Thursday 10th August 2006

AIDA ** training tonight.

Thursday 3rd August 2006

AIDA ** training tonight.

Thursday 27th July 2006

Welcome tonight to Maria, Tom, Darren, Fergus, Steven and Michael. Well done for

a) Getting to the pool under difficult conditions, and
b) Successfully completing your induction!

Livvy and Mark providing the guiding hands. Also welcome to Matty providing surface support ;-)

Thursday 20th July 2006

Anyone wishing to come along, please post a comment. ( This includes those who haven't been for a while - you don't need to ask, just put up a posting and come along. ) It would be helpful for buddy pairing if you can say what training you expect to do. Mark H will be supervising.

Anyone who hasn't been before, and doesn't have AIDA qualifications is welcome next on 27th July - please mail Mark H beforehand. ( Regulars please note - normal training night is suspended on the 27th to make room for the induction session ).

Unfortunately we are now down to one lane for the foreseeable future, so be prepared for a tight squeeze if doing dynamics. Statics are less of a problem as we can use the 'Scuba side' in the shallow end. If we can make sure when doing dynamics to breathe-up / chat on the long edge of the pool, then this allows turns for those doing them. As always look ahead now and again to avoid collisions.

Post Meeting:
Statics for Liv, Mark, Toby, Gary, Persy and Orchid Dave, plus PB's for Gary and Toby. Lucia, Alex, and Dave L did the sweeping in Lane 1.

Thursday 13th July 2006

Welcome back to Dave L, and congratulations on your static PB!

Joining Dave in the shallows for static were Livvy, Lucia, Persy, Toby, Ben and Mark. Down dynamic lane were James, Gary and Alex.

Thursday 6th July 2006

Welcome tonight to Zoe from Australia, who joined us for some non-apnea surface dynamics. ( The old folk call that 'swimming'. ) Meanwhile Livvy, Lucia, and Mark went static only. Gary, Alex and James all dynamic. Orchid Dave and Toby mixed their disciplines. Dave also scored a PB with the most impressive wetsuit rip I have ever seen. Went clean in half. Good effort!

Oh yes, and it seems the fin-forgetting-fairy visited Toby this week ( you know, Toby who chastised me for forgetting my fins the week before?? ). What goes around.....

Thursday 29th June 2006

A pleasant summer's evening at the baths. Wallowing in the shallows for statics were Lucia, Livvy, Ben and Toby. Dynamic partakers were Persy, Alex, James and Mark.

Well done to Toby for his static PB!

Thursday 22nd June 2006

Anyone wishing to come along, please post a comment. ( This includes those who haven't been for a while - you don't need to ask, just put up a posting and come along. ) It would be helpful for buddy pairing if you can say what training you expect to do. Lucia will be supervising. Anyone who hasn't been before, and doesn't have AIDA qualifications is welcome next on 27th July - please mail Mark H beforehand.

Unfortunately we are now down to one lane for the foreseeable future, so be prepared for a tight squeeze if doing dynamics. Statics are less of a problem as we can use the 'Scuba side' in the shallow end. If we can make sure when doing dynamics to breathe-up / chat on the long edge of the pool, then this allows turns for those doing them. As always look ahead now and again to avoid collisions.

Last but not least - there is a UK Constant Weight competition running at Chepstow this September - the Saltfree Summer Splash. What are you waiting for - no point in training if you don't have something to train for!

Thursday 15th June 2006

Firstly, welcome back to Orchid Dave - good to see your coaching skills were on form, pulling Ben along to his new peak static performance. ( Or was it the poolside crowd of female fans cheering him on that made the difference? Only Ben knows... ). Well done Ben.

Joining Dave and Ben in the static area, were Lucia and Toby. Meanwhile down Dynamic street, were Alex, Theo and Mark. ( Theo also impressing both the female fans *and* Alex and Mark, with his ability to do training lengths equal to most people's dynamic PB's. )

Thursday 8th June 2006

Lucia, Alex, Benny B and Mark were the four apneateers tonight. Lucia stunned us with her new ice-cool fins. The temperature of the pool lowered noticeably when she dipped the blades in!

