CHANNEL swim contenders Paul Mason and Becky Simmons produced the two fastest times in the OCS sponsored handicap race from Havelet to Fermain.

For some years the Guernsey Swimming Club Masters have been swimming from the slipway by the Half Moon Cafe in Havelet Bay to Fermain, a distance of about 2.5 kilometres.

Simmons and Mason, who hope to swim from England to France next month, took 36min. 49sec. and 36-59 respectively in a race won by the island’s only successful English Channel swimmer 68-year-old Roger Allsopp.

Simmons was second and Katherine Andrews third.

Evelyne Banfield was first into the water, while Simmons and Mason had to wait 23 minutes and 24 minutes to start.

The handicapping was such that all the 22 swimmers taking part finished within 10 minutes of each other.

The finish would have been tighter but for the rather rough sea state with the swimmers battling into a force four almost head on.

Safety aspects were well covered with three motor boats and five kayaks accompanying the swimmers.

Indoors, the GSC Master competed well in the one-hour postal competition.

Seven GSC Masters took part and five won gold medals, a truly remarkable result.

In the men’s age groups the gold medallists included Mike Banfield (75-79yrs), who is the current age group Half Hour Swim British record-holder, with 3,135 metres.

Allsopp (65-69) swum 3,685 metres for his gold and Paul Mason (40-44) won with 4,605.

Ewan Menzies also swam in the 60-64 section and came in fourth with 3,220 metres.

The three women taking part were Carol Le Compte, who won the 55-59 category with 3,395 metres, Angela Harvey, (30-34) first with 3,570, and Naomi Wakeford (45-49), 15th in a much bigger class, with 2,795.Guernsey Swimming Club Masters: Indoor and outdoor events