If the Utmost September Sprints swimming event was billed as a gentle return to racing after the summer break, Joel Watterson, Harry Robinson and Libby Curphey clearly had not got the memo. 

Their scintillating early-season times at the NSC resulted in a whole host of Orkney Island Games qualification standards.   

Robinson’s recent relocation to the Isle of Man has reinvigorated his rivalry with Watterson and they started as they meant to go on: Robinson’s first A standard came in winning the 50m backstroke in a speedy 25.80 seconds, while Watterson won the 100m freestyle in a super impressive 49.93.  

Both achieved further qualifying standards in the 50m butterfly - where Watterson clocked 24.61 to Robinson’s 25.03 - and the 50m freestyle where Watterson touched in a scorching 22.87, just ahead of Robinson’s 23.33.  

Both also attained the 100IM ‘A’ standard, Watterson setting a personal best of 57.54 just ahead of Robinson’s 57.9.  Robinson also took the overall 50m breast victory in 30.51, from Jacob Brookes and Bellhouse.  

Watterson and Robinson’s speed had a knock-on effect further down the 50 free field, with the up-and-coming Zack Bellhouse and Dylan Larrosa being pulled along to superb lifetime bests of 24.98 and 25.7 respectively.   

Harry Robinson achieved several qualification times for next year's Orkney Island Games
Harry Robinson achieved several qualification times for next year's Orkney Island Games (-)

Bellhouse also took second spot in the 100m free behind Watterson, with Brookes in third. Larrosa swam a smooth 50m back lifetime best of 31.37 to take second behind Robinson, just ahead of Adam Shuttleworth.  

To round off the male/open senior races, 16-year-old Jacob Craine recorded a new lifetime best in winning the 100m back, while Jacob Brookes won the 100m breaststroke in one minute 12.19 seconds ahead of Craine, who turned in another huge lifetime best.  

Fresh from her English Summer Nationals win, 15-year-old Libby Curphey achieved Island Games ‘B’ standards in both the 50 and 100 backstroke, with a speedy 1:07.29 lifetime best in the100 and a swift 31.12 in the 50.  

Joel Watterson has rekindled his friendly rivalry with team-mate Harry Robinson recently
Joel Watterson has rekindled his friendly rivalry with team-mate Harry Robinson recently (-)

Kaya Reynolds delivered two very creditable early-season performances to take second overall in both races - and Reynolds will also be looking to build on her excellent form of last summer as the season progresses. Douglas’ Aoife Hughes swam well to take two third places.  

Curphey ended the day with a superb five victories. She stormed down the pool in the 50 freestyle, touching in a rapid 29.05 ahead of Zoe Neuwirt and Reynolds, while the same three swimmers filled the 100IM podium places.  

Curphey was also the 50m fly victor from Neuwirt and Ramseian’s Sophie Christian. Christian’s moment of glory came in the 100-freestyle, touching ahead of clubmate Maisie Corlett, with Hannah Smith of Douglas taking third.  

Neuwirt won the 100m butterfly in a superb 1:15.73 ahead of Christian and also took the 50m and 100m breaststroke wins from Christian, with Peel’s Beth Christian in third.  

Chloe Batty and Ellie Johnson were on sparkling form in the 16-and-overs, Batty with three wins and Johnson four.  

Johnson won a fantastic 100m breaststroke in a lifetime best 1.20.8, and also emerged victorious from close battles with Ruby Reynolds in the 100 free and 100IM, while her fourth victory came in the 50 backstroke.  

Batty’s wins came in the short sprints: the 50 breaststroke in a swift 35.46, the 50m free in a speedy 28.35 and the 50m fly ahead of Megan Cowley who in turn won the 100m butterfly in a rapid 1:16.42.  

Jamie Farnan was another triple winner, taking the 14/15 50m breaststroke in a super-quick 33.20 lifetime best and seizing top spot in the Scottish rankings in doing so, with Douglas’s Josh Hollamby second and Tom Clague third.   

Farnan also took the 100m breaststroke win in another impressive PB, ahead of Clague and Jamie Gibson. Farnan’s final win came in the 100m IM, with Hollamby second and Oliver Dowty third.   

Dowty was in brilliant form taking four victories. He set lifetime bests in the 50 free in 27.04, ahead of Hollamby and Farnan as well as the 50 butterfly and the 100m freestyle.  

Dowty also took top spot in the 100m backstroke where Cameron Leslie recorded a big PB in second and the consistent Clague secured third spot.  

Dowty’s final win came in the 50m fly from Hollamby and Jack Marshall. Hollamby was undoubtedly pleased to take his revenge on Dowty in the 50m back and also prevailed in the 50m freestyle where he pulled Dowty and Farnan along to new lifetime bests in a very tight finish.  

 - A report on the age groups competition of the Utmost September Sprints will appear in a future edition. 

VANESSA CHRISTIAN