard space, 3 (very comfortable) beds a desk and a computer (which didn’t work). Downstairs was reception, a computer room, a table tennis area. To get to the restaurant for breakfast (which was included in the fee) we had to exit the village, walk about 150m, cross the road to the Tennis Centre, enter through another checkpoint, walk up a flight of stairs, get the lift to the 3rd floor go through another checkpoint and into the restaurant. The food was excellent, (the crepes were delicious – made while you wait). They seemed to cater for all nationalities. Getting back into the village, we passed by the security at the restaurant, crossed the road and back into the village and through “check point Charlie” once again. We never went anywhere without our ID. No ID, no entry. To get to the pool, we caught a bus outside which took about 15 minutes. On entry to the pool, the bus was checked by a security guard who scanned underneath the bus with a mirror. Now to get into the pool, we had to pass through yet another security section, NO ID NO ENTRY. Spectators went through another area.
The pool was huge, one 50m pool, another 50 meter pool, and then the diving pool. All under one roof. The grandstand ran right down one side. Now inside they had reception, but trying to find where to go was another thing, even on the last day I was still getting lost. So many corridors and small offices.Marshalling was a pain at first, but we got used to it.
They tried to run the meet as per the Elite swimmers, but soon learnt that the Masters ran their meet differently. There were plenty of efficient officials (I had trouble trying to communicate with one re the Lap Counters, but we soon sorted it out with sign language). There were Records, DQs, DNS and NT which were displayed on the score board immediately with the results. Initially, they had intended to use several pools, one for the men and one for the women, but as the number of entries were down they condensed it to the one pool, so it was the men first then the women on one day and reversed the next. One day they changed the time of our start and fortunately at breakfast someone told us, so we had to race off. Communication, I found, a bit difficult I never heard announcements although I believe there was a noticeboard which I discovered on the last day.
On our days off we went exploring. We had free travel (with our ID) so it was great hopping on an off trains and buses. I was totally exhausted the day before the 400 and in hindsight I should have stayed home, but that would have been boring.
The Presentation of the Medals was unbelievable.Normally at all other World Masters, you just front up and sign and collect the medal, but not this time, the full presentation, the two girls, the first one (they were absolutely gorgeous model like girls) held a tray with the flowers, then the swimmer, then the other with the medal, they then escorted you up the steps to the podium your name was called (how embarrassing), and then you bent over for the medal to be put around your neck. That was great for the young ones, but I had trouble getting up on the podium, and had to ask the presenter to help me down. I did not want to do another “fall off the podium” act. Robyn tried to get a photo, but I think it was too far away... Read more
Dorothy Dickey
3 September, 2015
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Samoa Swim Series by Kim Dewar
On the 1st of August Peta,Jenny & I escaped the cold Melbourne weather & headed for Samoa. On arrival at Apia airport, Jen & I said goodbye to Peta & set off for a resort at Lalomanu beach for 3 nights, let me tell you if you can’t relax in a beach fale type accommodation there is something wrong with you! Whilst we were relaxing, Peta was preparing for & competing in the Pacific Open Water Challenge in the waters near Apia.
On our return to Apia in the north, we were greeted with the news that Peta had blitzed the field in the 10km swim and been pipped for 1st on the finish ramp of the 5km swim. Aggregate results of the 10 & 5km swim saw Peta the overall winner. The 5km swim was a very interesting course that saw the swimmers enter a river from the ocean, swim up to a waterfall and then back out through the river mouth & continue up the coastline.
By now, the rest of the Dolphin pod had arrived; Jan Sayers & Roslyn McLean along with two other Victorian friends, Maree Tuff & Dee Greenwood. The next evening involved a very interesting race briefing and the following day the Swim Series competitors’ parade down the main street of Apia behind the Police Band! Our girls were given the honours of carrying the Australian banner :) The parade ended at an open community centre where the opening ceremony was held along with the presentations for the Pacific Open Water Challenge – Go Peta!
Peta was interviewed by the TV crew and appeared in the News segment that evening as well as in the Newspaper.
Day one of the series saw us travel by bus + ferry to the island of Savai’i and then bus again to the swim start in the Faga lagoon, this was a tough swim due to the currents and chop on the day. Each day you had a choice of a 2km or 4km course. Because of the conditions we could not swim the original planned course. We had a beautiful post swim lunch at the Siufaga resort then back onto the buses again to either; Lava Fields, Blow Holes, or Turtles tours…then our accommodation at the Tanu Beach Fales – superb location & great hospitality! But forget about hot showers, or even a shower head :) We did have a few cocktails that evening at Jane’s Bar in Manase prior to dinner & a cultural show.
Day two started with a visit to a local school where the children were a delight & were ready & waiting to entertain us with their singing & dancinghaka skills. Such powerful voices for such youngsters & the beautiful harmonising that the Polynesians are renowned for. Then off to the start line near the Le Lagoto resort to swim back to Manase, this is the briefing that worried most….the mention of making sure you turned at the right time and close the bouy when coming back through the channel in the reef! eek! …. But alas there was really nothing to worry about :) This was probably the most enjoyable swim course of the series, with the underwater action & channels quite a distraction, you found yourself wanting to stop & duck dive under to explore! After the swim we were off for yet another beautiful lunch (wow the grilled tuna is to die for) before catching the ferry back to the island of Upolu & buses back to our base the ‘Tanoa Tusitala’.
Day three and we had resigned ourselves to the idea that we would be swimming at an alternative course in Apia harbour instead of Sinalei on the south coast of the island due to weather reports the night before. At breakfast it was announced that the Sinalei swim was back on..yay! (I personally was not rapt about the idea of a harbour swim instead) Yet another superb location and a beautiful lunch at the Sinalei resort post swim. The bus trip this day was quite an adventure, I’m not sure how those buses made it over the mountain & back again.
That evening we all attended the prize giving, this included another wonderful dinner & cultural entertainment and after the official proceedings were all done & dusted we had a great time on the dance floor.
Peta Harvey placed 2nd in the females for the Samoa Swim Series 4km and was notably the 3rd swimmer overall.
Then it was time to say our farewells & head back to reality…
Highlights: School visit, Competitors Parade, Sinalei swim course, To Sua Sea Trench, making new swimming friends & the buses, meeting Nick Afoa aka 'Simba'
Low Points: the buses ha ha
The bravest thing Jenny & I did was to swim through an underwater tunnel from one fresh water cave to another, we did not even realise the tunnel existed till someone popped up in the darkness at the back of the cave.
Results -4km swims
Results - 2km swims
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Online registration forms are available here and the flyers are also online, please print out & hand out. Anybody who is keen to assist further with a letterbox drop or similar, please contact David Mason Mob: 0400 585 084 or email
Event: Swim For Life Program
When: Sundays; 8, 15, 22 & 29 November, 2015
Times: 9.00 am to 10.00am
Where: Aquarena Sports and Leisure Centre Outdoor 50m Pool
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Kazan, RUSSIA
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Samoa Swim Series 2015
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