Durham University Swimming Club
# Durham University Swimming Club

Durham University Swimming Club (or DUSC) is the swimming club of Durham University. The club is made up of a wide selection of swimmers throughout the university from the various colleges, though is mainly aimed towards swimmers competing for the University. They compete every year in the British Universities and Colleges Sport Championships (or BUCS) in both the Short Course and Long Course championships, both held at the international swimming pool Ponds Forge, Sheffield in November and February respectively.

The club also competes in the BUCS team championships, where the 1st team compete in the Northern Division 1 and the 2nd team in Northern Division 2, having both winning promotion from Northern Division 2 and 3 respectively in the 2012/13 season.

## Club information

DUSC is associated with Team Durham, and receives funding as well as help in other areas from this organisation. DUSC does not have access to a university owned pool, and instead train predominantly at the Durham County Council owned Freeman's Quay, which opened in 2008, as well as weekly sessions at Durham School. They also have access to gym facilities at the Graham Sports Centre at Maiden Castle. DUSC were able to finance the services of part-time coaches; as of the 2014-2015 season, Durham student (2012-2015) Chris Dove (also a coach at local club Derwentside ASC) coaches the university squad several mornings each week. The club's gym sessions are also monitored by employees of Team Durham.

The BUCS championships at Sheffield twice a year are the most significant event of the club's competitive calendar.

The Inter-Collegiate swimming competition, hosted at Durham School on two separate nights (one for Hill colleges, the other for Durham colleges on the Bailey), is also a regular annual event with the winners receiving the Inter-College Cup.

## History

The club traces its origins back to the formation of the university in 1832. Gary Hollywood was the Swimming Club's first professional swimming coach from 2001 to 2005, having coached Caroline Saxby to two Commonwealth Games finals in 2002. Under Gary Hollywood's coaching DUSC had its most successful season finishing in 8th place overall at BUSA National Swimming Championships in 2004.

## Notable alumni

| Name | Notes |
| - | - |
| Caroline Saxby coached by Gary Hollywood from 1998 to 2005 | competed for England at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, where she reached the final in the Women's 800m & 400m Freestyle, coming 6th and 7th respectively |
| Adam Jackson | competed for the Isle of Man in the 50m & 100m Breaststroke at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne |
| Matt Gunby | former U23 European Duathlon Silver Medalist, member of the British Triathlon team |
| Nick Zissler | represented Great Britain in Modern Pentathlon |
| James Benson | three-times British Champion in the 50m,100m & 200m Butterfly |
| Alex Smith | British Champion in the 200m Backstroke |

## Results

### BUCS results

| Season | Championship | Top 12 finishes | Top 12 swimmers |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2008-09 | Short Course '08 | 6 | Louise Griffiths (x3), James Benson (x2), Julie Wardlow |
| 2008-09 | Long Course '09 | 18 | Tom Bill (x3), Louise Griffiths (x3), Julie Wardlow (x3), James Benson (x2), Vikki Frith (x2), Men's Relay (x2), Graham Bruce, Lucie Edmunds, Marc Hansen |
| 2009-10 | Short Course '09 | 8 | James Benson (x2), Vikki Frith (x2), Men's Relay (x2), Tom Bill, Annie Knapman |
| 2009-10 | Long Course '10 | 14 | James Benson (x3), Tom Bill (x3), Graham Bruce (x2), Vikki Frith (x2), Men's Relay (x2), Vicky Bradshaw, Julie Wardlow |
| 2010-11 | Short Course '10 | 11 | Annie Knapman (x3), James Benson (x2), Men's Relay (x2), Vicky Bradshaw, Becky Green, Charlotte Lilley, Emma Schofield |
| 2011-12 | Short Course '11 | 9 | Becky Green, Charlotte Lilley, Emma Schofield, Vicky Bradshaw, Annie Knapman (x3), James Benson (x2) |
| 2012-13 | Short Course '12 | 4 | Vicky Turner (x2), Chris Dove, Jenny Fowler |
| 2012-13 | Long Course '13 | 2 | Vicky Turner, Jenny Fowler |
| 2013-14 | Short Course '13 | 4 | Leah Altoft (x3), Luke Belton |
| 2013-14 | Long Course '14 | 6 | Vicky Turner, Leah Altoft (x3, including 100m Butterfly Bronze Medal), Tom Stuart, Luke Belton |
| 2014-15 | Short Course '14 | 4 | Alastair Bingham, Luke Belton, Leah Altoft (x2) |
| 2014-15 | Long Course '15 | 1 | Leah Altoft |

