23/11/12 – Presentation Night

Annual Awards and Party Night

We’d been told `dress to impress’ for Portland SC’s biggest social event of the year, but we didn’t need to be told how to party at Edwalton Golf Club on Friday 23rd November!

With tickets collected, extra chairs commandeered and partygoers assembled, the 2012 Annual Awards and Party Night opened with the presentation of awards to swimmers who took part in this year’s Club Champs. Sparkling silver trophies were given to the top five swimmers of each age group and certificates presented to all other participants. Further accolades followed, whereby swimmers’ hard work, good attitude, impressive accomplishments and dedication over the last year were recognized. Nominees’ names were read out and the much treasured perennial trophies were handed to the very deserving winners. (See full details below)

Time-out for food turned into more of a break-out. Tummies rumbling, children scrambled to the buffet in a great rush. Soon the party would be underway with a sport, entertainment and history based quiz MC’d by Tim Garton. Several teams had been formed. Upon hearing Tim’s tip to have a cross-section of ages for a better chance of winning, one noticeably large and very youthful team realised it needed to recruit a few oldies. The youngsters opted for a direct approach: `Are you a clever adult with good general knowledge?’. Due to persistence and the dropping of the words `clever’ and `with good general knowledge’ from the question, a supersized team was forged.

Despite the quizmaster’s guarded warning `If you don’t like the questions, don’t shoot the messenger’, topic-based questions, starting with `A Great British Summer’ (of events, not weather – obviously!) and culminating in facts about Portland SC, made sure there was something for everyone to think about and enjoy. The supersized team proved to be the super-brainy team, its members feeling rather pleased with themselves as they tucked into their chocolate winnings.

After the popular Heads or Tails game and the raffle of many prizes (`thank you’ Jo for wrapping everything so beautifully), we all felt a bit drained and some may have been tempted to call it a night. However, as soon as the music started, the dance floor filled and that’s how it remained for the next two hours. Mostly swimmers bopped the night away, demonstrating fitness levels that explain this year’s successes; but some adults joined in too. Dom jiggled Gingham style … sorry, Gangnam Style; Jo jumped and skipped along long lines of country dancing and Tracy performed Big Fish, Little Fish somewhat enthusiastically. Dancing queen Sue accompanied all three of them! With lots of games and great music, DJ Nigel brought a smile to everyone’s face and sent us home feeling happy and proud to be part of the Portland family.

Big thanks to all who came to make it such a special night of celebration. Many thanks to those who worked to make it happen and to everyone who donated raffle prizes.

2012 Club Championship Trophy Winners

Annual Trophy Awards 2012