Sunday 25th December - CHRISTMAS DAY

There was a brilliant turn out for the annual Christmas Day Race.  The water was 37^oF.  It was a colder day that Saturday, and people felt the cold more.  Kevin Murphy won, John Reid was second, and Anna Hillyer took the thrid place.

Saturday 24th December

The water was a rather pleasant 40^oF, accompanied by a mild air temperature made the swim a real pleasure.  This was the final race in the Winter Series, and Alan Nash took the prize having acumulated the greatest number of points over the past couple of months.  The prizes were donated and presented by Bob Kelly, who brought all three sons with him, they are in the final photo from left: Bob, Duff, Sean and Jesse. 

There was more worrying standards of dress for the swimming, most noteworthy were more examples of 'Double-Hatting' and Saundra who was wearing THREE swimming costumes!

We all celebrated Geoff Ranson's 60^th Birthday, with a poorly sung "Happy Birthday".

Sunday 18th December

This was a very cold morning!  The water was 36^oF, but the air was 27^oF.  The water in the fountain had frozen, the faecal deliveries of the birds and geese had frozen, and there was some ice on the edge of the lake.  Lots of the swimmers enjoyed their swims despite the nippy conditions!

Saturday 17th December

Robin's neighbour Dan came down to the Serps with his daughter, who needed an elevated position on her fathers shoulders to see the racing.  It was great to see George DuToit, Jesse Kelly and Jen Richardson back at the Serps after too long away.  The water was 37^oF and the air a nippy 32^oF with a biting wind.  Photos below courtesy of Robin.

Saturday 10th December - Evening

The Serpentine Swimming Club's Christmas Party was held in the Lido building.  A fine spread was arranged by the organisers.  Highlights were a sketch by the girls, Laura and Bill playing a duet, Lorraine singing, Bill playing the bycycle pump, Chris's composition, The Serpentine Song lead by Tony and accompanied by Bill, much dancing and a raffle.  A fabulous evening, and a big THANK YOU to all that organised it.

Saturday 10th December - Morning

Arriving at the Serps at 7:30am, the swimmers were rewarded with the most beautiful sunrise, which created a stunning view across the lake.  The races went ahead as usual, in water of 37^oF.  Saundra was spotted wearing a very strange new costume.  The races were well contested.

Saturday 3rd December

A lot of swimmers were swimming slowly to aid their Christmas Day handicap.  Sadly Andy Deeley felt the pressure to impress the crowd and easily won his heat.  A pleasing 'I told you so' was delivered to Saundra who clearly wore two hats, and was happy to show people this before the race, and then missed her mark as she couldn't hear the Hanicapper through both thick hats; hahahaha!!  Andrew and Sally Kelly brought along two mates to swim, one of whom only got up to the navel wet!  The water was 39^oF.

Saturday 26th November

The water was 37^oF, but thankfully the air was a little warmer.  You will all be pleased to see that Cat has done wonders to her dive; evidence is below.  There are starting to be an alarming number of members being caught out for 'Double Hatting', which is when the swimmer wears two or more swimming hats, rather than the traditional one.  Ron Whittam willingly put his hands up this this morning, and it was caught on camera; see first photo below.

Saturday 19th November

After a week of very cold weather, the Serps had dropped to 42^oF!!!  There was steam rising from the water, due to the freezing air temperatuures. 

Below you will find photos of:  Early morning Serps and resident wildlife, a cold Ian with new beanie, Ian walking during his race, Ashwin popping along for a swim and to present prizes for the Daily Telegraph Cup, Cat giving her dive a miss and opting for the stylish jump instead, Duff with steam rising off him, Dan's mates who popped down for a cold dip, Pippa winning her race, Dan's mates alive at end and finally a gaggle of Channel Swimmers that came for a swim (Vefore swim L to R: Will, Sally, Frank, Jane, Kevin, Katie, Annette).

A GREAT DAY AT THE SERPS.

Saturday 12th November

On the walk to the Serpentine Lake the swimmers were presented with perfectly flat water in which to swim; there was no wind and a not too nippy air temperature.  The water was a pleasant 50^oF.

In the photos below you will see Cat's 'kneeling' dive, Ron's celebrations, Gretal begging and finally Tony trying to dunk Alice when he thought no one was looking, followed by shows of remorse for his actions when he escorts her to dry land!

