LAST Saturday evening witnessed the final gala of the much anticipated 2003 Club Championships for the Okehampton Otters Swimming Club.

This marathon event was held over four nights with a record twenty one Age Group and Male and Female Open Champions to be decided. No fewer than ninety eight swimmers, including nineteen Masters competed in a total of two hundred and ninety four events recording five hundred and fifty one times between them!

Too great a number of Personal Best performances were recorded to individually mention and no doubt many club records will have tumbled.

In the Mens Age Group events the final positions were as follows: Boys 8 years and under: 1, Jack Cherrington; 2, Jonathan Aylin and 3, Christopher Mearden. Boys 9 years: 1, Sam Collett; 2, George Speak; 3, Kieran Mitchell. Boys 10 years: 1, Tom Aylin; 2, Oliver Kirby; 3, Sam Hill. Boys 11 years: 1, Matthew Webber; 2, James Speak; 3, Matthew Harding. Boys 12 years: 1, Matthew Westlake; 2, Michael Alyin; 3, William Leech. Boys 13 years: 1, Edward Molyneux; 2, Robert Chapman. Boys 14 years: 1, John Radnor: 2, Luke Wonnacott; 3, Joshua Speak. Boys 15 years: 1, Janek Jachnik, 2. Paul Lawrence and 3. Joe Rice. Boys 16years: 1, Gavin Best.

Mens Masters: 1, David Dennis; 2, Nick Bowles; 3, Paul Hammet. Mens Open Champion (50m events and over): 1, Janek Jachnik; 2, Gavin Best; 3, David Dennis.

In the Ladies Age Group events the final positions were as follows: Girls 8 years and under: 1, Kim Stanton; 2, Isabelle Ewen; 3, Sarah Thomas. Girls 9 years: 1, Eloise Allen; 2, Abigail Stocks; 3, Chloe Sanders. Girls 10 years: 1, Rebecca Vile; 2, Lucy Dixon; 3, Isabelle Seccombe. Girls 11 years: 1, Charlotte Radnor; 2, Rebecca Chapman; 3, Mia Fallon Clarke. Girls 12 years: 1, Charlotte Rowe; 2, Elona Wonnacott; 3, Abigail Hill. Girls 13 years: 1, Scarlet Geering; 2, Jessica Miller; 3, Stacey Endacott. Girls 14 years: 1, Vicky Medlyn; 2, Rebecca Rowe. Girls 15 years: 1, Katherine Manchip. Girls 16 years: 1, Jo Cade. Girls 17 years: 1, Holly Dennis; 2, Gemma Jachnik and 3. Hayley Jones. Girls 18 years: 1, Jenny Rice.

Ladies Masters 1. Alison Kimber, 2. Jackie Jarvis and 3. Fiona Aylin. Ladies Open Champion 2003 (50m events and over): 1, Jenny Rice; 2, Vicky Medlyn; 3, Rebecca Rowe.

This major event of the Otters' year could not have been such an outstanding success without the hard work of the committee, the competing swimmers, their supporters and the many parents who gave their time so willingly to help run the galas over the four evenings. The committee would like to express thanks to them all.

Heads will now be focused on the Swimming Club's Annual Presentation Evening scheduled for late January. All the awards will be presented by Nick Gillingham MBE. The evening will be preceded by afternoon Swimming Stroke Workshops at the Okehampton pool conducted by Nick Gillingham. The uptake on these sessions has been immense, such is the current enthusiasm and motivation of this swimming club's membership.