Dorset will be without a team in the National Arena League’s national finals in April for the first time since 2006 after the combined Bournemouth-Ferndown A team failed to qualify via the virtual gala.

The team – swimming as Bournemouth Dolphins A – came fifth in the Premier Division final at Millfield but hung on to fourth place in the league table thanks to their wins in the previous two rounds.

But in the face of rising competition elsewhere, they slipped from eighth last year to 26th in the virtual gala which helps to decide the 20 national qualifiers.

National B final champions City of Cardiff also missed out while even Millfield – third at national level in 2010 – only made the B final this time.

Bournemouth’s cause was not helped by the absence of national age group champion Alan Wong with a back injury, Adrian Todd on international duty with Botswana and two disqualifications in the final block of relays.

They also faced some star-studded opponents, including a Somerset Cheetas team that featured former world champion Katy Sexton and former world record holder Zoe Baker, who is now their coach, 2010 Common-wealth Games silver medallist Antony James for Plymouth Leander and Delhi semi-finalist Ieuan Lloyd (City of Cardiff).

Bournemouth’s only win came from the 13/u boys’ 4x50m freestyle team of Myles Horlock, Ryan McCormack, Jamie Holmes and James Seddon.

The same quartet also came second in their medley relay.

Second places also went to 15/u swimmers Jay Olenicz in the 100m backstroke and Jack Burton in the 100m breaststroke.

Bournemouth achieved 10 third places.

<•>In Division Two, Bournemouth B won their final by 21 points to succeed Seagulls as champions.

But unlike the Christchurch club, the forthcoming Dolphins-Otters merger means they may not be automatically promoted.

Under the current league rules, newly-merged clubs can only keep their top team in its current division with any others having to drop to Division Three.

However, a league meeting next month is expected to consider a rule change which could alter that situation.

The B team’s 13 winners included Izzy Frampton in the women’s and 15/u 100m butterfly, Jamie Gray in the 15/u 100m backstroke and butterfly, Matt Lumley (11/u 50m back), Oscar Esposti (13/u 50m back), Natalie Moore (open 100m back), Steph Hughes (13/u 50m fly) and Noah Vides (100m breaststroke).