Day 1 of the Scottish National Short Course Open Swimming Championships at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh. The premier short course meet in the UK promises a pre-Christmas spectator treat with many of Scotland’s brightest swimming stars in action.
Known in swimming circles as the “Splash and Dash“, the National Short Course Championships is one of most exciting swimming events in the calendar attracting a wealth of swimming talent from across Europe.
The competition, held in a 25m pool, covers breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly at 50m, 100m and 200m. Freestyle is also included at 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m along with the 100m Individual Medley.
The majority of swimmers named on the Team Scotland Aquatics Squad for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games will be racing at this meet and this is a great opportunity to see them in action.
Among our ones to watch are Craig Benson and Ross Murdoch. The training partners are based at the National Swimming Academy at the University of Stirling and on course to be rivals for silverware when Murdoch defends his Commonwealth Games 200m breastroke title next April. Another Scottish swimmer due in the Royal Commonwealth Pool is Stephen Milne. Milne, from Perth City, is an Olympic silver medallist and World Champion in the 4x200m freestyle.
The competition is expected to be just as fierce in the women’s events. Plenty of eyes will be on Lucy Hope from Edinburgh University who is in great form coming into the meet having broken the Scottish Record for 100m free at last month’s BUCS short course championships.
Another exciting prospect is Keanna MacInnes who won bronze at the World Junior Championships in Indianapolis in August in the 200m butterfly. MacInnes, aged just 16, will be one of the youngest swimmers heading to the Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games and not yet on the Gold Squad is a great example of what can be achieved with talent and application.
Today’s action features three sessions. Morning heats from 9am, afternoon heats from 1.15pm and evening finals from 5.30pm.
Tickets on the day for #ScotNSC17 are available at the venue. Prices for the for morning and afternoon heats are: Adults £5 ~ *Concessions £4 ~ Children £1. Prices for for evening finals are: Adults £6 ~ * Concessions £5 ~ Children £1.
*Concessions apply to over 60s and students (with proof of Matriculation Card on entry).
Car parking: Parking is limited at the venue, information on street parking and nearby car parks can be found on the Edinburgh Council website.