Open Water Success for Oliver Webster

The British Gas ASA Open Water National Age Group and Youth Championships took place at  

 Rother Valley Country Park under a sky of sunshine and showers on Monday 27th July.

 Cleethorpes & Scunthorpe Aquatics swimmer Oliver Webster (12) took his place on the pontoon

 with 36 other qualifying competitors in the 12/14 years event.

 After a shaky start, whilst acclimatising to the cold water and a few thoughts of "why on earth

  am I doing this" Oliver managed to settle into a rhythm which saw a swim of 1,000m around

 Rother Valley lake and a second lap of 500m taking him to a touchboard finish.

 Only one of 2 twelve year old competitors from all over the country, Oliver came a creditable

second in a time of 23:32.82 to George Stannard of St Felix School (23:21.15).