### Team Championships results

| Season | Team | Division | Northern Division points | Northern Division placing | National Division points | National Division placing |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2008-09 | Durham | 1 | 96 | 6th (Relegated) | DNQ | DNQ |
| 2009-10 | Durham A | 2 | 250 | 2nd (Qualified) | 176 | 4th (1st North - Promoted) |
| 2009-10 | Durham B | 3 | 232 | 5th (Qualified) | 152 | 5th (3rd North - Promoted) |
| 2010-11 | Durham A | Banned | DQ | DQ | DQ | DQ |
| 2010-11 | Durham B | Banned | DQ | DQ | DQ | DQ |
| 2012-13 | Durham A | 2 | 216.5 | 4th (Qualified) | 94 | 6th (1st North - Promoted) |
| 2012-13 | Durham B | 3 | 414 | 2nd (Qualified) | 158 | 4th |
| 2014-15 | Durham A | 2 | 276 | 4th (Qualified) | 121 | 8th (Promoted) |
| 2014-15 | Durham B | 2 | 146 | 10th | DNQ | DNQ |

### Inter-College Championships

Colleges compete annually for the Inter-College Championships, with the winning College receiving the Inter-College Cup.

The inter-college championships has not been continued in recent years.

| Year | Winners | Runners up | Top Bailey college | Top Hill college |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 2010 | Trevelyan | George Stephenson | University | Trevelyan |

## Records

### Men (Short Course)

| Event | Name | Time | College | Date | Location |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 50m Butterfly | James Benson | 26.01 | University | 15/11/09 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Butterfly | James Benson | 56.86 | University | 14/11/09 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Butterfly | Chris Dove | 2.03.88 | Collingwood | 03/11/12 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Backstroke | Tom Bill | 26.99 | Collingwood | 13/03/10 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Backstroke | Andrew Norman | 58.78 | Collingwood | 15/11/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Backstroke | Alastair Bingham | 2.06.68 | St Chad's | 15/11/14 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Breaststroke | Luke Belton | 29.45 | Josephine Butler College | 07/12/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Breaststroke | Luke Belton | 1.04.76 | Josephine Butler College | 08/12/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Breaststroke | Luke Belton | 2.20.32 | Josephine Butler College | 07/12/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Freestyle | Alex Reay | 23.93 | St Cuthbert's Society, Durham | 12/11/16 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Freestyle | Oliver Harris | 52.94 | Collingwood | 13/11/11 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Freestyle | James Benson | 1.55.87 | University | 06/12/09 | University of Nottingham |
| 400m Freestyle | Chris Pratt | 4.23.37 | St Aidan's | 05/12/04 | Wear Valley |
| 800m Freestyle | Adam Lewis | 9.20.20 | Hild Bede | 13/11/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 1500m Freestyle | Adam Lewis | 17.35.90 | Hild Bede | 13/11/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Individual Medley | Tom Bill | 59.48 | Collingwood | 13/03/10 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Individual Medley | Graham Bruce | 2.14.25 | Van Mildert | 15/11/09 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 400m Individual Medley | Alastair Bingham | 4.49.16 | St Chad's | 14/11/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 4x50m Medley Relay | Alastair Bingham, Luke Belton, Alex Reay, Aaron Waterhouse | 1.46.86 | Durham University | 16/11/14 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 4x50m Freestyle Relay | Tom Bill, James Norman, James Benson, Alex Smith | 1.35.13 | Durham University | 13/11/10 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |

### Women (Short Course)

| Event | Name | Time | College | Date | Location |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 50m Butterfly | Leah Altoft | 29.25 | St Aidan's | 15/11/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Butterfly | Leah Altoft | 1.03.35 | St Aidan's | 07/12/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Butterfly | Grace Fletcher | 2.41.19 | John Snow | 08/12/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Backstroke | Vicky Turner | 30.66 | St Chad's | 02/11/12 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Backstroke | Leah Altoft | 1.03.04 | St Aidan's | 08/12/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Backstroke | Leah Altoft | 2.20.73 | St Aidan's | 15/11/14 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Breaststroke | Danielle Gilbert | 33.59 | St Cuthbert's Society, Durham | 12/11/16 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Breaststroke | Leah Altoft | 1.12.95 | St Aidan's | 08/12/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Breaststroke | Danielle Gilbert | 2.34.89 | St Cuthbert's Society, Durham | 12/11/16 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Freestyle | Emily Jones | 26.92 | St Mary's College | 14/11/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Freestyle | Laura Welford | 59.80 | Unknown | 09/10/04 | Groningen, Netherlands |
| 200m Freestyle | Leah Altoft | 02.10.54 | St Aidan's | 24/11/13 | The Edge Leisure Centre, University of Leeds |
| 400m Freestyle | Caroline Saxby | 4.23.04 | George Stephenson | 06/12/03 | Wear Valley |
| 800m Freestyle | Becky Green | 10.09.00 | St Aidan's | 12/11/10 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 1500m Freestyle | Emma Schofield | 19.10.77 | Hild Bede | 12/11/10 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Individual Medley | Annie Knapman | 1.08.97 | St Aidan's | 13/03/10 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Individual Medley | Jenny Fowler | 2.27.41 | Trevelyan | 03/11/12 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 400m Individual Medley | Jenny Fowler | 5.09.87 | Trevelyan | 03/11/12 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 4x50m Medley Relay | Vicky Turner, Leah Altoft, Ruth Ewing, Jenny Fowler | 2.03.43 | Durham University | 16/11/14 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 4x50m Freestyle Relay | Leah Altoft, Megan Hipkiss, Jenny Fowler, Vicky Turner | 1.52.62 | Durham University | 14/11/14 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |

