The Start

Coach Steve surveyed his squad. What fine examples of sporting success they were. Together they would reach new heights, they would dream the undreamable, swim the unswimmable, beat the...

"I'm sooooo hungry" whined La Santa newbie Lam after his first over distance critical speed main stroke repeat set. Following a strict diet of Phelpsian proportions, he'd been looking forward to his 3 fried egg sandwich with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, fried onions and mayonnaise for the whole 20 minutes he'd spent in the water.

Meanwhile, Andy and Katherine sat exchanging sun tanning tips in the shade. They were only on their third application of industrial strength white emulsion and were showing no signs of getting in.

There was also a curiously long queue for the toilet.

This was too much. Had they not seen the Olympics? Did they not want to BE Becky Adlington (albeit maybe without the nose)? Microcycle La Santa had been months in the making. Getting the balance of A1-A2 double ups, IM swim cross-overs and HVO spikes into a tightly packed programme had not been easy, yet first session in and already enthusiasm was waning. Where was the dedication? Where was the hunger?

Where was the passion? More to the point, where were all the swimmers?

After all, Nicole had assured him that they had had THE TALK.

There was only 1 thing for it. 1 session that would separate Otter wheat from Otter chaff. That's right, for the first time in Otter

history they would face...

... the OLYMPIC SET.

Otters waited anxiously on deck. Numbers were depleted. Whether this was down to methane poisoning in the boys' flat or severe exhaustion from the Stretch and Relax class was unclear. What was clear though was that Coach Steve was in no mood for messing.

The Challenge: 5km of events last attempted and wisely ruled out as 'perhaps not your forte' in 1988.

The line up:

 Taking it out in lane 1 and gallantly overcoming her buoyancy problem was occasional Otter Lesley closely followed by Roger 'the black line is my friend' Philips with guest stars Derek and Catherine.
 

An asthmatic wheeze whistled round the walls of the aquatic centre. It seemed to be coming from lane 2 where Katherine was practising her butterfly. She was 3 lengths in to the 200 and still hadn't broken her stroke. Her stroke had, however, unfortunately broken her.

Close behind her, lane 2 stalwarts Cate and Lauren were churning out the laps.  Lauren was doing surprisingly well with stroke that was last taught competitively in 1985.

 
Over in lane 3, Michelle 'the machine' Senecal was putting the boys through their paces. For the lane 3 legends perhaps the Olympics weren’t such a distant dream after all.


The Turn

Of course no La Santa trip would be complete without a bit of friendly Otter rivalry and this year was no exception with the Pufferfish Stingray challenge making a welcome return. With chief strategist Peaches engaged on more pressing affairs it fell to team captains

Williams and Goodall to take up the gauntlet. After more horse-trading than a $700 billion bail-out package, the team list was settled. Aces in place, a few jokers in the pack, let battle commence!

Meanwhile, in the aquathon, some old Otter rivalries were being played out. One event down and the Otters were leading the pack (a notable achievement given the standard of the field (quite a few breaststrokers and a small child)). VDK was leading Tim by a nose in the men's event and Lauren was edging out Deirdre in the women's.

It all rested on the run. The crowd held their breath. Who would have the edge? A lone be-Speedoed figure rounded the corner. But wait, he's not an Otter! Finally Otter markings are spotted. It's Deirdre who's had an excellent run with Lauren not far behind. But what about the boys? Tim was last spotted heading rapidly in the direction of Puerto del Carmen (perhaps the sharking from the previous night hadn't been wholly unsuccessful after all) but for poor VDK the only close encounter he'd been having was with a rather uncompromising curb. Battered and bruised he stumbled over the finishing line before being swiftly dispatched to the nurse's station. Man down!

 
This was very bad news indeed for team VDK, ahem, Pufferfish. Who else could possibly swim all the individual events and relays?

In a magnanimous truce (no doubt greeted with much relief by Prawn  (400 free) and certainly myself - 200 back and 50 breast (to keep those stingrays on their toes, you understand)) it was agreed that the 2008 Stingray Pufferfish challenge would take a rather different form..


..The Plunge


For some this represented a welcome opportunity to follow in the glorious footsteps of GP Manning (Otter plunging colours 1936-38). With an effortless grace not witnessed since the spring board competition earlier in the week, Little Ben launched himself off the block and into the Otter history books with a near perfect performance. With an effortless grace not witnessed since the sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise, Katherine launched herself into the wall with a near perfect docking manoeuvre.


The Finish


It wasn’t all about the swimming.. 

For Andy it was all about the bike;
Lauren, Prawn and the boys body-boarded the breaks;
Deirdre pounded the pavements with some impressive early morning runs;
Euan windsurfed his way round the lagoon;
Michelle developed an even tan;
Roger found his niche in the fit ball;
Cate confounded the physios;
Derek took on allcomers on the karaoke; and

Katie slept.

A big 'thank you' to Lauren for organising another excellent trip and to Steve for all those hours on poolside. Swimmers it's over to you
... next stop Sheffield!