Moonrakers’ Summer League

 

This league has seven divisions with 26 teams from Wiltshire clubs. We have been swimming in Division 2 but on 13^th September 2008 gained promotion to Division 1; we take part in four rounds of competition, swimming against all the other three clubs at each other’s home pools. The competition is split into four age bands – Under 12, Under 14, Under 16, and Open – and each round consists of 50 races. Swimmers compete individually in breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and freestyle while the relays are medley and freestyle for all age groups, with an individual medley for Open swimmers.

 

Points from four to one are awarded for places and each club’s total on the night is added to its points from other rounds. At the end of the summer the top team is promoted while the bottom team is relegated.

 

 

Moonrakers’ Winter League

 

This is an interesting league in which all clubs in Wiltshire compete against one another over a series of three qualifying rounds to get a place in one of five finals. In the qualifying rounds places on the night are immaterial; it is the time of each swim that is important as points are awarded in descending order of time for each club taking part in the whole competition. In 2007/8 23 teams, representing 18 clubs, took part and so the team with the fastest time in a race would gain 23 points and the slowest team would get one point. It is very important not to get disqualified in a race as you would receive no points and your nearest rival may get 20 or more.

 

The league is divided into two divisions, based on the previous year’s results, and the in the first three rounds we swim against clubs in our own division. The final is based on league position with the top six teams swimming in the ‘A’ final, the next group in a ‘B’ final and so on. All league points are discarded for the final, which is decided by positions on the night.

 

Each round has 39 races, all relays. Relays of front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke are swum in age ranges of under 13, under 15, under 17 and open; a squadron (one swimmer from each age range) swims butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke, while the 39^th race is a front crawl cannon with eight boys and girls from each age range swimming.

 

Bradford is in Division 1 and in 2007/8 we finished in 5^th place.

 

 

 

Southern Junior League

 

The Southern Junior League is for swimmers aged up to 12 years old with three galas taking place on Saturday evenings in April, May and June. The winners of the Southern Junior League progress to a Southern Final, with the winners of this competing in a National Final.

 

There are 49 events, both individual and relay, in each round with 9 year olds swimming one length and 10,11 and 12 year olds two lengths in individual events of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Medley and freestyle relays are four by one length for each age group. The final event is a mixed freestyle cannon with one girl and boy from each age group swimming in ascending order.

 

For the first round teams are drawn for each gala; in the second round participants are selected by the number of points gained in round 1 – 1^st, 4^th, 7^th, 10^th, 13^th, and 16th scorers in gala 1, 2^nd, 5^th, 8^th, 11^th, 14^th, and 17^th in gala 2 and so on. In round 3, gala 1 is a winners’ final with the teams who were 1^st and 2^nd in galas 1, 2 and 3 of round 2; other galas are graded by the number of points a club gained in the galas of round 2.

 

 

Speedo Western Premier League

 

We compete as part of West Wilts Force 5, with clubs from Trowbridge, Warminster, Melksham and Westbury, against clubs from south west England and south Wales. In 2007 Force 5 came 3^rd in the ‘B’ final at Barry, behind Carms and Swindon Dolphins.

 

 

Masters

 

To qualify as a ‘masters’ swimmer you need to be aged over 25, although there are also a number of competitions for younger swimmers who are over 19. However the main objectives are better health, greater fitness and friendship between swimmers.

 

If you wish to compete there are national, district, and some county events, while some individual clubs also hold masters’ competitions. Apart from very large international events there are no qualifying standards and everyone who wants to take part is welcome.

 

We have 14 swimmers in the Bradford team and compete successfully in the Wiltshire County Championships.