Swimming has a long history in Sussex. Brighton Swimming Club, the oldest swimming club in the country, was established in 1860. The County’s first president, Mr L.R. Styer from Brighton Swimming Club, was installed in 1895.
Meet our President
Wendy Pritchard (Eastbourne SC) President at the Annual Council Meeting in June 2025.
Image and more information will follow
If your club would like to invite our President to any of your competitions or events please contact Wendy Pritchard
Vice President 2025-27
Hilary Knott (Brighton Dolphin SC)
At the age 9, a friend invited me to attend a trial diving lesson at Slough and District Diving Club, I turned up and they didn’t, that was my introduction to the sport of diving. I learnt to dive from a firm 3m board into a depth of 7′ 6″ (if you found the right entry point otherwise it was 6’6”), the 1m was not much better than a plank covered with coconut matting, how things have changed. I have continued in the sport ever since.
Moving from a diver, to diving teacher, to diving judge, to diving referee, to diving recorder, to club diving secretary, to County club representative, to Southern Counties diving representative where I held the position of elected Chair for one year and now my current position of Sussex Diving Manager. I have officiated at club, county and regional events in the roles of judging, recording and announcing.
Throughout my diving career, as a junior I initially competed in springboard events with Bucks & Berks and was in the 1971 team that won the Inter Counties Laxton Shield. Once I married, I moved to Sussex where I taught at the diving section of Eastbourne Swimming Club before moving to the diving section of Brighton Dolphin Swimming Club at the newly opened Prince Regent, where I as diving teacher and club diving secretary. I also started diving again as an adult and again competed in springboard events.
We regularly took divers to compete at Crystal Palace and other inter club events and I was truly honoured when, in 1986, I was the Team Manager of the divers who won the Laxton Shield.
I have long since stopped actively diving myself and focus on teaching, officiating and the admin side of things as Sussex Diving Manager.