Luton Challenge
Cambridge divers knew they had a difficult job to do when they attended the Luton Kingfisher Springboard Diving Challenge. The tough competition included three Olympians and several Junior European medalists. Even though the Dive Team was in awe of the performances of the Olympians they did not let it hinder their objective.
Four of the Club's divers took to the boards and showed the entire country that the Cambridge Dive Team is at the forefront of diving. Cambridge claimed eight medals from nine events. There were two personal best scores and a number of best dives performed. Ben Sambrook, Daniel Goodfellow, Lucy Cliff and Matthew Roberts had a high flying weekend which landed them in the medals.
Daniel Goodfellow had two solid performances in the one and five metre events, winning both. Daniel's top dive was an inward 2½ somersaults from the five metre, scoring 55 points. Daniel, only 12 years old, had no problem with this dive that many senior divers cannot perform.
Lucy Cliff was once again the model of consistency. She started the five metre event with a bang scoring 8s on her armstand somersault. After the scores were posted Olympian Blake Aldridge turned to Lucy's coach and said the judges were too harsh! Lucy had no problem winning the five metre and followed up with second place on one metre.
Ben Sambrook, considered by many coaches as the break out diver of the year, had a very promising weekend. Ben took the silver medal on one metre only beaten by Olympian Thomas Daley and leaving past Junior National finalists behind him. Ben also took third place on 3 metre, again only to Thomas Daley and a leading national level diver proving he is ready to compete at national elite level.
Senior diver Matt Roberts had another top performance. With a personal best score and highest dive in the prelims Roberts finished second place to Olympian Blake Aldridge. Matt's highlight was a reverse 2½ somersaults which carried the second highest tariff in the competition. Roberts calmly executed the dive for a new personal highest point total of 60 points. Like Sambrook, Roberts is considered a breakout diver of the year and will be fighting for a spot on the Junior European Team.
The competition diving took a back seat for a short time for a fun challenge in a pairs knockout competition. Lucy Cliff and Matt Roberts teamed up and finished in a respectable ninth place just missing out on the finals. The highlight of the pairs experience for Cambridge came from Ben Sambrook and Southend Dive Team partner Jenny Haynes. Sambrook and Haynes fittingly named their team "The Optimists" and crept into finals in eighth place. Once they made finals however it was an uphill battle of which neither of them had ever experienced before. Their first challenge was none other than Olympians Rebecca Gallantree and Thomas Daley. Sambrook and Haynes were all smiles though. It's not every day you can dive against Olympians. Sambrook and Haynes finished in a very happy eighth place.
The Cambridge Dive Team finished in third behind top national clubs of Southampton and Leeds. Coach Josh Karshen could not have been more proud of his team. "These results speak volumes about our divers, coaches and our club. Everyone gave of their best the entire weekend. I was very happy with how they handled themselves in every situation. It's not easy to dive into the medals at that standard. Our divers saw what they were up against and responded the best way they could."
Cambridge Divers are back in action the 17th of December for the Harley Winster Memorial Trophy at Parkside Pools.
Posted 11/12/2008