OKEHAMPTON Otters Swimming Club?s latest gala at Dawlish leisure centre produced some exciting swimming. There were many events contested to the fingertips.
Once again the swimming of Rebecca Rowe and Vicky Medlyn produced two wins apeice and one second from Vicky in the individual medley.
They also won the 14/u freestyle relay with Imogen MacCullock and Charlotte Rowe as team-mates.
Getting back to some form was girls? captain Jo Cade. She won the 16/u 50m backstoke event. This turned out to be the last individual win.
The relay swims of the boys? 12/u medley and freestyle relays turned out to be dominant. The team of Tom Bradley, Michael Aylen, Alex Wooldridge and Matthew Westlake produced two new best times and they won both with ease.
The other win in the relay came from the boys? 16/under freestyle team.
The relay swimming from all age groups proved to be a bonus. They produced times good enough to better eight new best relay times.
The total of 15 second placings gave the Otters a finishing place of third overall. The gala only had a difference of 30 points from first place to fifth.
Club record swims came from Vicky Medlyn, 14 years 50m breast and im; Rebecca Rowe 14yrs, 50m free; Matthew Westlake 12yrs, 50m back, and Alex Wooldridge, 12yrs, 50m fly.
A marvellous 18 personal best swims came from Michael Aylen, Tom Aylen, Gavin Best, Holly Dennis, Poppy Freeman, Janek Jachnik, Gareth Jones, Paul Lawrence, Vicky Medlyn x 3, Charlotte Radnor x 2 , John Radnor, Charlotte Rowe x 2, Becky Rowe, Becky Thorne, Matthew Westlake x 2, Matthew Wise and Alex Wooldridge.
Coach Nigel West said: ?It was a close run gala right up to the last round of relay events. Some tremendous sprinting from all involved brought us back to a respectable finishing place.?
The captain?s nominated swimmer of the gala was Vicky Medlyn.
Next week sees the results from the last two weekends of the Devon Championships.
Anyone wishing to join the club can contact Nigel on swimming and lifesaving matters on 01837 53431.