OKEHAMPTON Otters Swimming Club held its first gala of the new term. The teams of Ilminster and Kingsteignton arrived with few swimmers, so it became apparent the contest would be between Okehampton and Launceston.
Launceston won at Okehampton earlier in the year so it was hoped the Otters could turnaround that result. The boys? team were in top form with many first places dominated by the U11 and U13 age groups.
Tom Bradley produced a club record and Devon qualifying time in his 50m breaststroke event and a personal best swim from the 50m free to come home in first places and John Radnor won the 50m backstroke and fly events in good style.
With the help from Matthew Westlake, Michael Aylen and Alex Wooldridge they put together wins in both the medley relay and freestyle relay.
Not to be outdone Alex Wooldridge won both the 50m free and 50m fly. Matthew Westlake comfortably won the 50m back and the team of Alex, Matthew, Matthew Webber and Michael Aylen won the medley relay in the U11 age group.
Single individual winners came from boys? captain Gavin Best ,U15 50m free, David Dennis, open 50m breast, and to prove that there is plenty of strength in depth in the breaststroke events, Paul Lawrence won the U15s breast.
Paul also sportingly swam in three relays to help Ilminster to field U15m teams.
The team of Matthew Wise, Gavin Best, Sam Bradley and Joe Rice put in a new U15 medley relay best time.
On the girls? team many swimmers swam plenty of races to enable all but one race to be filled. Imogen MacCullock, Vicky Medlyn with support from Rebecca Jarvis, Ellen Squire, Amelia Allen and Charlotte Radnor, were thanked for this.
Vicky, 13, swam in the open 50m freestyle event to be stretched into obtaining a good time. She did not dissapoint as she just out-touched her competitors to win this event in a county qualifying time. This went with the one she gained by winning the U13 50m breaststroke in a club record time.
Vicky continued her winning streak by touching first in her own age group 50m free.
Girls? captain Holly Dennis emulated her male counterpart by winning the U15 50m breast.
These and the 26 second-places swum by the whole team were not quite enough as Launceston emerged victors by just 26 points in a friendly close meet.
Fifteen personal bests were swum by Amelia Allen x 2, John Radnor x 2 , David Dennis x 2 , Holly Dennis x 2, Tom Bradley x 2,Gemma Jachnik,Hayley Jones, Vicky Medlyn, Rebecca Vile and Alex Wooldridge.
Thanks were expressed to all who made the gala go without a hitch by providing valuable assistance.
Anyone wishing to join the club, of any age and ability can ring Nigel West on 53431. He is also looking to add numbers to a bronze medallion course to start on Fridays.