Benny B and Mark were statics-only, and Lucia / Alex on dynamics. Plenty of breathing space for, er, not breathing.

Thursday 1st June 2006

We welcomed back our stray cat from Dahab, Fred Stone, here on a flying visit. Fred joined Gary, Jonny, James and Mark for the ups and downs of dynamic training, while Lucia and Toby focused on statics.

Thursday 25th May 2006

Anyone wishing to come along, please post a comment. ( This includes those who haven't been for a while - you don't need to ask, just put up a posting and come along. ) It would be helpful for buddy pairing if you can say what training you expect to do.

Lucia will be supervising. Anyone who hasn't been before, and doesn't have AIDA qualifications is welcome in June ( date TBA ) - please mail Mark H beforehand.

Unfortunately we are now down to one lane for the foreseeable future, so be prepared for a tight squeeze if doing dynamics. Statics are less of a problem as we can use the 'Scuba side' in the shallow end. If we can make sure when doing dynamics to breathe-up / chat on the long edge of the pool, then this allows turns for those doing them. As always look ahead now and again to avoid collisions.

Thursday 18th May 2006

Lucia and Livvy went in for the pure static experience, while Gary, Toby and Mark did the familiar split of statics / dynamics. Toby made a PB with a record breathe-up(!)

Good Luck to Livvy, Ben and Theo who are competing next week onward in the Dahab Trible Depth ( Livvy ) and Nice CIPA Open ( Ben, Theo, Mark ). I'm off to William Hill this lunchtime to put a bet on one of them coming back with a new national record :-)

Thursday 11th May 2006

Quite a few on board tonight, with everyone doing dynamics for at least part of their training. Livvy, Lucia, James, Jodie, Gary, Toby, Irvine, Simon, Ben and Mark making up The Richmond Ten.

Thursday 4th May 2006

Anyone wishing to come along, please post a comment. ( This includes those who haven't been for a while - you don't need to ask, just put up a posting and come along. ) It would be helpful for buddy pairing if you can say what training you expect to do. Mark H will be supervising.

Anyone who hasn't been before, and doesn't have AIDA qualifications is welcome in June ( date TBA ) - please mail Mark H beforehand. Unfortunately we are now down to one lane for the foreseeable future, so be prepared for a tight squeeze if doing dynamics. Statics are less of a problem as we can use the 'Scuba side' in the shallow end.

Thursday 27th April 2006

Firstly, our good wishes go out to one of our occasional visitors, Sam Still. Sam is recovering in hospital after being caught up in the recent terrorist attacks in Dahab. He is doing well and should make a full recovery, I understand.

Tonight, the fanatastic five were Livvy, Lucia, Irvine, Gary and Mark. Not only a pleasant evening's training, but PBs for Liv in DNF, and Irvine in dynamic ( with his snazzy Russian Monofin ).

Thursday 20th April 2006

Attendees tonight - Lucia, Livvy, Toby, James, Gary, Jonny, Irvine, Ben and Mark. L&L dynamics only, B&M exclusively static - everyone else mixing their drinks.

How did everyone manage to simultanously get colds / flu over Easter?

Keep taking the vapours.

Thursday 13th April 2006

Just the diehards tonight - Lucia, Irvine, Simon and Mark - all very, very dynamic.

Thursday 6th April 2006

Welcome to our newcomers tonight - Suzanna, Mike and Andreas. Congratulations to Gavin and Simon, for completing the pool modules of their AIDA ** course. Congratulations also go to everyone else - Lucia, Livvy, Irvine, Ben, Gary, Toby, Matt, Steve and Mark - for coping with the cramped conditions.

If I have missed anyone off the list, please accept my apologies - with 14 of us, only half of whom are regulars, it isn't always easy keeping track!

Thursday 30th March 2006

Apneists tonight were Alison, David, Livvy, Lucia, Simon, James, Gary, Ben and Mark. No takers for static! Mainly dynamic with a bit of rescue scenarios thrown in.

Congratulations to Alison and David, who have now completed the pool modules of their AIDA */** course.

And a big apology to the lifeguard who went into VT after my over-realistic simulated BO.