TAVISTOCK Swimming Club boys' captain Richard Freedman, Mark Hennessey, James Lake and Matthew Lake, winners of the best relay team cup at the recent club championships, proved themselves worthy winners of the title when they left the opposition standing in the men's open 4x50m medley relay - it gave Tavistock their first win in the third round of the Speedo League at Keynsham on Saturday.
Laura Radgick swam a personal best to give her first place in the 13/under 50m backstroke and the 50m butterfly saw a determined swim by Ross Williams to take first place in a Devon County qualifying time, knocking three seconds off his previous time.
The breaststroke events gave Tavistock three convincing wins with Sophie McGowan and Matthew Lake taking the open events and Chris Ralph the boys' 15/under event.
Gareth Williams added another first place with a win in the men's open freestyle. The final event, possibly the most exciting, was the 6x50m men's open freestyle relay with James Lake, Mark Hennessey, Matthew Lake, Chris Ralph, Gareth Williams and Richard Freedman battling it out for first place with Devonport. James had a superb swim to give Tavistock an initial lead which they held to take first place.
With illness having depleted the squad, and the subsequent forfeiting of two relay races, Tavistock were disappointed to finish in fourth place. But with only four points separating second to fourth places, Tavistock can congratulate themselves on swimming magnificently, with a number of the younger swimmers having to swim up at least one age group. Laura Radgick came a creditable third in the ladies' open backstroke with a nine-second personal best.
Individual personal best times were achieved by Laura Radgick open 100m back - 9 sec pb and 13/u 50m back - sec pb; Tamar Preston 15/u 100m fly - 5 sec pb; Ross Williams 13/u 50m Fly - 3 sec pb; Laura Aspen 13/u 50m back - 2 sec pb; Catriona Smith 11/u 50m fly - 2 sec pb; Francesca Gould 13/u 50m fly - 2 sec pb; Philip Webb 13/u breast - 1 sec pb; Michael Best 15/u 100m breast - 1 sec pb; Jake Broome 13/u 50m free - 1 sec pb; Amy Warnett 15/u 100m back - 0.5 sec pb; Alice Warnett 13/u 50m free - 0.5 sec pb.
Full squad - Richard Freedman (boys' captain), Amy Warnett (girls' vice-captain), Sophie McGowan, Mark Hennessey, Laura Aspen, Catriona Smith, Kirsty Smith, Francesca Gould, Tom Waddington, Tom Crocker, Chris Mills, Josh Stephens, Alice Warnett, Kirsty Best, Tabitha Gould, Ross Williams, Jake Broome, Philip Webb, Tamar Preston, Amy Warnett, Laura Radgick, Michael Best, William Crocker, Sebastian Lee, Chris Ralph, Hattie Sparks, Matthew Lake, James Lake, Gareth Williams, Jake Chinn.
Full Result - Devonport 166, Backwell 148, Oddicombe 146, Tavistock 144, Cwmbran 127.
The previous week saw Ross Williams and Caroline Tuck competing in the Torquay Christmas Open Meet. Ross took gold in the 50m butterfly with a personal best time, fourth place medal in the 100m individual medley and a further personal best time in the 50m breaststroke. Caroline achieved personal best times in the 50m backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley events.