### Men (Long Course)

| Event | Name | Time | College | Date | Location |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 50m Butterfly | Jono Dixon | 26.45 | Collingwood | 25/02/17 | Sunderland Aquatic Centre, Sunderland |
| 100m Butterfly | James Benson | 58.36 | University | 21/02/10 | Sunderland Aquatic Centre, Sunderland |
| 200m Butterfly | James Benson | 2.10.30 | University | 20/02/10 | Sunderland Aquatic Centre, Sunderland |
| 50m Backstroke | Tom Bill | 28.62 | Collingwood | 14/02/09 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Backstroke | Tom Bill | 1.01.73 | Collingwood | 15/02/09 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Backstroke | Alastair Bingham | 2.15.88 | St Chad's | 23/02/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Breaststroke | Luke Belton | 29.96 | Josephine Butler College | 01/03/15 | Sunderland Aquatic Centre, Sunderland |
| 100m Breaststroke | Luke Belton | 1.07.47 | Josephine Butler College | 22/02/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Breaststroke | Luke Belton | 2.32.05 | Josephine Butler College | 22/02/14 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Freestyle | James Norman | 24.91 | St Mary's | 23/02/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Freestyle | Oliver Harris | 53.96 | Collingwood | 12/02/12 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Freestyle | James Benson | 2.00.19 | University | 06/12/09 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 400m Freestyle | Luke Belton | 4.24.48 | Josephine Butler College | 22/02/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 800m Freestyle | James Benson | 9.08.58 | University | 21/02/09 | Sunderland Aquatic Centre, Sunderland |
| 1500m Freestyle | James Benson | 17.13.31 | University | 21/02/09 | Sunderland Aquatic Centre, Sunderland |
| 200m Individual Medley | Luke Belton | 2.15.77 | Josephine Butler College | 28/02/15 | Sunderland Aquatic Centre, Sunderland |
| 400m Individual Medley | Alastair Bingham | 4.59.14 | St Chad's | 07/02/16 | Sunderland Aquatic Centre |
| 4x100m Medley Relay | Tom Bill, Graham Bruce, James Benson, Marc Hansen | 4.04.88 | Durham University | 14/02/09 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 4x100m Freestyle Relay | Tom Bill, Graham Bruce, James Benson, Marc Hansen | 3.38.36 | Durham University | 13/02/09 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |

### Women (Long Course)

| Event | Name | Time | College | Date | Location |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 50m Butterfly | Leah Altoft | 29.05 | St Aidan's | 22/02/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Butterfly | Leah Altoft | 1.03.49 | St Aidan's | 22/02/14 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Butterfly | Jenny Fowler | 2.37.92 | Trevelyan | 24/02/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Backstroke | Vicky Turner | 31.96 | St Chad's | 23/02/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Backstroke | Leah Altoft | 1.07.16 | St Aidan's | 23/02/14 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Backstroke | Caroline Saxby | 2.25.42 | George Stephenson | 21/02/04 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Breaststroke | Vicki Beaney | 34.75 | University | 11/02/06 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Breaststroke | Vicki Beaney | 1.15.69 | University | 12/02/06 | Stechford, Birmingham |
| 200m Breaststroke | Vicki Beaney | 2.41.14 | University | 11/02/06 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 50m Freestyle | Laura Welford | 27.58 | Unknown | 19/02/05 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 100m Freestyle | Laura Welford | 1.00.13 | Unknown | 20/02/05 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Freestyle | Caroline Saxby | 2.07.27 | George Stephenson | 15/02/03 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 400m Freestyle | Caroline Saxby | 4.20.66 | George Stephenson | 15/02/03 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 800m Freestyle | Caroline Saxby | 8.55.00 | George Stephenson | 15/02/03 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 1500m Freestyle | Vicky Bradshaw | 20.57.94 | University | 12/02/10 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 200m Individual Medley | Leah Altoft | 2.26.31 | St Aidan's | 23/02/14 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 400m Individual Medley | Jenny Fowler | 5.26.61 | Trevelyan | 23/02/13 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 4x100m Medley Relay | Laura Welford, Vicki Beaney, Becky Lister, Jo Sherwood | 4.48.93 | Durham University | 19/02/05 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
| 4x100m Freestyle Relay | Amy Williams, Megan Hipkiss, Jenny Fowler, Leah Altoft | 4.10.63 | Durham University | 20/02/15 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield |
