A MARATHON quartet of galas held last week at the recently opened Parklands Leisure Centre in Okehampton completed this year?s annual Okehampton Otters Swimming Club Championships. More than 70 club members ranging from seven years to nearing 50 years competed over the four evenings representing more than 60% of the total club membership. Well over five hundred new times were entered into the club? database of which a staggering three hundred and sixty plus were personal best performances. Thirty-three Otters Age Group records were broken and one club record improved upon. New age group records were rewarded in the following events. 100m backcrawl to Chloe Sanders, Matthew Westlake and Sarah Packer; 200m breaststroke to Lucy Dixon, Matthew Westlake, Vicky Medlyn, Janek Jachnik, Sarah Packer and Paul Hammett; 50m Butterfly to Matthew Westlake; 200m freestyle to Martha Bright, Matthew Westlake, Nick Bowles and Alison Kimber; 50m Backcrawl to Alison Kimber; 100 m Butterfly to Matthew Westlake and Vicky Medlyn; 100m Freestyle joint to Sam Collett and Kieran Mitchell, Matthew Westlake and Nick Bowles; 50m Breaststroke to Vicky Medlyn; 200 IM Matthew Westlake, Janek Jachnik and Paul Hammett; 50m Freestyle to Charlotte Rowe; 200m Backcrawl to Martha Bright, Charlotte Radnor, Matthew Westlake, Janek Jachnik and Paul Hammett; 100m Breastroke to Matthew Westlake, Janek Jachnik and Jackie Jarvis; 100m IM to Jackie Jarvis. Otters Club record in the 25 m back kicking fell to Martha Bright. In the Men?s Open event sixteen-year-old Janek Jachnik took top spot fending off a spirited challenge from thirteen-year-old Matthew Westlake. John Radnor finished third, Paul Hammett fourth, Nick Bowles fifth and Michael Aylen sixth. In the Women?s Open event fifteen year old Vicky Medlyn finished victor, Charlotte Rowe second, Elona Wonnacott third, Alison Kimber fourth, Amelia Allen fifth and Mia Fallon Clarke sixth. Men?s age group final positions were as follows: boys 8 years and under ? 1st Jonathan Aylen, 2nd Ben Hurley, 3rd Christopher Meardon, placed Marcus Hoddinott; Boys 9 years ? 1st Robert O? Neil, 2nd Martyn Allen, 3rd Jack Cherrington, placed Harry Edwards. boys 10 years ? 1st Kieran Mitchell, 2nd Sam Collett, 3rd George Speak; boys 11 years ? 1st Tom Aylen, 2nd Oliver Kirby; boys 12 years ? 1st Matthew Webber, 2nd James Speak, 3rd Matthew Harding, places Tom Gill, Jack Edwards; boys 13 years - 1st Matthew Westlake, 2nd Michael Aylen, 3rd William Leech placed Matthew O? Neil; boys 14 years ? 1st Edward Molyneux; 15 years ? 1st John Radnor, 2nd Luke Wonnacott, 3rd Joshua Speak; boys 16 years ? 1st Janek Jachnik; men?s masters 35 ? 39 years ?1st Andy Rutley; men?s masters 40-44 years ? joint 1st Nick Bowles and Paul Hammett, 3rd Keith Webber; men?s masters 45- 49 years ?1st Rob Ewen. Age Group final positions in the women?s events were as follows: girls 8 years and under ? 1st Rachael Stocks, 2nd Charlotte Hill; girls 9 years ? 1st Martha Bright, 2nd Isabelle Ewen, 3rd Sarah Thomas, places Emily Alexander, Daisy Peters; girls 10 years ? 1st Chloe Sanders, 2nd Eloise Allen, 3rd Abigail Stocks, places Eleanor Oakley, Sophie Friend; girls 11 years ? 1st Rebecca Vile, 2nd Emma Jackman, 3rd Lucy Dixon places Kimberley Balsdon, Abigail Westlake, Alex Hurley, Clemency Tilley, Pippy Gill; girls 12 years ? 1st Charlotte Radnor, 2nd Mia Fallon Clarke, 3rd Claire Squire places Hannah Packer, Tanya Mitchell; girls 13 years ? 1st Charlotte Rowe, 2nd Elona Wonnacott, 3rd Amelia Allen, places Rebecca Ewen, Ellen Bright; girls 14 years ? 1st Kelly Holter; girls 15 years ? 1st Vicky Medlyn, 2nd Rebecca Rowe; girls 18 years ? 1st Hayley Jones; women?s masters 35-39 years ? 1st Sarah Packer; women?s masters 40-44 years ? 1st Alison Kimber, 2nd Fiona Aylen, 3rd Linda Mitchell; women?s master 45-49 years ? 1st Jackie Jarvis. Presentations of trophies, medals and certificates to all competing swimmers will be carried out at the Otters Annual Presentation Evening in the New Year. The Otters sessions for 2004 will complete on Sunday 19th December, resuming on Tuesday, January 4 for Masters swimmers and Wednesday, January 5 for Junior members. The Otters will be in action again early in January with a friendly gala at Exmouth. Anyone interested in joining the club should contact the membership secretaries on 01 409 221377 for juniors, 01 837 840663 for masters and 01 837 840283 for life saving enquiries.
