Barracudas go down fighting

AN OUTSTANDING team performance in the final match of their National Speedo League campaign was not enough for the Beau Sejour Barracudas to maintain premiership status. Placing second in round three in Guildford gave the Barracudas 10 valuable league points, but having gained only one in each of the two previous rounds which were swum at home, a total of 12 was not enough to stay in Premier Division South.

'Due to the high cost of travel, the Channel Island clubs are permitted to swim the first two rounds at home, which unfortunately does not create the same exciting atmosphere to raise the game and resulted in lower positions,' said Barracudas coach Alison Frankland.

'There are 400 teams competing in the leagues around the UK comprising 16,000 swimmers in 220 galas. To be in a premier league match is a great achievement for the team.'

Facing unknown opposition, the Barracudas rose to the challenge and took the match by storm in an amazing team performance, placing first in no fewer than 19 events.

The gala opened with Barracuda victories in the 100m individual medley events thanks to Rachael Le Page and Jeremy Osborne.

Le Page touched in 1-09.89 and Osborne in a lifetime best of 1-00.16. The latter also went on to win his number one event, the 100m freestyle, in 52.08.

Swimmers are permitted to swim in just two events in their age group, but may swim up in higher age groups.

Thirteen-year-old Victoria Parfit won both her events in the 13-and-under age group and went on to win the 15-and-under age group 100m breaststroke in a time of 1-19.80.

Younger sister Lotte also won both her events in personal best times.

Robyn Le Friec was another lifted by the exciting atmosphere to produce a lifetime best to win the 100m butterfly in 1-05.89 and also place first in the open freestyle.

In the youngest age group, Miles Munro was well clear of the field in his 50m freestyle sprint producing a very impressive 31.83, while Oliver Nightingale made sure that no one was going to overtake him in the 50m backstroke, where he also secured maximum points for the Barracudas.

Edward Dickinson had the swim of his life, knocking over two seconds off his personal best time to clock 56.89 in the 15-and-under 100m freestyle.

For the first half of the gala the Barracudas were in first place, with just the team from Hazlemere posing a threat.

The other teams, namely Oxford, Guildford B, Wycombe and Chelmsford, were well behind what was developing into a two-horse race.

The under-11 boys relay team, comprising Munro, Toby Belton, Nightingale and George Moss, won both their races, taking the touch from Hazlemere.

The team of Matthew Allen, James Jurkiewicz, Jacob Cherry and Dickinson looked impressive recording 1-45.89 in the freestyle and 2-00.54 in the medley relay.

The senior boys' side of Osborne, Ian Hubert, Paul Adkins and Jonathon Le Noury had a clear victory in the medley relay over Oxford.

They were then joined by Ross Yeates and Robert Guilbert to win the final event of the match, the open 6x50m freestyle.

The atmosphere was electric - the crowd rose to their feet as Hazlemere and Oxford recorded identical times to place behind the victorious Barracudas - a magnificent finale.