SEAGULLS are firmly on course to succeed Poole as Division One champions after a thumping 90-point victory in their first round gala at Exeter.

The Christchurch table-toppers’ new Bournemouth Collegiate School contingent contributed heavily to the points tally as Seagulls racked up 33 wins and 12 second places, finishing out of the top two only five times in 50 races.

European Youth Olympics finalist Jessie Foster, 13, won the women’s 100m breaststroke (1:15.53) and freestyle (1:02.60) as well as the 50m breaststroke in her own 13/u age group.

Fellow former Somerset Cheetas Zak and Beth Aitchison and Bea Brett notched five individual wins between them, Zak taking the 13/u 50m breaststroke and freestyle, Beth the 15/u 100m breaststroke and open 100m medley, Brett the 11/u 50m backstroke.

Other double winners were Zoe Gannaway and Christian Tai in the girls’ and boys’ 11/u 50m butterfly and freestyle and Chris Campbell in the men’s 100m medley and butterfly.

Individual winners also included Matthew Folland in the 11/u 50m breaststroke, Bethany Folland in the 13/u 50m backstroke, Ellie Kerslake in the 15/u 100m back, Mikey Kingsley and Chris Gannaway in the boys’ 15/u 100m back and freestyle respectively and former City of Guildford swimmer Emilia Taylor in the women’s 100m back.

Seagulls won 13 of the 16 relays and came second in the other three.