By Eider Down

Sunday, December 14, marked eleven days until Christmas. Although there are even fewer days left now, for the Dubbo Ducks Sunday was the last chance to win a highly regarded and desirable Christmas ham from our sponsors, DMC Meats.

With the lure set, the Ducks were naturally drawn from every corner to compete in the Dubbo RSL indoor pool to determine who would hold the porcine treasure high.

Swimmers were presented with a four-event card, including a novelty event, just in time for the silly season.

First up was the 25m freestyle. Competition was fierce. The irrepressible Alan Quin continues to improve and in the final came in fifth, while Judy Walsh snaffled fourth, Nicole Johnstone third, Bill Greenwood second, with Josh Bird victorious in first spot.

The next event was a 2x25m breaststroke brace relay. Five teams were in the finals and all of them racing to win! Alan Quin with Bill Greenwood, Mark Prentice with David Sparkes, Cat Fuller with Mykala Fuller, and Katharine O’Rourke with Rob Rich were all too fast home to leave the last women standing, Nicole Johnstone with Judy Walsh, to claim the win.

A 25m backstroke with heats followed by a final was next on the card. Bill Greenwood came in first, Brett Schloeffel second, Tim Gratton in his first final took third, Alan Quin in fourth and Mykala Fuller, with her first swim and a final appearance making up the top five.

The event on the card was a 25m "kick-to-kick off the silly season". One could use a kick board, float on one’s back, and just kick as hard as you can until you reach the other end. This may have been a clever ploy to make us all legless before the Christmas lunch! Alan Quin took the gold with a secret time recorded by the time lords to be revealed at our presentation night next year!

Special thanks to Tom Gray for his leading the time keeping efforts poolside. Great to see set one more new faces with the arrival on the scene of Cat and Mykala Fuller.

Lucky numbers: Tim Gratton and Norm Bahr.

After the swim, members and their families attended the Dubbo RSL for a festive lunch followed by the presentation of the coveted hams and vouchers.

With the holidays fast approaching, why not join us on Sunday mornings? We will swim on December 21 and will resume on January 4, so see you there!

All enquiries: see our listing in the "Sunday" section of the Dubbo Photo News Community Diary.

That’s this week’s tidings from The Duckpond.