A SUMMER?S evening in Simmons Park provided the perfect setting to an evenly contested gala at Okehampton Swimming pool last Saturday.
The racing was conducted in a friendly but competitive fashion involving swimmers from the 10, 11, 12 and 13 years age groups from Okehampton, Tavistock and Dawlish Swimming clubs.
Okehampton won with a comfortable 15-point margin from Dawlish in second and Tavistock third. From the 40 individual events scheduled
Okehampton finished in poll position in 20, winning seven of the nine mixed relay races.
Seventeen swimmers improved on 25 personal best times with four club records falling. Of the 20 individual first places, three swimmers recorded hat-tricks of wins.
Tom Bradley (13) swam impressively to bag the 100m IM (personal best time and new club record), 100m freestyle ( personal best) and 100m breastroke.
Alex Wooldridge (12) took the spoils in the 50m breastroke (club record and personal best time), 100m IM and 50m butterfly.
Charlotte Rowe (12) completed her hat-trick in the 100m IM (personal best and club record), the 50m backcrawl (personal best ) and 50m freestyle.
Charlotte?s performances were especially notable as Charlotte sportingly swam in nine events on the night.
Further first positions went to Matthew Webber (11) 100m IM (personal best) and 50m breaststroke, John Radnor (13) 100m backcrawl (personal best) and 100m butterfly, Gabriel Aquilera (11) 50m backcrawl and 50m freestyle (both personal bests), Matthew Westlake (12) 50m backcrawl, Tom Aylin (10) 50m backcrawl, Amelia Allen (11) 50m butterfly, Abigail Hill (12) 50m freestyle (personal best) and Rebecca Vile (10) 50m freestyle (personal best). Rebecca also swam impressively to break the 50m breaststroke club record.
Further personal bests went to Rebecca Jarvis (50m backcrawl), Oliver Kirby (100m IM and 50m breastroke), Charlotte Radnor (100m IM and 25m butterfly), Elona Wonnacott (50m breastroke and 50m freestyle), Amelia Allen (100m IM), Eloise Allen (50m backcrawl), Matthew Westlake (50m freestyle), Tom Aylin (50m freestyle) and Scarlett Geering (100m IM and 50m butterfly).
Scarlett also displayed great team spirit by swimming a total of seven races on the night.
Michael Aylin, Luke Wonnacott and Alice Meardon sportingly attended the gala to make up the mixed relay teams.
There was an exciting finale to the gala with a 16x25m canon relay made up of two boys and two girls from each age group.
With double points being awarded in this event the atmosphere became highly charged, especially when Okehampton finished first but were disqualified for a technicality. There was a tense wait as the final scores were calculated. Fortunately the Otters had bagged enough points to remain as victors.
Okehampton swimmers will shortly be taking a summer break before returning to training in September to a busy schedule of training and galas.
Anyone interested in joining the club should obtain further information from the membership secretary on 01837 840362.
IN a gala hosted by Okehampton, the younger swimmers from Tavistock Swimming Club recently competed against Okehampton and Dawlish. Although Tavistock came in third place overall they had a considerable number of first places, together with an impressive 20 personal best times between them.
Head coach Paul Chinn said it was encouraging to see the younger swimmers? times improving so much and hoped many of them would be competing in the next season?s open meets to gain valuable competition experience.
First places went to Kirsty Best, 50m back, 100m breast, 50m breast; Joshua Stephens, 100m IM, 25m fly; Rebecca Mills, 100m back; Isabel Grose, 50m breast; Tom Crocker, 50m fly; Sam Harmsworth, 50m free. The girls? 10-year medley relay team also gained a first.
Isabel Grose and Sam Harmsworth were both awarded ?Swimmer of the Gala?.
Full squad: Jake Chinn, Alice Warnett, Ross Williams, Kirsty Best, Tom Crocker, Laura Aspen, Joshua Stephens, Natalie Greep, Rebecca Mills, Millie Chinn, Martyn Greep, Samantha Jarman, Tom Waddington, Joshua Hughes, Isabel Grose, Marc Kerswill, Chris Mills.
The Devon County Development Galas were held recently at both Plymouth and Tiverton. Always a popular event with the swimmers, the galas proved to be extremely enjoyable with team members supporting each other throughout.
Kirsty Best swam a personal best in the 11 yrs 200m breast to take first place with Amy Warnett taking second in the 14 years 800m freestyle.
A total of 26 personal best times were recorded with Alice Warnett achieving five pbs, Laura Radgick four, Michael Best and Francesca Gould three each and the remainder going to Catriona Smith, Kirsty Best, Caroline Tuck, Kirsty Smith, Amy Warnett, Tabitha Gould, Samantha Jarman, Natalie Greep and Ellyn Megicks.
The final rounds of the Club Distance Championships were held at Meadowlands on July 4 with Nick Jarman dominating the boys? 10-14 years events and Amy Warnett and Kirsty Best sharing the first places in the girls? 10-14 years events.
Results ? Girls 10-14years 200m back: Amy Warnett 1, Laura Radgick 2, Alice Warnett 3, Sam Jarman 4; 200m breast: Kirsty Best 1, Amy Warnett 2, Fliss Browner 3, Tabitha Gould 4; 200m fly: Amy Warnett 1, Jessica Cooke 2, Laura Radgick 3, Francesca Gould 4; 200m individual medley: Kirsty Best 1, Amy Warnett 2, Tabitha Gould 3, Laura Radgick 4.
Boys? 10-14yrs 200m back: Nick Jarman 1, Jake Broome 2, Philip Webb 3, Marc Kerswill 4; 200m breast: Nick Jarman 1, Jake Chinn 2, Philip Webb 3, David Bales 4; 200m fly: Nick Jarman 1, Jake Chinn 2, Marc Kerswill 3, Jake Broome 4; 200m individual medley: Nick Jarman 1, Jake Broome 2, Philip Webb 3, Jake Chinn 4.
Other competitors in the 10-14 years were Catriona Smith, Kirsty Smith, Ross Williams, Ryan Greep, Natalie Les, Ellyn Megicks, Joshua Stephens, Tom Crocker, Adam Browner, Martyn Greep, Rufus Gould, Monica Les, Jessica Cooke, Jenny Bloomfield, all of whom had at least one personal best time.
Girls? 15/over - 200m breast: Rachael Kelly 1, Alison Kelly 2; 200m back: Philippa Smith 1, Rachael Kelly 2, Alison Kelly 3.
Boys? 15/over - 200m breast, Mark Hennessey 1, Chris Ralph 2, Richard Freedman 3, Stephen Osbourne 4; 200m back: Mark Hennessey 1, Richard Freedman 2, Chris Ralph 3, Sebastian Lee 4; 200m fly: Richard Freedman 1, Chris Ralph 2, William Crocker 3; 200m individual medley: Mark Hennessey 1, Richard Freedman 2, Chris Ralph 3, William Crocker 4.
A reduced training programme is now in operation over the holidays with the next event being the City of Plymouth Championships in September. Anyone wishing to join the swimming club should contact 01822 810168.