Northcote Swim Club hit Hobart like a cyclone for the 2024 Tasmanian Short Course Championships, and what a weekend it was! Under the leadership of club captains Sam and Annalena, the team didn’t just win medals—they made memories, PBs, and a whole lot of new friends. Oh, and did we mention the sneaky bags of lollies and legendary tacos?

Let’s start with the legends of the pool—Annalena and Hayley. These two were the IRONWOMEN of the meet, competing in a casual 13 and 11 events each. We reckon they swam more kilometers than a Saturday surf at Bondi. But it wasn’t just about racking up the events—every single female swimmer on the team is coming home with hardware! Yup, you read that right: every one of them is either flashing an individual or relay medal.

The weekend was packed with PBs. Lucas threw down two lightning-fast Vic State qualifying 56-second 100m Freestyles, while Sam decided he’d had enough of hanging around the minute mark, blasting through with a sub-60 for the 100m and a sub-27 for the 50m Freestyle. Ellis and Miles, meanwhile, smashed it with a slick 28-low in the relay, Oscar and Otis both broke 30, and Charlie, quietly, clocked personal bests in all his individual events and hit 27 high in his relay.

And we’ve got to talk about Emma. If you were there for the women’s 4×50 and 4×100m Freestyle relays, you’d know what we mean—her final legs were the stuff of legends, bringing the team home for the win. And bringing the (Northcote) crowd to its feet. (Yes, we were loud!) And Lulu? She left coach Nicholas speechless with her insane underwater work in the IM.

But hey, it wasn’t just about the pool action. Between races, it was all about team spirit, banter, and, well, my famous breakfast tacos—not to mention those cheeky bags of lollies that mysteriously kept reappearing on pool deck. The evenings? A blur of laughter, chat, and the kind of camaraderie that made this trip unforgettable.

Despite feeling a bit under the weather, Josh, Eve, and Hayley powered through their events like absolute troopers. Talk about tough as nails. Special thanks go to Christine King for keeping the logistics tighter than a flip turn, and of course, Nicholas Malcolm for his top-tier coaching and endless encouragement.

All in all, Northcote’s 2024 Tasmanian Short Course adventure was about more than just fast swims and podium finishes. It was about the laughs, the team spirit, and the moments in between the races that made the trip such a blast. Whether they were smashing PBs or smashing tacos, the Northcote swimmers left Hobart with hearts full, medals in hand, and plenty of stories to tell.

Bring on the next one!