OKEHAMPTON Otters Swimming Club travelled to Ilfracombe to compete in this year?s penultimate league swim.

Ilfracombe?s 33.3m pool was unusual for several of the younger swimmers as it was their first time at this venue. This meant that the 10 and 11 year olds swam further than they are used to, but to their credit they persevered and helped to score valuable points.

Unfortunately for the club ten of the events did not contribute to the scoring through lack of numbers. Swimmers were borrowed to enable the 10 years girls and boys relay events to be swum. This affected the outcome of the gala, which put Okehampton back into fourth place, 28 points behind Barnstaple.

This result means the final gala at Barnstaple after Easter should be exciting as the Otters have a chance to be runners-up to Torridgeside, who have already won this year?s league. It gives the Otters the opportunity of getting their highest league position since joining.

Gaining maximum points for the club at this gala were Vicky Medlyn, who again swam strongly and was victorious in the 14/15 years? 100m breaststroke and butterfly. Becky Rowe swam to a first place in the same age group in the 100m backstroke, winning by several metres. She also finished second at the 100m free by a whisker.

Tom Bradley swam away from his opponents in the 12/13 years? 100m breast as did Charlotte Rowe in the girls? 12/13 years? 100m free.

Alex Wooldridge again out-touched the other swimmers in the 66.6m 12/13 years? fly and girls? captain Jo Cade was back to winning ways in the open 100m backstroke. Lastly, the team of Becky, Vicky, Charlotte and Natalie Bowles won their 4x1 freestyle relay.

The club also gained ten second places. Two of these were by Scarlett Geering, and Alex Wooldridge swam to a new age group record in the 100m freestyle, swiping 11 seconds off his pb time.

John Radnor is coming to terms with the 100m fly event and smashed five seconds off his previous best, and gaining a pb in the 100m backstroke. Other pb swims were gained by Scarlett Geering, Tom Bradley, Sam Bradley and Matthew Wise.

Swimming in her first gala for the club was Shannon Holter, who did well not to get too phased by the occasion and the pool length.