After the races a group from a stag weekend came for a dip in the Serps.  Their before and after photos are below.

Saturday 5th November

When Alan Titmuss finally arrived at the Serps, the second week of racing in the Winter Series began in 52^oF water.

Sunday 30th October

Swimmers enjoyed a lovely morning at the Serps.  Neil and Lydia brought along doughnuts and sweets and their dog Gretal.  Gretal struggled with the liquorice!

Saturday 29th October

Neil Price wins, and Saundra parctices her "Power Dive"!!

Monday 24th October

The elite team of swimmers from the Sperpentine went to swim against the South London Swimming club in their annual competition in Clapham.  This year the Serps won; well done.

Saturday 22nd October

The Louis Schneider Cup was won by Haydon, with Yoko coming second.  Andy Deeley was showing off his stitches from Pippa's vicious attack with a squash racket.

Saturday 15th October

There were three races which all count towards the Daily Telgraph Cup.  There was a couple filming for UKTV Sport, and some members were pursuaded to be interviewed; Gordon Brodie was particularily inspirational!  The water was a balmy 58^oF.

Saturday 8th October

The Cyril and Yvonne Wood Cup was won by Wayne Ashpole.

Saturday 1st October

This was the first time that the "Two Ronnies Cup" was competed for.  Norman Jones established this cup recently to remember Ron Hamil who was the namesake of the Ron Hamil Cup that is usually raced for this time of year, and Ron Miller who recently passed away.  They were both great characters and supporters of the Serps.  Coincidentally they both worked as lifeguards at one time at Imperial College.  A further link between these two great men, occured one morning at the Serps when Ron Hamil had a heart attack and had stopped breathing, and thankfully Ron Miller was nearby and jumped into action and managed to bring him back to life using his life guarding skills; Ron Hamil enjoyed a number of further years as a Serps member after this.

Mike Olizar won the cup. Happy Birthday was sung for Mark Faure-Walker (30) and Ron Whittham (74).

Saturday 24th September

The Sidney Stovold Cup was 220 yards, and in 60^oF water and easily won by Edaward Leigh.  The prizes were presented by Mike and Sally Oliazr.  We quite enjoyed watching Peter Saunders feeding his almost tame swans.  One of them has discovered a predeliction for cheese, which is hand fed by Peter, see photos below.

Tuesday 13th September

Robin took Laura, Leslie, Mark F-W and Mark Fabik on his boat for th day in torrential rain and wind force 5!

Saturday 10th September

The All Clothes Race was won by Albert

Sunday 4th September

Jane Murphy finished her Channel relay.  Well done Jane.

Saturday 3rd September

8 Serps members went over to France (on the Ferry) to look at the beaches where we'd landed on Channel swims,  Present were: Nick Adams, Pippa Durrant, Anna Hillyer, Janie Saunders, Jess Avery, Andy Deeley, Matt Weisman and Andrew.  A good day was had by all.

Wednesday 31st August

One typical Summer's morning at the Serps.

Monday 29th August

Channel legend, and Serps Swimmer, Kevin Murphy swam the Channel for the 33rd time to equal the the number of crossings by the King of the Channel (Mike Reed).  He will have to do one more crossing to retake the title, as it goes to the swimmer that reaches the highest number of swims first.

Saturday 20th August

The swimmers of the Serps swam to win the Andean Project Relay cup, which involved handicapped teams of four swimmers.  The winning team were the last to leave the board.  Barney Miller had the unenviable task of organising the event, and did a great job.

It is with sadness that I report that Ron Miller died on Friday 19th August, surrounded by his friends and family.  He will be greatly missed by all the swimmers at the Serps.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Monday 8th August

A team of six swimmers from the Serps swam the Channel in 13 hours and 15 mins.  The team was Marcin Marczak, Andy Deeley, Mark Fabik, Mark Faure-Walker, Henry Pettit and Pippa Durrant.

Click here to see the photos

Sunday 7th August

Jeremy Hunter organised the first Lilford Hall Open Water Championships in the River Nene.

RESULTS

Saturday 6th August

The Andrew Fuller Medley was won by Emi.

Saturday 16th July

The Bridge to Bridge race was won by Mark Fabik, who had admirably worked his handicap to swim the 1000 yards, faster than he swam the 800 yards the previous week!

Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th July

Anna Hillyer, Sakura Hingley, Mark Rosenburg and James Scott all swam the English Channel.  Click here to see their photos, then find their album.  Well done to all.

Saturday 9th July

5 Serps swimmers: Evan, George, Pippa, Janie and Nick are racing around the island of Manhattan in New York.

Anna Hillyer, Mark Rosenburg, James Scott and Sakura Hingly are all due to attempt the English Channel at the moment!

Wish them all well

Saturday 25th June

The water was particularly warm, having hit 75^oF!!  There was a lot of green algae on the surface of the water, but thankfully the prevailing wind blew most of it away from the course.  Ron and Ian cleared the rest from around the board and steps.  Sally Kelly won, and in doing so beat her PB by over three minutes!  Lorraine Jones presented the Glendower Cup on behalf of Norman Jones.

Saturday 18th June

Gordon Du Cane won the first mile race of 2005.

Saturday 11th June

This saw the first 880 yard race of the year.  It was a fine day with 64^oF water and 56^oF air, and the race was won by Marcin Marczak, closely followed by Pippa Durrant.  Nick Adams was so unimpressed with his mark of 21 minutes and 15 seconds that he managed to dive in with his goggles on his forehead which needed sorting after a lovely dive!  One pair of Canada Geese had their young with them, and are photoed below.

Saturday 4th June

The Paul Bridgeman Team Race involved all the swimmers competing against other teams in a 4 x 55yard race.  The competition was won by James, Sally, Yoko and Olef.  The event was not without controversay with one team going before their mark and then winning a place in the final with a finger touch, and one very succesfull team replacing two slower swimmers with faster ones for the final!

Below you will see Yvonne grinning when she belived Cyril was in with a chance (he wasn't), Ian Stuttard going in clearly before Nick Adams when given a worse handicap, Tony Cuthbert trying to stop Pippa Durrant from finishing her leg, and the final photo shows Gordon with the dog that we think he had stolen!

Saturday 29th May

Some of the Serps swimmers were training in Dover.  Click here to see photos

Saturday 28th May

Ron Whittan sponsored the race.  Mark Fabik brought his brother Andre along for a swim.

Sunday 21st May

Channel Swimmers Kevin, Anna, Janie, Sakura, Pippa and Nick were all busy in Dover training in the 53^oF water.  They were from 45 minutes to three hours!

Saturday 21st May

There were two races this Saturday.  The first was only open to swimmers over 50; the veterans race, and this was won by Ian Stuttard.  The main 440 yard race was won by Bill Deeley, who had learnt from Tony and showed unnatural improvment to win some silverware!  The water was a balmy 57^oF.

When the swimmers arrived there were dozens of art students posing for a group photo in the Serps.  Some found it a little nippy.  The photos below are ones of them in position!

Thursday 19th May

Members from the Serps travelled up to Kentish Town to the Owl Bookshop to listen to a talk from Lynne Cox about her long open water swims, and hear about her new book, Swimming to Antarctica.  Below Anna Hillyer is posing for a photo with Lynne.  For more information about Lynne go to her website:  www.lynnecox.org

Saturday 14th May

This week the 440 yard race was competition for the Bill Phipps Cup.  Tony Cuthbert showed 'unnatural improvement' and swam a minute and a half faster than the previous 440 yard races this year.  The handicapper Alan Tittmus, was not impressed!

Tony has responded to these allegations of race fixing:
 

Thursday 12th May

Anna Hillyer is due to have her last day at work on Friday.  She was surprised during her early morning swimming, and later wrote an email:

"This morning was another normal day - up at 5.45, off to the Serps and swimming as usual with Janie. We were just coming to the end of a mile and a half and reached the jetty, when I looked up to see Jess and Yudy. Then all of a sudden everyone else I work with suddenly appeared at the lake side!!! They had come to watch me swim and brought loads of bottles of champagne, and LOADS of yummy breakfast food. I stood shivering in my 5 layers of jumpers struggling to keep the champagne in the cup, and could barely eat fast enough to cram all the chocolate muffins and flapjacks in my mouth. We offered everyone else from the club champagne and there were a few takers. (Peter declined - said it was a bit early for him.) Everyone had to get up early, but it is a beautiful day, and where better to have a champagne breakfast than in the middle of a beautiful park in the sunshine!!!! I am so lucky......there will be tears.......

