British Swimming has welcomed confirmation of funding figures for all aquatic sports in the lead up to the 2012 Olympic Games.
 
Today’s UK Sport announcement also saw additional support for water polo with an extra £1.45m in funding available through a combination of vital new investment from the Team 2012 initiative and adjustments to funding awards.
 
All “fully funded” sports, inclusive of the other aquatic disciplines, face a 1.5% inflationary rise in their funding and, while this has been cut back from an original 3%, British Swimming Chief Executive David Sparkes is confident that prudent management will ensure all the sports remain on target for the 2012 Games.
 
“We were going to get a 3% inflation rise across our sports but this is being cut back to an increase of 1.5%,” explained Sparkes. “This is a very sensible outcome and reflects the fact that inflation is running significantly lower in the current financial climate.
 
“Although we’re not getting figures that we planned for, given the fact we’re operating within a tight financial environment, I’m confident we can deliver in terms of our performance goals in 2012.
 
“This investment means we now have the funds available to get the job done right. All aquatic sports have clearly made excellent progress this year with impressive results on the international stage and this additional funding will clearly enable us to continue this momentum.”
 
Water polo, which faced funding uncertainty at the beginning of the year, will now be able to put in place additional services and support to its athletes through the additional funding announced today which takes their funding from 2009 to 2013 to £2.9m.
 
“This announcement is great news for British Water Polo as the teams will receive an additional £1.45m as they continue to develop as an international force,” said Sparkes.
 
“It’s a welcome investment for water polo which recognises the tremendous improvements both the men’s and women’s teams have made this year. We will now be able to ask our athletes to prepare for the London Olympics full-time without the need to supplement their careers through other work.”
 
In terms of the water polo programmes the men’s team will remain off shore as they continue their preparations but will be provided with more support as they pursue their dreams. The women’s programme will continue in Manchester but again will be reinvigorated through additional support.
 
“Overall we think today’s announcement is great news to support the hard work taking place within the aquatic disciplines,” said Sparkes.
 
“We will obviously have to manage budgets carefully and work to our agreed plans to ensure there’s no impact on performance but British Swimming welcomes the confirmation of figures for our sports which enables us to focus on performance in 2012 and provides the stability we need to achieve our collective goals.
 
“We are currently in discussions with the British Olympic Association in regard to all the Olympic qualifying standards but we now envisage, through this funding, that water polo will be part of the largest aquatics team we’ve ever had at an Olympics as we continue on an upwards trajectory.”
 
-ends-
 
For further details contact Dave Richards, British Swimming Media Manager, on 01509 632237, 0778 992 6136 or email dave.richards@swimming.org
 
About British Swimming
British Swimming is the National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo and Open Water in Great Britain.  It is responsible internationally for the high performance representation of the sport. The members of British Swimming are the three Home Countries national governing bodies of England (ASA), Scotland (Scottish ASA) and Wales. (Welsh ASA)  British Swimming seeks to enable its athletes to achieve gold medal success at the Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
 
About British Gas
British Gas is Britain's favourite domestic energy supplier. As well as providing gas and electricity, it also installs and maintains central heating and gas appliances in millions of homes throughout the country. British Gas is very proud to be the principal partner of British Swimming and home countries: The ASA, Scottish Swimming and Swim Wales. British Gas is supporting the team's quest for medals on the world and Olympic stage - and giving as many people as possible the opportunity to learn to swim and use swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle. British Gas wants to ensure local pools remain at the heart of our communities. By using its expertise, it can help them reduce costs by being more energy efficient and safeguard the facilities for this and future generations. For more information visit www.britishgas.co.uk/swimming
 
About Speedo®
The world’s leading swimwear brand, Speedo® is passionate about life in and around the water, creating revolutionary new technologies, designs and innovations. Supporting swimming from grass-roots through to elite level, including the phenomenal Michael Phelps, Speedo® is owned by Speedo Holdings B.V and distributed in over 170 countries around the world; SPEEDO, the ARROW device, FASTSKIN, LZR PULSE, SPEEDO ENDURANCE, FLIPTURNS, FASTSKINFSII, SPEEDO BIOFUSE, SWYM and LZR RACER are registered trademarks of Speedo Holdings B.V. The LZR RACER suit has worldwide design rights and patents pending.
 
About Kellogg's
The Kellogg Company was founded in 1906 and today produces 40 different cereals including popular brands such as Special K, Cornflakes and Coco Pops, and 56 different snacks including brands such as Nutri-Grain and Special K snacks. Kellogg's has been a partner of the ASA and British Swimming for 13 years, sponsoring the Kellogg's ASA Awards and enabling over 50,000 people to take up swimming as part of an active lifestyle.

The third and final day of the British Gas Synchronised Swimming Championships and British Gas ASA National Age Groups 2009 finished in style, with GB Solo, Duet and Team performances as well.

In the day’s flagship event, the British Gas Team Championships, it was Rushmoor who took first place and reclaimed the Redwood Trophy from last year’s winners Trafford.

Rushmoor were third to take to the pool and their First Knight routine impressed the judges as the swimmers showed some interesting pattern formations and strong double arm and leg movements throughout the routine.

Their combined Free and Technical score of 70.834 was enough to put them into first position with Reading Royals and Trafford still to swim.

