Photo Gallery: Mallorca, 2010

Some likened it to a St Trinians movie, but there's one thing for sure: when you pack 7+ swim teams in to one hotel during half-term week it sure does get noisy. Head line act were the Butterfly/Backstroke element of British Swimming's Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) programme. We certainly held our own among the other big name teams though.

A week in the Mallorcan sun in the sleepy town of Colonia St Jordi - home of the BEST Centre.

Photo Gallery 2010	Mallorca Training Camp
We couldn't resist.   Seeing as he was wandering around looking interested, we tasked Chaperone Helen with twisting the arm of Commonwealth Games Silver medalist James Parrack to agree to pose with the team (above the 'E' and looking a little like Pete).   On top of that, Coach DC contributed a 2010 National Squad shirt so he'd feel like part of the team.
Our favourite little bakery in Colonia St Jordi.   Just round the corner from the pool was the Spar bakery and Supermerkat. They kept us stocked up with delicious pastries, bread, pastas and other snacks.   Any excuse for a team photo with the locals (the locals being the two heads poking above the counter).
After a trip to the beach.   A side view of our usual lunch time haunt. This was Chaperone fun day out - the only morning off training so we headed to the beach.   Obviously that was the day it rained!
No prizes for guessing which floor Dartes occupied!   We took one of the small table cloth banners specifically for the team photo with James (above), but some bright spark had the great idea of hanging it from the balcony too.   Was it noticed? You bet it was!   Waiting in the airport for the return flight we were even approached by a holiday maker from a resort further around the island - "You were in the Sur Mallorca weren't you? We saw your banner!"   We'll take more next time.
Multi-Purpose Banner   Warm-weather training camp it might have been, but my word did it get chilly in the evenings. The 2nd session of the day finished at 8pm with the Sun completely disappearing before 7pm.   Here's Elliot trying to keep warm on deck.
Last Ditch Effort to Escape!   Coach Dave tries to escape up the escalator before check-in at Robin Hood. Don't they all look small down there?   So long kids!
Alas the plan failed and he had to walk back down the stairs again.   One of the Scottish teams in our hotel got in to a very tidy team photo pose whenever they met up anywhere - and just stood like it for ages (even with no camera present). It was rather comical!   Dartes on the otherhand struggle to do tidy team photo poses even when we try. More practice required perhaps.
And so practice we did ...   But things were getting a little noisy (Dartes noisy? Never) so we called time and went to check-in.
But the practicing continued ...   Had this been Gatwick last year, we'd have had security all over us in the departure lounge. But this is Robin Hood so we ran riot and practiced posing for as many photos as possible.   There's our plane waiting for us.
We caught Jess and Shannipants heading for the children's play area!   No girls, you're a little too tall.   At which point they dropped to the floor and continued walking on their knees. Gnat, Chlo Jo, Kim Kong, and Kelly soon followed in similar fashion.   Oh dear, even on their knees most of them are still too tall!
They were on display in a water tank, they're waterproof! And look, the screen says hello :-)   Mallorca must have different water then because these watches don't last 5 minutes in a hotel fun pool! We know, we tested them.
The traditional coaches' lunch.   Our coaches usually manage to escape in the departure lounge for a juicy steak before the flight. This year there though, there was only a Wetherspoons.   Instead a deluxe burger and chips had to suffice. Chaperone Helen tried to take this photo about 5 times - but failed. On her first attempt the burger was as big as the stick poking Coach Dave in the eye. By the time she managed to work out how to use her camera it was pretty much finished.   Yum yum!
Is it cold in there?   Here's another training camp tradition. No one goes in the hotel pool until the coaches have had a paddle to test the temperature. It's not a tradition that's fixed in stone, but that's how it always seems to work out.
Not surprising really. One learns at a very early age that if a pool is empty, there's usually a very good reason for it. Either there's a shark swimming around, or it's pretty chilly. Much better to test things in your own time rather than getting thrown in suddenly.   Arctic White Andy ventures towards waist depth ...   ... very, very slowly.
Of course the coaches have been doing this for a good few years, they know the score. Get in early, show no fear. Preferrably before anyone turns up with a view to pushing you in.   Female Chaperones on the other hand have no such experience to draw on. They tend to be a bit blonde (it's the way we pick them) and walk a bit too close to the edge.   Ooops! Score 1 for the girls then.
No fear, Coach Dave can still remember how to swim. Ta daaaaaaa.   But there's no way he's putting his head in that water today!
You'd think she'd learn! This was the last day but there had been plenty more that we couldn't capture on camera.   Team effort: Coach Wallace (chuckling away in the pool just out of shot) called her over for a chat; a subtle cough and nod of the head from Chaperone Pete; Coach Dave leapt in to action.   Oh dear. Far, far too easy.
Hey is the pool warming up a little?   The first day, and still Coach Wallace had hardly ventured beyond waist depth. He does look a little cold there.
Introducing: Mr Sneaky (or Jamie to his friends).   Helen had actually asked for all the duckings, not least because she poured a cup of freezing water over poor Pete while he slept by the pool; she wasn't just an easy target. Mr Sneaky wasn't going to let her get away with all the trouble she'd caused.   Some how he managed to line up 6 cups on the wall without Helen realising the cause of his evil smile. Everyone else knew what was coming. She soon found out!   Quick Jamie - RUNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!
Any volunteers for a replacement female chaperone for 2011?   We think we'll need one.
Spot the Ball #1!   Lunch on the final day was spent down by the harbour. A bustling little street in a sleepy little town.   The (we assumed) man-made beach boasted the finest, softest sand you'll find anywhere.
Spot the Ball #2!   Same game - different beach.   Peter and Helen had been scouting for a beach for a few days, this is the one they picked. It was very, very long.   And of course, being chaperone day - it rained!
Look everyone, Pete's found a mermaid!   The oh so lovely clean waters of the Mediterranean.
Spot the Ball #3!   Different game - back at the hotel.   When these two play ping pong, it always draws a crowd. Evening entertainment by the ping pong table - our little corner of Sur Mallorca.
The only place to eat (after SPAR of course).   Our favourite restaurant by the harbour. Steak and chips, roast chicken, and of course the obligatory Pizzas.
Sun glorious sun.   After lunch some misguided fools went for a swim around the yachts that you can see in the background. We thought about sailing one back to Doncaster to use as a raffle prize at one of our meets.
It wasn't always so warm though!   In the evenings it did get a little chilly. Here's Coach Dave wishing he hadn't decided to wear shorts as the sun began to set.
Coach Wallace had the right idea. He didn't have a big heavy coat otherwise he'd probably have been wearing that too.   The swimmers were fine of course, they'd never had it so good. Don't listen to their tales of woe. They just had to work harder to warm up :-)
Cold cold Coach.   For anyone else planning a trip to the BEST Centre towards the end of October, be warned: when the sun sets around 7pm and the wind is blowing a gale, you don't want to be wearing shorts!   Lesson learned, we won't do that again!