No sooner had North Dorset Turbos’ Swimming Club planned its official club time-trials for late February when Lockdown 3 came along and “knocked that idea out of the water”, NDTSC head coach Rich Brocklehurst this week told The New Blackmore Vale.

“Although we may not get there as soon as we’d all like, we can now at least see light at the end of the tunnel, with the progress of the national vaccination effort,” he said. “We have to be ready for what may feel like a relatively sudden resumption of competition later this year.”

The sport’s governing body, Swim England, now says it can see a return to competitive action “on the horizon” as vaccinations roll out across the country. Rich said that Swim England is also working on a programme of possible events for 2021 as covid-19 restrictions are eased.

“But there’s still no telling exactly when that will be,” he added.
The Turbos will reschedule time trials for a few weeks after swimming restarts, hopefully in early spring, to give swimmers a chance to get back to their own personal peaks in the water. “As with last year’s lockdowns, how long that takes will very much depend on how much dry-side work they’re doing now. Listen up guys!

“Thanks to the installation in December of starting blocks and anti-wave lane ropes at RiversMeet, we’ll be holding our club championships [time trials] there for the first time, rather than Port Regis.”

Like other sports clubs the Turbos are completely dependent on volunteers, including parent helpers, and members’ monthly fees that range from just £24 for pre- Turbo beginners to £44 for the elite Performance Squad who would normally also train at Millfield’s 50-metre Olympic pool twice a month.

“If the lockdowns have taught us one thing, it’s how important sport in general is for children’s well-being, and of course in our sport, swimming,” said Rich.

“Some clubs simply ceased to exist after their operators failed to reopen – so once again we’re very glad to be in such a close partnership with RiversMeet. For the sake of swimming generally, I’d wholeheartedly endorse what Swim England has been saying, which is that third lockdown round, pools must be allowed to reopen the second it’s safe. In the near future we’ll be reaching out to school PE departments and families with an interest in swimming to build up our club, and get as many children as possible into organised sport, and eventually perhaps Dorset county championships and even regional contests.”

Learn more about swimming in North Dorset at northdorsetturbos.co.uk.

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