Reading Royals proved they had a licence to thrill with their James Bond themed performance and their strong movements, including a ‘gun-wielding’ stack lift to finish, was enough to secure the silver medal with 66.751.

Trafford who had been lying in second after the technical routine could not hold onto their placing and failed to overhaul the first two or Bristol Central, whose Slumdog Millionaire routine earlier in the competition, complete with an interesting somersault lift, took third place. Bristol’s overall score was 66.751.

Rushmoor’s team captain April Poulter said: “That was amazing! I was really nervous, everyone was, but we were excited as well. The performance was really good and the lifts were incredible!”

Earlier in the British Gas Championships, Rushmoor had also retained their Free Combination title, scoring 70.667 thanks to some great flexibility from the athletes and good height in a number of the highlights.  This put them ahead of Bristol Central who finished with 68.334 and Trafford who scored 66.334.

Poulter added: “It was a really good swim and the lifts worked pretty well.  Louise [Wooley] swam this routine in 2006 and I was the reserve so it was good for us all to be able to swim it at the National Championships.”

There was a hard fought battle in the National Age Groups Free Combination Recreational  12yrs and under competition with just 0.833 points separating first place Bristol Central A (53.833)and second place Trafford (53.000).

Trafford were the 10th team to swim and their Hairspray themed routine put them ahead of eventual third place finishers City of Birmingham (51.334). So as Bristol Central A Team took to the water as the final team they knew they had to perform and their Kung Fu themed routine did not disappoint, with their punchy, energetic movements just enough to pip Trafford.

In the Competitive Teams 12 and under it was a straight out battle between the four-strong team from Portsmouth Victoria and the full team of Rushmoor. Rushmoor’s routine, performed to a Pussy Cat Dolls medley, showed a number of highlights, including some good assisted lifts, and this was enough to give them victory.

Rushmoor came out victorious in the National Age Groups Competitive Teams 13/14yrs Age Group after edging ahead of City of Leeds and Reading Royals. All the teams showed good travel around the pool during their routines but Rushmoor, who incorporated a highlight at the end of their routine, had the edge and finished with 57.643 compared to City of Leeds’ 56.302 and Reading Royals’ 56.200.

The crowd gathered at Gloucester’s GL1 leisure centre was also treated to a solo demonstration by GB athlete Jenna Randall, the British Duet (Randall and Olivia Allison) and the British team, powered by British Gas.

Speaking on the future of the team, Biz Price, British Swimming’s National Performance Director, said: “2010 is a big year for us, we have a FINA competition in China [the 12th FINA Synchronized Swimming World Cup] and we will really be looking for the athletes to move up the rankings. We are tenth at the minute.

“We also want our athletes to get two medals at the Commonwealth Games, hopefully silver or higher.”

The GB squad, powered by British Gas, will also be competing in the British Gas Synchronised Swimming Championships 2010. The event will be returning to Gloucester in April next year. Price added: “We’re looking forward to competing at home and competing with other great synchro nations.”

-ENDS-

For more information contact the ASA PR Manager Sharon Rose on 01509 632262, 07876 652318 or email sharon.rose@swimming.org

The ASA is the English National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Open Water, and Synchronised Swimming. It organises competition throughout England, establishes the Laws of the Sport and operates comprehensive certification and education programmes for Teachers, Coaches and Officials as well as its renowned Learn To Swim Awards scheme. The ASA supports 1,220 affiliated swimming clubs through a National/Regional/County structure. The ASA aims to ensure everybody has an opportunity to learn to swim.

About British Gas
British Gas is Britain's favourite domestic energy supplier. As well as providing gas and electricity, it also installs and maintains central heating and gas appliances in millions of homes throughout the country. British Gas is very proud to be the principal partner of British Swimming and home countries: The ASA, Scottish Swimming and Swim Wales. British Gas is supporting the team's quest for medals on the world and Olympic stage - and giving as many people as possible the opportunity to learn to swim and use swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle. British Gas wants to ensure local pools remain at the heart of our communities. By using its expertise, it can help them reduce costs by being more energy efficient and safeguard the facilities for this and future generations. For more information visit www.britishgas.co.uk/swimming

About Kellogg's
The Kellogg Company was founded in 1906 and today produces 40 different cereals including popular brands such as Special K, Cornflakes and Coco Pops, and 56 different snacks including brands such as Nutri-Grain and Special K snacks. Kellogg's has been a partner of the ASA and British Swimming for 13 years, sponsoring the Kellogg's ASA Awards and enabling over 50,000 people to take up swimming as part of an active lifestyle.

About Speedo®
The world’s leading swimwear brand, Speedo® is passionate about life in and around the water, creating revolutionary new technologies, designs and innovations. Supporting swimming from grass-roots through to elite level, including the phenomenal Michael Phelps, Speedo® is owned by Speedo Holdings B.V and distributed in over 170 countries around the world; SPEEDO, the ARROW device, FASTSKIN, LZR PULSE, SPEEDO ENDURANCE, FLIPTURNS, FASTSKINFSII, SPEEDO BIOFUSE, SWYM and LZR RACER are registered trademarks of Speedo Holdings B.V. The LZR RACER suit has worldwide design rights and patents pending.