The Cobar Yabbies migrated to Nelson Bay over the weekend with a contingent of 22 swimmers contesting the National AIF swimming titles.
Joining his old Cobar Yabbies Senior Men’s Swimming Club on the weekend was Trevor Menadue defending the 30 metres handicapped freestyle national title he won last year.
Menadue however didn’t reclaim the trophy but he did hand it over to teammate Bill Fugar.
Fugar won the 30m final with a time of 0.02 seconds off his nominated time and Murray Harland finished in second place in the 50 metres handicapped freestyle swim with 0.09.
Cobar swimmers also featured in the Scratch races with Matt Harland third in the 25-29 years 50m freestyle; Stuart Small was first in the 40-45 years (with an impressive time of 27.09); Ben Plush was third in the 35-39 years event; and Bob Clark placed second in the 70-74 years swim.
Small was also second in the Open Butterfly and Breaststroke and third in Backstroke.
In the relays, the Cobar team of Matt and Murray Harland, Plush, Scott Toomey, Small and Brad Howell finished second in the 6 Man Scratch.
In the Tobruk 4 Man relay, Bob and Stephen Clark, Bill Fugar and George Fowler placed 4th.
The Cobar team of Toomey, Rob Dickerson, Howell and Paul Swainston finished 5th in the Ray Weekes 4 Man 140+ Years relay.
The Yabbies finished 5th in the 10 Man Relay. The Cobar Club was 4th overall in the point score and also 4th in the men’s point score.
Back home in the Cobar pool last Tuesday the best time of the night was turned in by Cameron van Breugel in the 30 metres handicapped freestyle swim.
Van Breugel finished within 0.03 seconds of his nominated time to win from Ben Plush with 0.06 (second) and Matt Harland was third on 0.20.
Murray Harland claimed a win in the 50m event with a time of 0.07 off his nominated time with Jamie Roberts (0.15) second and Andrew Watts (0.16) was fractionally behind in third place.
Scott Toomey won the 100m with a time of 0.25 seconds off his nominated time.
In second place was van Breugel with 0.31 and Doug Rourke finished third with 0.47.
The Esther Williams stroke (one stoke freestyle next stroke backstroke i.e. corkscrewing across the pool) was revived again last week with Murray Harland and Scott Toomey finishing as the winners with a time of 0.88 seconds off their combined nominated time.
John Carswell and Andrew Watts were second on 1.29 and Doug Rourke and Colin ‘Butch’ Eves were third with 1.66.
