THE new swimming pool at the Parklands Leisure Centre, Okehampton witnessed Okehampton Otters Swimming Club stage its first gala to celebrate the much awaited transfer to the new pool.
Eager to try out the new facility in competition the club committee and teachers organised an internal gala and was impressed to find over fifty percent of its membership sign up for the event despite the clash with Hatherleigh Carnival.
Despite a few early organisational hiccups the event soon settled into a steady rhythm of events.
Early nerves from a number of very young swimmers experiencing competition for the very first time soon melted away into looks of determination as they grew in confidence.
With the youngest competitors of Adam Stanton, Ben Hurley, Charlotte Hill and Rachel Stocks at eight years old and oldest nearing fifty, the club was well represented with Juniors and Masters swimmers alike.
The swimmers were organised into four mixed teams, all brilliantly captained by a number of swimmers and helpers. The fifty eight event programme consisted of mainly 25m and 50m sprint events and relays.
With one hundred and sixty three individual swim times recorded a massive one hundred and twenty seven were personal best performances.
Seven Otters Age group records were taken by Tom Aylen 11years 25m backstroke, Andy Rutley Masters 35 -39 years 25m backstroke, Sonia Geering Masters 45 -49 years 25m backstroke, Alison Kimber Masters 40 - 44 years 25m breastroke, Rob Ewen Masters 44 - 49 years 25m breastroke and Matthew Westlake 13 years 50m butterfly.
The swimming club committee thanked all who assisted on poolside. With club championships only a few weeks away, beginning on December 6, the club is hoping for an excellent entry this year.