Wee Waa Swimming Club earns praise for Saturday’s SKINS event

Wee Waa Swimming Club held eight entertaining freestyle SKINS events at its annual development carnival on Saturday, November 28.

A SKINS event is a series of back-to-back races which operate on a knockout basis, with the three remaining swimmers challenging each other in a final race to determine the winner and the second and third-place getters.

The six swimmers who competed in each SKINS race were chosen based on their 33-metre freestyle times which they swam earlier in the day.

There were three knockout races in each of the eight events, before the final three in each age category sprinted it out for the top prizemoney.

The winners took home $35, second-place earned $20, third-placed earned $15 and fourth, fifth and sixth took home $5 each.

The atmosphere during Saturday’s SKINS races was electric, with the crowd coming to life around the pool to support their clubmates.

Girls’ 8-years-and-under: Second - Ashlyn Saunders (Narrabri Stingrays), first - Sienna Swain (Gunnedah) and third - Armani Todd (Narrabri Stingrays). Girls’ 8-years-and-under: Second - Ashlyn Saunders (Narrabri Stingrays), first - Sienna Swain (Gunnedah) and third - Armani Todd (Narrabri Stingrays).

Boys’ 8-years-and-under: Second - Liam Smith (Gunnedah), first - Josh Spinks (Gunnedah) and third - Angus Irwin (Narrabri Stingrays). Boys’ 8-years-and-under: Second - Liam Smith (Gunnedah), first - Josh Spinks (Gunnedah) and third - Angus Irwin (Narrabri Stingrays).

Boys’ 10-years-and-under: Second - Nate Dewson (Wee Waa), first - Jacob Smith (Gunnedah) and third - Eddie Lowick (Wee Waa). Boys’ 10-years-and-under: Second - Nate Dewson (Wee Waa), first - Jacob Smith (Gunnedah) and third - Eddie Lowick (Wee Waa).

Girls’ 10-years-and-under: Second - Jemima Leslie (Wee Waa), first - Indiana King (Gunnedah) and third - Ruby Irwin (Narrabri Stingrays). Girls’ 10-years-and-under: Second - Jemima Leslie (Wee Waa), first - Indiana King (Gunnedah) and third - Ruby Irwin (Narrabri Stingrays).

Girls’ 12-years-and-under: Second - Sarah Smith (former Wee Waa Swimming Club member), first - Lilly Burford (Wee Waa) and third - Ali Murray (Wee Waa). Girls’ 12-years-and-under: Second - Sarah Smith (former Wee Waa Swimming Club member), first - Lilly Burford (Wee Waa) and third - Ali Murray (Wee Waa).

boys’ 12-years-and-under: Second - Baxter Dalton (Wee Waa), first - Jack Lowick (Wee Waa) and third - Pat Welsh (Wee Waa). boys’ 12-years-and-under: Second - Baxter Dalton (Wee Waa), first - Jack Lowick (Wee Waa) and third - Pat Welsh (Wee Waa).

Boys’ 13-years-and-over: Second - Daniel Smith (Narrabri Stingrays), first - Harry Bennett (Wee Waa) and third - Darcy Gleeson (Wee Waa). Boys’ 13-years-and-over: Second - Daniel Smith (Narrabri Stingrays), first - Harry Bennett (Wee Waa) and third - Darcy Gleeson (Wee Waa).

Girls’ 13-years-and-Over: Second - Emily Deasey (Kootingal-Moonbi), first - Amelia Lush (Gunnedah) and third - Rosie Ross (Wee Waa). Girls’ 13-years-and-Over: Second - Emily Deasey (Kootingal-Moonbi), first - Amelia Lush (Gunnedah) and third - Rosie Ross (Wee Waa).

The SKINS event was introduced into the Wee Waa carnival program last year and was labelled a huge success by club president Anthony Gray for a second year running.

“It’s been a great success,” Gray said.

“All the kids get around the pool and cheer on their clubmates and it creates a great atmosphere.

“Every competitor, there’s six in each race, wins prizemoney which is a great thing.”

Wee Waa Swimming Club received praise from Narrabri Stingrays Swimming Club coach Fiona Connell for the successful SKINS event.

“I love the Wee Waa carnival so much for that reason (the atmosphere and team spirit the SKINS event creates),” Connell said.

“I wish more carnivals had them, it brings a lot of excitement and it encourages swimmers to be strategic.

“The way Wee Waa ran it was just fantastic.”