stockport secure speedo success
In the customary electric atmosphere at Ponds Forge, Stockport Metro took a commanding victory in the 2007 Speedo league Cup Final, holding off challenges from Plymouth Leander and last year’s winner Millfield in an exciting final. The northwest club registered 18 wins in the 50 event competition to run out comfortable winners by 24 points.
Much as their regional compatriots City of Liverpool had done in the earlier B final, Stockport set their stall out early, winning 3 of the first 4 events. GB internationals Kerri-Anne Payne and James Goddard, both recently returned form the World Championships in Melbourne, won the opening two medley events, Payne easing comfortably away from the field to win by over 4 seconds, while Goddard set a fast meet best time of 2:01.68 whilst being chased home by Millfield’s Euan Dale. Those performances were enough to earn the Stockport duo the top male and female prizes and gave their team-mates the ideal platform to build on.
But these competitions are not won by individuals alone and Stockport were well served by their whole team. They were particularly impressive in the younger age groups, with Ambah Simpson and Luke Wolstonecroft to the fore. The team also exhibited an impressive will to win as they took several wins in blanket finishes.
“We decided to take it seriously this year and we felt we could win it” said Stockport chief coach Sean Kelly, whose charges had taken heart from their win over Liverpool in the North West final “I think once you beat a strong club like Liverpool who’ve got a strong junior programme then you know that you’re in with a chance”
Kelly was quick to credit the coaching staff for the work that led to their success. “Without a doubt credit has to go to our assistant Coach Richard Blackshaw; he’s done an amazing job since he came to Stockport a year ago and really he ran this whole team and I can’t take any of the credit, it’s all down to him.”
Goddard himself was taken aback by the scale of the occasion “I’ve never swum in the Speedo final before and I never realised how big it was and the kids and parents have made it a fantastic atmosphere” he said, noting that that atmosphere had spurred him on in all his swims. That was particularly evident in his celebration after the 100m breaststroke, which he won in a tight race with Mark Strachan from City of Coventry. “I was really pumped to win the breaststroke and to do it in front of my friends and family and the rest of the team was great.”
Meanwhile, Jon Rudd, coach of runners up Plymouth Leander was philosophical about another second placed finish for his team. “We always seem to be the bridesmaids and never the bride at this competition” he said “Coming up here we thought we had a chance and that Millfield would be the main challengers, but the guys from Stockport swam out of their skins. We’ll just have to come back next year with an even better team and really challenge.”
Plymouth was able to boast world open water silver medallists Cassie Patten amongst their team. Ironically, now based at Stockport Patten was able to swim for her home town club. “It was really good, not only for her to come back, but for Stockport to release her because that could have compromised their results, so they were really good sports” said Rudd.