Stroud Masters swimmers Lorraine Savagar and Richard Searle saw out 2011 with a wetsuited swim in Cotswold Water Parks Lake 32 on New Years Eve. With an air temperature of 10oC and a water temperature of just 6.5oC (brrrrr), Lorraine and Richard dipped their toes into the chilly water - immediately glancing each other a concerned look as their wetsuits seemed to amplify the coldness of the winter darkened water on their extremities.

Stroud Masters swimmers Lewis Saunders and Richard Searle, along with other swimmers aged 16+, braved the 70C waters of Cheltenham Lido on Christmas morning. The air temperature, although a positively warm 11oC, felt bitterly cold due to the windy conditions. The pair, who earlier in the year took part in a ½ Ironman, must have felt more like men of steel than iron, when, along with 200 other fool hardy souls, they plunged into the icy waters of Cheltenham's famous swimming resort.

Results from Etwall Open Meet Richard Long, Mark Partridge, Lorraine Savagar, Joe Lewis, Elaine Lewis  Swimmer Event Time Position Elaine Lewis 100m IM 1.20.91 3rd 50m Breaststroke 42.24 2nd 50m Backstroke 37.25 2nd 100m Backstroke 1.19.11 1st 50m Freestyle 30.79 2nd Joe Lewis 100m IM 1.12.00 2nd 100m Freestyle 1.

Apologies to several swimmers whose running exploits got sent to me, but were lost in my system. Belatedly, they deserve a wider audience! Lewis Saunders in Toronto Congratulations to all our Members who recently took part in the Stroud Half Marathon last autumn. Those participants that I am aware of are: Gwen Kinsey, Bob Wilson, Mario Macnamara, Debbie Kedge and Simon Offord. All successfully crossed the finishing line. One swimmer, however, travelled a little further afield to compete in the 26.

Four members of Stroud Masters SC travelled north to take part in the British Gas ASA National Masters and Senior Age Group Championships, at Sheffield's Ponds Forge swimming pool. Geoff Twinning, Kerrie Aldridge, Jessica Wooddisse, Mark Partridge With over one thousand entrants this annual event is the largest and most competitive Master's pool based swimming event of the year. The team made a great start to the three day event with both Geoff Twinning and Jessica Wooddisse gaining medals in the 1500m freestyle; Jessica winning gold and Geoff, silver.

A team of six Stroud Masters competed at the annual Gloucester and Somerset Masters Championships held at Horfield Leisure Centre in Bristol. Jessica Wooddisse, Nikki Gaunt, Richard Long, Mark Partridge, Lorraine Savager, Emma Gardner First off the blocks was Loughborough University student Emma Gardner who took gold in the 200 metres breaststroke. She later won the 100 metre event and took away silver in the 200 metres freestyle. Also competing in this event was Lorraine Savagar who swam to second place in a personal best time.

Sean, Jessica, Lorraine and Mark travelled to Dorney Lake near Windsor to compete in the final and series deciding race in this year's VOTWO 3.8km swim series. Mark Partridge, Jessica Wooddisse, Sean Kinsey, Lorraine Savagar The team had taken part in two of the previous series races earlier in the year, the first at Bowsmoor Sailing Club near Lechlade and the second, a sea swim, at Bournemouth beach. Going into the final race Jessica was well placed to win the series prize for first female having won both of her two previous races.

Lorraine, Jessica and Mark travelled to Henley on Thames to take part in a 14km swim down the Thames between the bridges at Henley and Marlow. The event was organised by The Henley Swim and has been run each year for the past eight years by the Club but with only a handful of Henley swimmers taking part. This was the first year it has been opened up to swimmers from other clubs.

A team of 4 Stroud Masters swimmers travelled to Henleaze Lake in Bristol for the annual 2000 metre Gloucester County Open Water Championships where competitors are not permitted to wear wetsuits. Back: Sean Kinsey, Mark Partridge Front: Lorraine Savagar, Jessica Wooddisse Jessica Wooddisse put in an exceptionally strong swim to finish in second place overall and took gold in her age group setting a new age group record by 30 seconds.

Mark travelled to the Rother Valley Country Park just south of Sheffield to compete in the Masters National Open Water Championship. Mark Partridge The 3km non-wetsuit event, swum around a 1km course, attracted 47 male and female competitors on what turned out to be a sunny but slightly windy day. The water temperature was a balmy 18 degrees centigrade with the headwind providing a bit of a challenge and some choppy conditions as swimmers navigated the 400m finishing straight.