Three Fins’ swimmers had a very successful day at the Scottish North District Open Water Swimming Championships, which took place at the Knockburn Sports Loch, near Banchory, on 30th August 2025. This was the final Open Water competition of the year.
Caleb Gray, 13/14 years male, is now the Scottish North District 13/14 male, Open Water Swimming, 5K Open Champion and did so with an outstanding swim. The actual time is not a good measure of performance in open water swimming because of the variables of the weather and the water. A more realistic measure of success is how the swimmers perform against other swimmers they have competed against recently and Caleb won the title by beating the Scottish 13/14 Open Water 5K Swimming Champion, which he won in June by a margin of 4 minutes 11 seconds, over Caleb who finished in 3rd place. Caleb reduced that gap to 23 seconds at the British Open Water Championships, in July, and at the North District finished 1 minute 38 seconds ahead of Jensen Basketter of City of Glasgow.
In the Open Category, all ages competing in the 5K, Caleb had a very creditable 8th place finish
Caleb also won a bronze medal in the 13/14 male 3K event finishing behind Glenn Geddes, University of Aberdeen Performance Squad, and Jensen Basketter, City of Glasgow. Caleb finished 10th in the Open Category.
16 year old Kristin Mackay, 17/24 years female, won two silver medals. Kristin is not 17 until December but because she was born before the 1st January she is classed in the 17/24 years age group, where she finished 2nd behind Emily Riach, University of Aberdeen Performance Squad, in the 5K event.
Kirstin’s second silver was for the 5K Open Category, also won by Emily,
with Kirstin finishing second fastest of all swimmers who competed in the 5K.
Lilian Blair, 13/14 female, finished 7th in the 3K event, but as this is a two year age group with Lilan on the wrong half, who finished 2nd fastest 13 year old behind Esmay Anderson, University of Aberdeen Performance Squad, who won the event.
There was also more good news for Fins this week when it was announced that 13 year old Lilian Blair and 12 year old Millie Whytock has both been selected to represent the Scottish East District at the Go Cardless Swim England National County Team Championships 2025.
The event will be held at Forge Ponds Pool in Sheffield on Sunday 5th October 2025.
The event is split into two divisions with promotion and relegation between the two. The Scottish East District and the Scottish West District have been regular members of Division 1 for a good number of years.