Leeds International Pool - 'The end of an Era'

[dalex]

The LIP is nearing closure. Anyone 'GOOD' memories of times at Leeds. Save the bad ones for another site.

[lane4]

The LIP is nearing closure. Anyone 'GOOD' memories of times at Leeds. Save the bad ones for another site.
Obviously most memories of LIP are bad ones! But as you only want good ones then...

going to watch the Olympic Trials there in 1988, and seeing one of my school mates make the team,
playing for hours on the arcade machines upstairs,
running round the corridoor that surrounded the spectator gallery,
winning the Yorkshire county title there,
swimming in my first senior nationals there (1990 Commonwealth Trials, held late 1989),
enjoying the hot weather sitting on the grass just outside the pool during the National Age Groups,
going to watch European Juniors there in 1989,

[terminator]

Never really performed well at the LIP but i still have the scars from my first 200 Back long course at LIP my left shoulder will never be the same again.

Remeber my big bro taking on a young Alex Popov over 100 back...remmeber it being close race...(before popove switched to Freestyle.)

Also remeber having my longest experience of after race drugs testing at a grand prix meet.... i think it was 4 hours plus and around 3 liters of various fluids to get me to Pee..... oh how we laughed on the tripback up north when we had to stop every 30 mins for a emergency toilet stop.

on a positive note i remeber being narrowly beaten be a young Peter Vanden hougenband in 200 f/c...years before he emerged on the world stage.

[Katie]

My very first individual national swims were there, and I think I came 12th and 18th. And I was VERY chuffed!

[Spidey]

Managing to complete the 100m Fly following a 1500m Free and thus achieving all but one of the long course events in one year. (No guesses for which one I missed?)

[zanshin]

some pics

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=27991

[LAZy]

Remember some official asking me (as an age grouper) if my Dad was officiating and I said no.
Ten mins later he really shouted at me as he'd just talked to him - but my Dad couldn't get the time off work and was still at home.

You really need to know my surname to realise how unusual that is that they were both called Mr.....

Lots of super Wintergreen rub downs by favourite team members (not suspect wise) in the corridoors and team spirit in abundance.

Getting into an Age Group National final in Lane 6 for the first time and being well pleased but can't remember what event.

[broomhillsaved]

some pics

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=27991


cool pictures and nice diving boards

[Stevie_k]

seems sad it is being knocked down after hearing your great memories.

so whats happening, is it being rebuild better than ever?

[missjackiechan]

Went to see the artworks there (the large material sculpture and projected films of swimmers who trained there onto the walls and pool surfaces) yesterday and spent more time taking pics of part of the pool! here are some (this is the first ever block I went off...ok it was only in October, but I still like it!!)

[missjackiechan]

some others

[LAZy]

Excellent MJC - perfect for us who get there, thanks.

[Paul Callis]

Great pictures, brings back years of memories.

[Spidey]

No pictures or the ceiling? So confusing to backstrokers over the years.

[Juicy Lucy]

cool pictures and nice diving boards

Awful pool to swim in though, especially when in the lane next to the diving pit. (Same as Coventry).

[2.tso]

i remember being at a comp last year at this pool, i would say the water was much warmer than the poool side and the water had icebergs floating on it, i felt very sorry for the children no joke i was wearing my outdoor coat all day

[Osiris]

ahhh good memories!

[Stevie_k]

I did ask a Q, no answers.

SO...what is happening. Is it being rebuilt into a state of the art megapool or does leeds just have 1 less pool to swim in these days?

[Stevie_k]

aaaaaah i see

thanks Alan :wave:

[missjackiechan]

The John Charles Centre for Sport..

Ace pool, deck level, 50M, great diving facilities:

thread here (http://www.swimclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=9085)

[rossman]

I remember getting Sharron Davies autograph at LIP, in the seating area at the non starting end, must have been around 1981 or so.

I suppose I have more good memories of the people than the pool because being mainly a backstroker it was a nightmare.

[Pool Commuter]

For five years worked close to the LIP, and could go from desk to water in ten minutes. Swam most nights, did the annual 5km four years running, but depressing to see how the infrastructure was allowed to steadily decay. Moved to London at the end of 2001, fell way out of practice and put on four stone. Desperately trying to reverse the trend, but living in Enfield, working in lewisham, and swimming in Wandsworth (due to poor provision provision in Enfield & Lewisham) is an uphill struggled.