TEAM ALBATROSS National Age Group Championship 2017
Finlay Cook and Charlotte West both won English National Age Group titles with Ollie Breach and Finlay Cook taking a further gold in the boys B/A 3 m synchronised diving. Team Albatross, led by Lead coach Malcolm Green, also won six individual silver medals plus silver in the boy’s D/C 1 m synchronised diving.
Charlotte West was outstanding in the girls A events winning the National English Age Group 3m title with 303.90 points. Strong required dives and 45.60 points for back one and a half somersaults one and a half twists meant Charlotte finished well ahead of the competition for a convincing win. On platform Charlotte used the same back twisting dive to good effect (48.75) winning the silver medal with 254.55 points. Charlotte also won silver on 1m with 256.45 points.
Finlay Cook had a standout competition winning the boys A National English Age Group 1m title with 292.35 points. Consistency on his required dives and excellent scores on his optional dives , 50.40 points for inward one and a half somersault pike and 45.10 on his front one and a half somersault one twist, confirmed Finlay as the worthy winner. On 3m superb diving, including 50.40 points for back two and a half somersaults tuck, saw Finlay win silver with 338.65 points; an agonising 0.65 points behind the worthy winner . Finlay finished 5th on platform (269.95).
Other team members also dived well in the boys A events. Ollie Breach won silver on platform where his final dive – arm stand forward double somersault pike scored 54 points- securing his podium place with 295.55 points. Edward Beal finished 7th (239.55) and Billy Minns 9th (204.30). Fortunes were reversed on 3m. Billy Minns put in a consistent set of dives, including an excellent back two and a half somersault tuck (50.40 pts), to finish 6th with 301.60 points; an outstanding personal best. Ollie Breach was 9th (281.55) and Edward Beal 12th (221.85). On 1m Edward Beal finished 8th (240.60), Billy Minns 10th (239.55) and Ollie Breach 12th (234.45).
Ethan Jones won silver in the boys B 3m where an excellent back two and a half somersaults tuck for 50.40 points helped his final score of 265.60 points. Ethan placed 9th on platform (199.60) and 10th on 1m (217.80).
Quinn Shaw won silver in the boys C platform event where consistent required dives and strong optional dives, including 44.40 points for back one and a half somersaults one and a half twists, meant Quinn finished on the podium with 233.95 points. Quinn finished 5th on 3m (207.05) and 6th on 1m (185.80).
Natalia Ivanov (group C), Milly Orgill (Group B) and Lauren Saunders (Group D) were competing in their first National Age Group Competition. Faced with extremely long start lists all girls gained valuable competition experience and recorded several PBs. Natalia had her best performance on 3m where she finished a respectable 27th (164.65). Natalia finished 37th on 1m (127.10) and 28th on platform (139.05). Milly placed 30th on 1m (162.90) and 29th on 3 m (165.50). On platform Milly did well to finish 23rd with a set including many newly learnt dives (135.90). Lauren dived consistently to finish 13th on 1m (130.45) where an excellent back dive pike scored 32 points. Lauren placed 15th on 3m (132.65) and 13th on platform (128.30).
Team Albatross also shone in the synchronised diving events. Ollie Breach and Finlay Cook delivered a convincing performance to win gold in the boys A/B 3m (221.61) whilst Quinn Shaw, diving with Jack Jefford (Crystal Palace Diving), won silver in the boys C/D 1m (153.36)
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