TAVISTOCK Swimming Club hosted one of the most exciting galas of the year at Kelly College on Saturday with excellent swimming from all the teams taking part.
The girls' 12yrs 4 x 50m medley relay team of Caroline Ball, Amy Warnett, Rebecca Mills and Freddy Luesby, had a convincing win and the 12 years boys' team of David Bales, Michael Best, Nicholas Jarman and Will Feather had a similar success in their event. Lottie Fulton had an excellent swim to take first in the 11years 50m free.
Despite Tavistock's success, Devonport were initially in the lead by a couple of points. However, Caroline Ball got off to a good start in her 4 x 25m IM and won in a club record time. Will Feather repeated his success in the relay in the boys' 4 x 25m IM. Kirsty Best swam to first place in the 9/10 years 50m back, Christopher Ralph took first place in the 14/u 50m breast, Rebecca Mills first place in the 11 years 4 x 25m IM in a personal best time, Caroline Ball and Sam Broome both first in 12 years 50m fly.
Tavistock proved to have very strong relay teams as demonstrated in the 12 years 4 x 50m free with Amy Warnett, Lottie Fulton, Freddy Luesby and Caroline Ball taking first for the girls and Nicholas Jarman, David Bales, Michael Best and Will Feather first for the boys.
By this time it was evident Tavistock were in contention with Devonport Royal for first place, the lead having changed by a small margin a couple of times.
The 9/10 years girls' team of Kirsty Best, Alice Warnett, Jessica Cooke and Vicky Evans repeated the success of the older swimmers by taking the 4 x 25m medley relay.
In the 12 years' 50m breast, both Amy Warnett and Nicholas Jarman showed great determination to win their events. Rebecca Mills won the 11 years' fly with great style and Caroline Ball followed this with another convincing win for Tavistock in the 12 years' 50m back.
The 9/10 years' 4 x 25m free relay team of Alice Warnett, Jessica Cooke, Vicky Evans and Kirsty Best got maximum points in their event as did Rebecca Mills in the 50m breast, Freddy Luesby and Sam Broome in the 50m free.
With the final placings resting on the last event, the mixed 8 x 25m free cannon, the team of Kirsty Best, Thomas Worth, Rebecca Mills, Joshua Bancroft, Caroline Ball, Sam Broome, Rachael Kelly and Christopher Ralph had it all to swim for and with the rest of the team cheering them on they secured first place for Tavistock by one point.
The other squad members who contributed to the team's success were Tamar Preston, Laura Radgick, Ross Mallin, Holly Chinn, William Crocker, James Hill, Samantha Jarman, Philip Webb, Jake Broome, Thomas Lee, Sebastian Lee, Ross Williams, Daniel Cooke.
Final Results — Tavistock 163, Devonport Royal 162, Exmouth 127, RN/RM 106 points.
Chief coach Margaret Gardner was delighted with the club's success, saying every squad member had given it their all and had been commendable in the way the they supported each other. Thanks were expressed to Rachael Warnett for co-ordinating the event, to all the helpers who contributed their time and effort to ensure it went smoothly.
Meadowlands swimming pool was the venue on Friday for the second round of the Club Championships 2001. Sam Broome and Rachael Kelly swam the 200m back in a club record time for their age groups and Christopher Ralph swam the 10-14 years' breast in a championship record time.
It was encouraging to see so many of the younger swimmers taking part, many of them competing in the events for the first time. All 200m events are heat declared winner.
Results — Boys' 10-14 years 200m back: Christopher Ralph 1, Sam Broome 2, Nicholas Jarman 3, Joshua Bancroft 4, Sebastian Lee 5, William Crocker 6, Jake Broome 7, Ross Mallin 8, Thomas Worth 9, David Bales 10, Jake Chinn 11, Ross Williams 12, James Hill 13, Matthew Taylor 14, Marc Kerswill 15.
Girls' 10-14 years 200m back: Caroline Ball 1, Rachael Kelly 2, Rebecca Mills 3, Amy Warnett 4, Jessica Barnes 5, Lauren Cooke 6, Tamar Preston 7, Freddy Luesby 8, Victoria Hill 9, Alice Warnett 10, Sarah Roberts 11, Jessica Cooke 12, Samantha Jarman 13, Nathalie Leadbeater 14, Laura Tear 15, Jenny Bloomfield 16, Georgina Dudden 17. Boys 15/over 200m back - Ian Pownall 1. Girls 200m back - Philippa Smith 1, Alison Kelly 2.
Boys' 10-14 years 200 breast: Christopher Ralph 1, Nicholas Jarman 2, William Crocker 3, Sam Broom 4, Joshua Bancroft 5, David Bales 6, Philip Webb 7, Thomas Worth 8, Ross Mallin 9, Jake Broom 10, Jack Chinn 11, Ross Williams 12, James Hill 13, Matthew Taylor 14, Marc Kerswill 15.
Girls' 10-14 years 200m breast: Caroline Ball 1, Amy Warnett 2, Rebecca Mills 3, Rachael Kelly 4, Lauren Cooke 5, Victoria Hill 6, Freddy Luesby 7, Samantha Jarman 8, Alice Warnett 9, Laura Tear 10, Natalie Leadbeater 11, Jessica Cooke 12, Jenny Bloomfield 13.
Boys' 15/over 200m breast: Ian Pownall 1. Girls 15/over 200m breast - Philippa Smith 1, Alison Kelly 2.