By Hollie Harris
Noosa Masters Swim Club has won a coveted national trophy for the fifth year in succession.
The Vorgee Endurance 1000 trophy is for a rigorous year-long competition that pits individual swimmers against the clock. Around the country in 2017, 158 clubs competed, with Noosa’s 61 swimmers amassing a staggering 22,238 points – over 4,000 ahead of their traditional Tasmanian rival and runner-up. Of the 1,810 swimmers who competed nationally, only 52 scored top points – and seven of them were from Noosa!
To attain the top score of 1005 points, an individual must complete 62 timed swims ranging from twenty-five separate swims of 400 metres to three swims of 60 minutes duration – all against national benchmarks. All strokes are included as well as individual medley.
The Endurance program is a perfect vehicle for personal fitness. All abilities are catered for by a sliding scale of points, allowing every swimmer to contribute to the club’s total. More importantly, everyone aims to maintain or exceed their personal best (PB) in each stroke and at each distance. That goal is a great motivator, as is the delight of sharing achievements with clubmates over coffee afterwards.
Noosa Masters allocates a Tuesday morning session each week to ‘timing’ the Endurance swims, backed up by Saturday sessions and occasional ‘twilight’ gatherings when swims are followed by a celebratory glass of wine and savoury treats.
