BCASC at the National Biathlon Championships, Macclesfield, 2008  Following on from the Regional Qualifying Event earlier this year five of our Swimmers qualified from that event for the National Biathlon Championships which duly took place last Sunday 18th May at Macclesfield. Some of you may remember the Macclesfield Complex as the one our Coach Driver could not find when we went to swim there in the 2006 Speed League, but there was no repeat this Sunday as everyone arrived in good time.  The weather was dry and sunny (most of the time) with a cool breeze and a good quality track to run on. Apart from Charlotte all our competitors ran in the morning and swam after lunch but Charlotte got wet first and went outside in the afternoon (some folks like to be different).  Nice atmosphere on the day with hundreds of athletes (as you would expect for a National Championships) and all our members responded with great performances and many personal bests both on land and in the water.  Let’s start with the youngest Ethan Smallwood who came a fantastic 10th in the EM age group (10 years old at the end of 2008) with a 1000m run in 03.44.30 followed by a 50m swim in 35.24 giving him a point’s total of 2028. Ethan has been training well all year and this high level finish, is a great credit to him, as part of his multi complementary sport approach to life (championed by LTAD) at such a young age (wear that brown tee shirt with pride).  We had two girls in the DL age group (11/12 years old at the end of 2008). Sally Searson continued in her rich vein of form to post an outstanding PB run time for a 1000m of 3.30.86 (backing up her success at the recent Lancashire Track and Field Championships and just about everything else she has competed in during the last twelve months), and then swam a PB of 01.20.46 for 100m giving her a final point’s total of 2236 (which she shared with three other athletes) and joint 20th place. Not far behind was Katie Jepson who produced two PB’s to finish with 2168 points in 30th place. A run time of 03.57.18 (apparently cost her mum a fiver) and a super swim time of 01.08.08 (which was no surprise because it is just the continuation of a good year for her in the Pool) coming on the back of a significant competition schedule the day before in the Manchester Open Gala, is a testament to her levels of fitness and competitive spirit.  Next up was Emily Fletcher in the CL age group (13/14 years old at the end of 2008) who has recently been trying to make the transition from a swimming career to one in athletics (and don’t I know it). Bottom of the age group but determined to make an impact after a very successful Lancashire Track and Field Championships she produced an outstanding PB in the 1000m run of 03.18.41, but was a little off the anticipated time in the swim coming home in 01.09.71, which was still enough to give her 2300 points and a joint 15th finish which she shared with two other competitors (after which her manager resigned).  Finally in AL group (17/18 years old at the end of 2008) Charlotte Edwards emerged into the limelight with our best placed finish of the day 07th overall in only we believe her second attempt at the Biathlon. A morning swim produced the second fastest time in the age group for 200m of 02.15.59, and once inside her borrowed spikes Charlotte produced the ninth best run time for 3000m of 12.10.04 which gave her a final point’s total of 2096. Well done Charlotte we don’t see as much of you these days but as always you are a credit to yourself and our Club.  Paul Fletcher 20th May 2008