Artistic swimmers across Gloucestershire are celebrating the creation of a new, independent club to focus on their specific training and competition requirements.

The newly formed Cheltenham Artistic Swimming Club (CASC) was formerly part of Cheltenham Swimming and Water Polo Club and has enjoyed over 40 years of success, growing to become one of the largest and most decorated artistic swimming clubs in the south west.

Now with more than 80 swimmers and an impressive collection of regional and national trophies and awards, the club has taken the decision to form its own independent club to meet its growing needs.

Sisters Sarah Pullan and Samantha Fancourt swam with the club as children and have since become two of the most highly-regarded coaches in the region, teaching skills and choreographing routines for children and adults for more than 50 years between them, as well as organising regional artistic swimming events. 

They have taken up the roles of chair and vice-chair of CASC respectively and have been supported in their new venture by a team of fellow volunteers keen to see artistic swimming in the county thrive.

Pullan, who was recently named South West Artistic Swimming Coach of the Year for 2023, said: “As a club we agreed it was the right time to take this important step towards independence, allowing us to focus on the specific requirements of our swimmers and our sport.

“We’re hugely grateful to all our volunteers and supporters who have worked so hard to make this vision come to fruition, to Swim England and the UK’s artistic swimming community for their invaluable advice, and to local swimming pools for supporting us. 

“As a growing club we depend on these venues in our community providing us with essential pool time for training and are always keen to work with additional pools in the area.”

It is hoped that independence will help the new club build on its success. It was awarded South West Artistic Swimming Club of the Year as well as overall South West Aquatic Club of the Year in 2023 and was recently awarded the coveted annual Walsall Trophy for its medal success in a series of linked competitions.

Club captain Marianne Baker, who is 16, said: “Artistic swimming is a highly specialised sport requiring a unique combination of skills from stamina, core strength, flexibility and balance to theatrical performance and musicality.

“It’s a lot of hard work but so much fun. We are really fortunate to have an amazing group of experienced and talented volunteers giving up their time to teach and support us, and now that we have our own dedicated club I know we will continue to flourish.”

CASC offers a range of recreational and competitive artistic swimming sessions for children aged seven through to adults and welcomes both male and female swimmers. 

Training sessions currently run at Leisure@ in Cheltenham, GL1 in Gloucester and at Cheltenham College. 

Anyone interested in joining the club, whether a beginner or experienced swimmer, should email CASC on office@cheltenhamartisticswimmingclub.com or make contact via the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CheltenhamArtisticSwimmingClub/