Keri-anne Payne has been named Women’s Open Water Athlete of the Year by European national governing body LEN.
The 23-year old – who trains under Sean Kelly at the British Gas ITC Stockport – has enjoyed her most productive season to date, defending her 10km title at the World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai and becoming the first Brit to qualify for London 2012 in the process.
British Gas ITC Swansea swimmer Tom Allen, who competed at the World Championships in Shanghai last month, won silver with a strong swim in the 5km race in Navia.
As well as the European Juniors Navia is hosting RFEN and regional Championships.
Germany won the 3km event in 32.08.8, Italy were second (32.34.9) and hosts Spain third (32.35.0) - the team’s time equates to that of the third swimmer to finish.
The GB team of Thomas Allen (32:54.2), Thomas Sunter (32:55.3) and Danielle Hall-Jackson (32:56.2) came 6th.
The British Gas GBR Open Water Swimming Team that will take on the best swimmers from the continent at the Open Water European Junior Championships in Spain, has been announced.
The six-strong Team which features, World Championship finalist Thomas Allen and former European Junior Champion Eleanor Faulkner, will take part in the two day event from the 12th August as they compete in the 5km races.
7 May 2011 - Royal Beach, Eilat
A record number of 109 participants from 18 countries attended the LEN Open Water Cup at Royal Beach in Eilat, Israel. Olympic silver medallist Keri-anne Payne stormed to victory in her first 10km race of the season.
Fellow British Gas ITC Stockport swimmer Cassandra Patten finished in 10th place and as the second fastest British swimmer also secured her place on the plane to Shanghai for the World Championships.
Britain’s Cassie Patten finished the women’s 10km race in 17th place after leading the event up to the 8km point. The gold medal went to LInsy Heister from Holland. Italy’s Giorgia Consiglio took the silver and Germany’s Angela Maurer took the bronze.
Patten was Great Britain’s only swimming in the large field.
Balatonfüred
The British Open Water Team, powered by British Gas, entered David Davies, Daniel Fogg and Richard Charlesworth into the 10km race and they were pitted against 2009 World Champion Thomas Lurz.
Olympic silver medallist Davies, who was making his return to Open Water swimming, led for most of the race but found that the final 2km was too much and he fell back into the pack of swimmers. World Championship swimmer Fogg swam a promising race and finished in 11th place (1:54:40.2).
Katy Whitfield stormed to victory in the women’s 10km at the LEN Open Water Cup in the Netherlands and added to the British Team’s success.
Whitfield held an impressive 20m lead at the end of the race and won gold ahead of Sophie Casson, who won silver. Aynsley Heseltine took fourth place.
The Brits finished in fifth place in the Team Pursuit event and were also named top team overall.
31 July 2010 and 1 August 2010 - Hoorn, The Netherlands
Tom Allen and Emma Graham have been crowned European Junior 5km Champions after excelling in Hoorn.
Allen, who has qualified for the European Championships in Budapest, looked strong throughout his race and Emma Graham took the girls’ 5km title with a good swim.
8 May 2010 - Eilat
Britain’s swimmers dominated the 10km event at the LEN Open Water Cup in Israel with World Champion and Olympic medallist Keri-Anne Payne taking gold in the women’s event and team mate Dan Fogg winning the men’s race.
Olympic medallist Cassie Patten also swam into the medals following Payne all the way to the finish for the silver medal at the Royal Beach in Eilat.
8 May 2010 - Royal Beach, Eila,t Israel
Men: Senior - Age group: 1999-1994, 1993 and older
Women: Senior - Age group: 2000-1995, 1994 and older
Distances (M): 2.5 Km (8/05/2010) - 10 Km (8/05/2010)
Distances (W): 2.5 Km (8/05/2010) - 10 Km (8/05/2010)
Britain’s strongest Open Water swimmers are ready to test themselves against the best in Europe at the LEN Open Water Cup as they fight for their place on the squad for the FINA World Championships in July.
