The Swim England North West Masters Regional Championships once again proved a great success when swimmers from across the UK and Ireland gathered at Blackpool’s Palatine Leisure Centre on Saturday 19th September.
A highlight of the championships came in the men’s 800m Freestyle, where Dan Mills of Trafford Metro produced an outstanding swim to set a new British Masters Record in the 35–39 years age group.
Mills touched the wall in an impressive 8:26.61, taking nearly two seconds off the previous British record set by Richard Stannard in 2009 – a record which had stood for 17 years.
The championships attracted an excellent entry, with 228 swimmers – 102 women and 126 men – representing 64 clubs. Of those clubs, 41 were from the North West Region, alongside a strong contingent of visiting swimmers.
The Region was delighted to welcome two teams from Ireland, two from Wales and seven clubs from the North East Region, as well as swimmers travelling from across the country. These included competitors from as far afield as Seagulls Swimming Club in Dorset and Medway in the South East.
It was particularly encouraging to welcome swimmers representing Transplant Swimming UK SC and Down Syndrome Swimming Great Britain, adding to the inclusive and welcoming atmosphere of the championships.
There was some excellent racing throughout the day, with swimmers across the age groups producing competitive performances and contributing to another enjoyable celebration of Masters swimming.
The success of an event of this size relies heavily on the people working behind the scenes. On behalf of Swim England North West Region, a huge thank you goes to the team of officials and volunteers who generously gave their time and expertise to ensure the championships ran smoothly.
Their contribution, together with the enthusiasm of the swimmers and clubs who travelled to Blackpool, helped make the 2026 Swim England North West Masters Regional Championships another memorable and successful event.