Sadly, my face was numb so I couldn't smile properly"
 

Sunday 9th May

Nick Adams and Anna Hillyer were down in Dover training for their swims.  Nick was particularily miserable after his swim!

Saturday 8th May

The 440 yard scratch race was won by Nick Adams.  Katie Hope (Channel Aspirant) came down for a dip. Maev travelled over to present the prizes for the event.

Saturday 30th April

The 440 yard race was won by Mike Olizar.  Pippa Durrant completed her first ever mile in the Serps.  Neil's hair colour seemed to change dramatically from the previous week.  Anna Hillyer discovered her hands go whiter than Gordon's after a long swim (Anna's are on the right).

Saturday 23rd April

Mark Fabik won the Eric Carter Quarter.  The water temperature was 54^oF.

Saturday 16th April

It was the 220 yard breaststroke race, which was competed for in 50^oF water.  Anna Hillyer stormed home to win the Clary Reed Cup, and prizes donated be the sponsor of the race Alan Lacy.

Saturday 9th April

A water temerature of 49^oF welcomed the swimmers in the two races that were without handicap, and count towards the Club Championship.  The air was a bracing 34^oF.  The faster race was won by George Du Toit in 3 mins 2 secs, and the slower race was won by Robin Hunter-Coddington in 4 mins 25 secs.  The distance was 220 yards.

Saturday 2nd April

The first 220 of the season was one for the Ted & Sgt. Thomas Memorial Cup which Saundra had managed to hide so well at home, that Tony could not bring it in for the winner Pippa Durrant.  Following Pippa was Janie, Marcin and George.  Janie tried to release her prize; a rubber duck, into the wilds of the Serps but failed!

Saturday 26th March

The Bill and Ron Maggs Cup was won by Anna Hillyer.

Sunday 20th March

Robin Hunter-Coddington had organised for the Serpentine Swimming Club to enter the 2005 Butlins Swimathon.  We initially were tasked to swim a total of 5000m, but due to the tropical 50^oF water, it was decided that we'd all swim far more, and therefore we were split into two teams.  It all went rather well.  Ron and Tony supported by swimming and cooking food.  Will was master of ceremonies, and took pride in his job.  Anita found her 200m quite unpleasant after such a long break from the Serps.  Gordon was incapacitated with the cold as usual!

CLICK HERE FOR THE RESULTS

Saturday 19th March

The water had gone up a staggering 10^oF to 48^oF, this was brilliant news and brightened everyone's mood.  It was lovely and warm out and one could have been forgiven for imagining it was a normal day in the Summer.  Many people managed to swim back today with little difficulty.  Nick Adams set a new club record for the 110 yards of 65.09 seconds. 

A great day at the Serps.

Wednesday 16th March

Jeremy Hunter-Coddington, decides to start a Walking Division within the Serpentine Swimming Club.  See the photo below.  The equipment required is rather standard!

Saturday 12th March

The Serps swimmers had to swim 110 yards in very cold water.  The jump from 55 yards to 110 was a large one, and most swimmers felt the cold bite when they passed the halfway mark.  James Scott brought friend Chris to swim, and he did a great job.  Pippa Durrant decided to get a head start on the rest of the field in her race (see photo below), but showed guts and determination at the end by beating Will to grab fourth place.  Yoko won the first race, and Nick Adams the second.

Monday 7th March

During Bill Phipps' absence, Robin got suited up in his own wetsuit and moved the buoys from the 55 yard mark to the 110 yard mark in preparation for the next race.

Saturday 5th March

The water was very cold; 33^oF and was very bracing.  Unfortunately there was no ice so we had to swim the entire distance!  Pippa Durrant missed her mark, and then decided only to swim 5m; shameful.  She did however make up for it on Sunday with a swim in the snow in Dover Harbour.

That evening, Nick Adams, Pippa Durrant, The WaterBabes, The Murphys, James Scott, Mark Rosenburg and a few other Serps members went to the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation Dinner in Dover.  The filthy Dover nightclub (se two bottom photos below) was enjoyed by a few of us, and we all enjoyed the swim in the sea the next day.