Distance Free Trophies

The Horace Davenport Cup (1500m Free) is awarded to the fastest male senior swimmer in the 1500m Freestyle at the National Winter Championships (25m).

While the Winter Championships are traditionally a short course event, they were held in the long course 50m pool in 2017.

Until 2015, the Horace Davenport Cup (1500m Free) was awarded to the fastest male senior swimmer in the 1500m Free at the ASA National Championships (50m).

Past Winners: Horace Davenport Cup (1500m Free)

History of the Horace Davenport Cup (1500m Free)

Horace Davenport was president of the Swimming Association of Great Britain from 1880 to 1883 and again from 1890 to 1894.

He was also a great swimmer and won many of the first trophies which were at the time not perpetual. If a swimmer won the trophy three years in a row they got to keep it.

The Horace Davenport Cup (1500m Free) was originally awarded to the winner of the annual one mile swimming championship.

The Brigadier Godfrey de Vere Welchman Memorial Trophy is awarded to the fastest female senior swimmer in the 800m Freestyle at the National Winter Championships (25m).

While the Winter Championships are traditionally a short course event, they were held in the long course 50m pool in 2017.

Until 2015, the trophy was awarded to the fastest female senior swimmer in the 800m Free at the ASA National Championships (50m).

Past Winners: Brigadier Godfrey de Vere Welchman Memorial Trophy

History of the Brigadier Godfrey de Vere Welchman Memorial Trophy

Brigadier Welchman was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery from RMA Woolwich in 1914 and served in France, Gallipoli and Mesopotamia.

Between the wars, his postings included instructor at the School of Artillery and Assistant Superintendent at the Shoeburyness Experimental Establishment.

In 1939 he was commanding 28 Field Regiment in India, taking his regiment to East Africa as part of 5th Indian Division, supporting 10 Indian Brigade, commanded by Brigadier WE Slim. Both Welchman and Slim were lightly wounded in the same Italian air attack.

Welchman re-joined his regiment in time for the Keren battle. He returned to India and became Commander, Royal Artillery (CRA) of 17th Indian Division in India and Burma and then Commander, Corps Royal Artillery (CCRA) of Slim’s 1st Burma Corps before finally becoming Brigadier, Royal Artillery (BRA) of the 14th Army, where he remained for the rest of the war.

Welchman assumed the duties of hon secretary in 1926 of the Army Swimming Union and held this post for 10 years, during which he accomplished invaluable work in helping to raise the standard of Army swimming.

In 1953, he was elected ASA President, having been nominated by the Western Counties ASA. This is an honour no other serving or former Army Swimming Union individual had matched before or has matched since.

The Surbiton SC Trophy is awarded to the fastest male junior swimmer in the 1500m Freestyle at the National Winter Championships (25m).

While the Winter Championships are traditionally a short course event, they were held in the long course 50m pool in 2017.

Originally awarded for the half mile event and promoted by the Sporting Life paper, Surbiton Swimming Club presented the cup as a perpetual trophy to be awarded annually to the winner.

Until 2015, the trophy was awarded to the fastest male swimmer in the 1500m Free at the ASA National Youth Championships (50m).

Past Winners: Surbiton SC Trophy

The Willesden Cup is awarded to the fastest female junior swimmer in the 800m Freestyle at the National Winter Championships (25m).

While the Winter Championships are traditionally a short course event, they were held in the long course 50m pool in 2017.

The Willesden Cup – also known as the C P Parkin Trophy – is awarded in memory of Cyril P. Parkin who was ASA President in 1973. Cyril was a long-standing Southern Counties official whose contribution to the sports spanned four decades from post World War II through to the 1970s.

Until 2015, the trophy was awarded to the fastest female swimmer in the 800m Free at the ASA National Youth Championships (50m).

Past Winners: Willesden Cup