ALTHOUGH one of the smaller clubs entering the Devon County Championships and Age Groups Competion 2004 held at Tiverton and Central Park, Tavistock Swimming Club?s four contestants managed to either gain a place in the championship final or age group final in almost every event they entered.

Tavistock were represented in the championship final of the men?s 50m butterfly by James Lake who had an excellent swim to take bronze in a time of 27.58.

James? time in taking third place in the 17/over 100m butterfly age group final also qualified him for the championship final in which he took sixth place (1.01.43). James? time of 33.62 gave him eighth place in the 17/over 50m breaststroke event.

The second weekend of competition at Central Park saw club captain Richard Freedman swim the 50m backstroke in a personal best time of 29.48 to qualify for a place in the championship final in which he swam just outside his personal best to give him fourth place.

A personal best swim of 29.48 in the 50m backstroke earned Richard a place in the men?s championship final.

It proved to be one of the closest events of the day with swimmers in second to sixth place, all touching within just over half a second with Richard coming in fourth place in a time of 29.60.

Swimming the 100m backstroke in a time of 1.05.87 gave Richard sixth place in the 17/over age group final. He also claimed fourth place in the final of the men?s 15/over 50m freestyle in a time of 25.43 and fourth in the final of the men?s 17/over 200m backstroke.

Chris Ralph took fourth place in both the final of the men?s 15 years 200m individual medley and the 200m breaststroke (2.46.77), fifth place in both the final of the men?s 15 years 100m individual medley and 100m breaststroke and sixth place. Within the 15 years age group, Chris was sixth in the 50m breastroke (35.65) event and seventh in the 100m freestyle (59.79) and 200m freestyle (2.15.31).

Michael Best swam a personal best time of 1.23.26 in the heats in the 100m breaststroke and went on to take sixth place in the final of the 14 years age group in a time just outside his personal best.

Kirsty Best, swimming in the 12 years age group, swam 3.14.53, taking four seconds off her previous time, to qualify for a place in the age group final of the 200m breaststroke in which she took fifth place.

Kirsty just missed a place in the age group final of the 100m breaststroke, coming in seventh place and being reserve finalist.