Last weekend saw the return of the National Inter-County Team Competition for the first time since 2019.
Every swimming county-level administration in England and geographical regions in Scotland and Wales put forward a team of swimmers from clubs under their jurisdiction to compete for points to decide the national county champions. Fancy-dress, face paints, drums, airhorns and vuvuzelas were everywhere as the event is as much a party as a competition, a chance for a more-fun orientated competition without the pressures of swimming for medals.
Boys and girls compete in three age groups, 12/13, 14/15 and 16/17 years, who swim 100m individual races, medley teams and a 6 x 50m mixed gender/age group freestyle team.
Each county nominates one swimmer for each individual event and one team for each team event per gender and per age group. The 37 counties are split into two leagues, with 20 in division one and 17 in division two with promotion/relegation for four counties each year.
Two heats of each event are held to accommodate up to 20 swimmers with 20 points awarded to the winner, 19 for second place, 18 for third place…..down to 1 point for 20th.
Northumberland and Durham Swimming Association made their selection of 25 swimmers and included, on the team coach to Ponds Forge in Sheffield, were Filip Wilczynski and Emma Price of Sedgefield 75 swimming club. ‘N&D’ have traditionally fared well in this competition in the past and held a place in division one.
Filip was chosen to swim the individual 12/13 boys 100m backstroke, finishing 10th fastest and scoring 11 points for the team. Emma (14) was then the teams’ 14/15 girls 100m freestyle swimmer, who also secured 11 points with a 10th place.
Filip kicked off the 12/13 boys 4 x 50m medley team swimming backstroke and helped earn 18 points with the team finishing third. Emma then swam the anchor freestyle leg of the 14/15 girls medley team to finish 11th and 10 more points.
Emma was then straight back to the starting blocks for another 50m freestyle as part of the mixed 6 x 50 freestyle team, swimming the third leg and another 10th place finish.
Both swimmers played their part in a tremendous team effort as N&D finished an incredible third in the competition behind winners Kent and runners-up Yorkshire.