Lakelander's Celebrate End of 2018/19 Season
24 Jun 2019
Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club held their annual End of Season Gala last Sunday 23rd June. This event not only marks the end of the club's 10 month season, but is also is an opportunity for all swimmers from Beginners to Seniors to compete side by side with exhibition and fun events followed by annual presentations and the coveted Coach's Cups.
This year the Lakelanders have 17 swimmers qualified for the Irish Age Groups Division 1 in Dublin and Division 2 in Limerick, a staggering 13% of club swimmers. Throughout the End of Season Gala, everyone from beginners to parents were treated to an exhibition of top level athletes competing together for bragging rights and demonstrating the results of all their long hours of training and competing.
Events 1 to 18 ran smoothly, a list of medal winners in each event is posted below. The penultimate event was the much anticipated “Fast Skins” where the fastest 6 girls and the fastest 6 boys swam head to head until the winners are the last standing. Ellie McCartney claimed the winners cash prize after an exciting final with Anna McDade. The fastest boy was Ben Lynch after a nail biting and loud final with Oisin McManus.
The final event of the fun gala was the “Mother of all Relays”, with every swimmer taking part and thus ensuring every swimmer went home with a medal. The modest Ben Lynch led his team to claim the Gold Medals, Oisin McManus’s team the Silver Medals and Ellie McCartney’s team taking the Bronze.
CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL RESULTS FROM THE END OF SEASON RACES
A special reception was held in the Devenish Room with refreshments for all competitors, spectators and volunteers. As this was the Gala to mark the end of the season, the Coaches Cups for special recognition throughout the year were awarded to the following swimmers;
CUP WINNERS
Group A - Ellie Dunlop and Luke Lannon
Group B - Emilie Reihill and Frank Buchanan
Group C - Ellie McCartney and Luke Aiken
Group D - Lewis McCartney
The Coaches Award is a special trophy presented to the swimmer whom the coach wants to recognise as having trained the hardest and set the best example throughout the season. This year’s coaches cup went to Isobel Lannon.
The scores were totalled up and the swimmers in each age group with most points accumulated from the days swimming and were awarded trophies as follows;
Age 8 - Emma Spear
Age 9 - Beth Jones and Luke Lannon
Age 10 - Ellie Dunlop and Michael McGowan
Age 11 - Jamie Lannon and Kate McDade
Age 12 - Anna Cairns and Hayden James
Age 13 - Anna McDade and Frank Buchanan
Age 14 & over - Ellie McCartney and Oisin McManus
The cup for Outstanding Contribution to the Club went to Maebh Dolan, a young club member who spent many hours helping to train beginners throughout the season. Special mention also went to Lauren Tracey and Cora Cassidy who also give their spare time to help the Beginners.
As with every gala hosted by the Lakelanders Swimming Club, the event was marshalled and run by a cohesive team of committee members and volunteer parents ensuring no-one missed their races and the event started and finished without a hitch. As a reminder of why everyone works so hard to make Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club a fun and enjoyable facility for children and young people, this event was the perfect showcase.
In her opening remarks to the assembled members at the reception in the Devenish Room, club Chairperson Sara Lannon paid tribute to the efforts of parent volunteers who not only made Sunday's event possible but who are there throughout the year giving their time generously to help the club provide the outstanding service it does for the local swimmers.
She also applauded club coach Aaron Rickhuss, Saying: 'having joined the club midway through the season Aaron has had a fabulous impact on the training environment and is respect universally by swimmers and parents alike. With 13% of swimmers currently qualified for the National finals in July, Aaron can be proud to know his results speak for themselves'. Sara also gave a special mention to Claire Morris, the clubs Foundation Coach, who volunteers her time to help every younger member starting out with the Lakelanders find their feet..or rather their fins.
Finally Sara paid tribute to the club committee, Frances Rolston Bruce, Aideen Speer, Ed Mooney, Noel Mc Manus, Sinead Lynch and Sharon Morrison, saying 'these are the people who spend many hours of their spare time working in the background to ensure the club works to its best and they truly deserve our credit and our thanks'.
To close the event and the reception Noel Mc Manus, Gala Secretary called all 17 National qualifiers to the front of the room for 3 cheers from the rest of the members and to wish them all the best at Div 2 finals in Limerick and Div 1 Finals in Dublin this coming July...Go Lakelanders!
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