The 4th, and final round of the Fife Leagues were held at the Michael Woods Centre, Glenrothes on 7 June 2025. Fins had 22 swimmers competing, 18 in the league and 4 in the novice league and both sets of swimmers had another successful day in many respects.

In the league the 18 swimmers contested 35 swims and recorded 26 PBs, giving an improvement rate of 74%, which is good considering the number of competitions the swimmers have attended over the past month.

The swimmers also achieved 11 – 1st, 6 – 2nd, and 7 – 3rd places plus a further 11 swims where the lowest finishing place was 8th.

The swims also produced one new entry to the Fins’ all-time top 50 rankings plus a further three improvements in the rankings. Lilian Blair, 13/14 years female, Millie Whytock, 8 to 12 years, female, and Eva Watson, 13/14 years female, were the three swimmers to make a difference to the rankings.

Lilian won both the 100m breaststroke and 100m butterfly, improving her position in the rankings from 30th to 20th, and from 23rd to 20th, respectively. Both were achieved by modest PBs. In her 100m butterfly Lilian recorded a time of 1 minute 10.21seconds with a 1.12 second PB but, depending on what other competitions were held during the weekend this could enhance her number 1, position in the Scottish 13 years rankings.

Lilian’s 100m breaststroke time of 1 minute 22.65 seconds with a 1.04 second PB could move her from 7th to 5th in the Scottish rankings.

Millie was another double winner and that was in the 200m backstroke and 100m breaststroke. In the 200m Backstroke Millie’s time of 2 minutes 39.87 seconds and a 4.73 second PB means that she enters the Fins’ rankings in 46th place. This in turn mean we lose one of our current squad members, Jennifer Gordon, who set her time at the Fife League in March 2024. The time now required for entry is 2 minutes 41.35 seconds.

In terms of the Scottish 12years rankings this could move Millie from 6th to 2nd, just 0.87 seconds behind Grace Taylor of Alford Otters. Although Millie achieved a 4.36 second PB in her 100m Breaststroke she is still around 8 seconds away from the Fins’ top 50, and in terms of the Scottish rankings she does not currently appear in the top 25 but her time would move her into the Rankings.

Ethan Pate, !3/14 years male, was also a double winner in his 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly. Ethan had two marginal PBs but is gradually improving. He has moved to within 3.65 seconds of entering the Fins’ top 50 in his 100m butterfly, and 3.55 seconds in his 100m freestyle.

The final double winner was Elliot Blair, 8 to 12 years male, who also won his 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly. At 11 years old he is not expected to be close to the Fins’ top 50 but did record a useful 4.45 second PB in his 100m butterfly.

Eva Watson, 13/14 years female, won the 200m freestyle, and was 2nd in the 200m breaststroke. Eva’s 200m freestyle time of 2 minutes 31.75 seconds was a 1.80 second PB and this moved her up the Fins’ rankings from 46th to 36th. Although she recorded a 3.29 second PB in her 200m breaststroke she still has quite a bit of improvement to do to make the Fins’ rankings.

Another swimmer with a 1st and 2nd place finish was Jack Campbell, 13/14 years male, who won his 200m butterfly and was 2nd in his 100m backstroke. Jack’s top PB was a 4.05 improvement in his 100m backstroke. Jack also had a bonus by gaining a 0.15 second PB in the first leg of the mixed4x50m freestyle relay.

The remaining swimmer to achieve a win was Cole Gray, 13/14 years male, who won his 200m backstroke, and was 3rd in his 200m individual medley.

Kimberley McCabe, 15/O years female, was 2nd in her 200m breaststroke and 3rd in her 100m backstroke.

Caleb Gray, 13/14 years male, was 2nd in the 200m freestyle and 4th in the 100m butterfly. Another swimming who continues to improve gradually with two marginal PBs.

Irys Blair, 15/O years female, was 2nd in her 50m backstroke, and 5th in the 100m freestyle.

Also, with a 2nd and 5th was Bryony Smart, 8 to 12 years female, who was 2nd in the 100m backstroke and 5th in the 50m breaststroke. Bryony recorded Fins’ 2nd largest PB of 7.49 seconds in her 100m backstroke, and she also had a 4.34 second PB in her 50m breaststroke.

Antonia Adie, 8 to 12 years female, was 3rd in the 100m freestyle and 4th in the 50m freestyle. Antonia’s 100m freestyle was a first time swim, so a new PB, and she recorded the third largest PB in her 50m freestyle, reducing her previous best by 7.41 seconds.

Sadie Paton, 13/14 years female, was 3rd in the 200m individual medley, and 5th in the 100m freestyle. Both swims resulted in PBs with a 1.59 second and a 2.01 second improvement respectively.

Charlie Jack, 8 to 12 years male, was 3rd in the 50m backstroke, and 6th in the 50m breaststroke. Charlie had a couple of small PBs recording a 0.13 second improvement in his 50m backstroke and a 1.95 second improvement in his 50m breaststroke.

Vicky Jack, 15 and over female, was 3rd in 200m individual medley and 7th in the 100m freestyle. Vicky’s 200m individual medley was a first time swim with Fins, so the time she recorded will be her PB.

Kaja Debska, 13/14 years female, was 3rd in the 50m butterfly, and 8th in the 200m breaststroke, Kaja’s 200m breaststroke was a first time swim in this event, but in her 50m butterfly she recorded the largest PB by a Fins’ swimmer of 9.97 seconds.

Harvey Whytock, 15 and over male, was 4th in both the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

Olivia Hathaway, 13/14 years female, had just the one swim, finishing 7th in the 200m breaststroke. and that was a first time swim for Olivia in that particular event.

Finally, the 4x50m mixed freestyle relay team of Jack, Eva, Lilian, and Ethan had a 2nd place finish.

Overall, this was a very sound effort from all the swimmers so well done again. Some of the PBs were marginal, but they were PBs and it is good to see that the swimmers are beating the person they most need to beat, themselves.

Novice League

There were only 4 swimmers in the Novice League, who contested eight swims achieving 100% improvement rate, and achieved 1 – 1st, 1 – 2nd, and 1 – 3rd place, and in the remaining 5 swims the lowest finishing place was 7th.

While the 25m events are important for beginners to competition, it was good to see the novice swimmers tackling 50m and 100m events. Seven of the eight swims were 1st time swims in that particular events and set a PB to try to improve for the swimmer the next time they swim the event.

The swimmer who achieved a 1st place was Abby Crawford, 8 to 10 years female, in her 25m breaststroke. Abby was also 4th in the 25m backstroke, and this was an event that she had swum previously, and this time she reduced her time by 3.98 seconds.

Izzy Crawford, 11 to 13 years female, was 2nd in the 50m freestyle, and 7th in the 50m backstroke.

Roland Leeuwenberg, 11 to 13 years male, was 3rd in the 100m breaststroke, and 5th in the 50m freestyle.

Cain Gray, 8 to 10 years male, was 6th in the 50m backstroke, and 7th in the 50m freestyle.

That was the final round of the Leagues for this year and the swimmers certainly kept up good performances.