POOLE and Swim Bournemouth made flying starts to the National Arena League season with second places behind two of the best in the west.

The head coach at Poole, Barry Alldrick, hopes to improve on last year’s 10th place by making the South West’s Premier Division final in December.

That would require a top-eight placing after two rounds and Poole are on course after claiming runner-up spot behind a City of Cardiff team led by Olympic swimmer Ieuan Lloyd.

Poole’s 11-year-old boys – already the south west medley relay champions – provided four of Poole’s eight wins at Millfield.

Robbie Hemmings won the 11-and-under 50m butterfly and backstroke and Tom Cutbush the 50m freestyle. They were joined by Will Longhurst and Ryan Openshaw to win the 4x50m medley relay.

British age group champion Jacob Peters won the 15-and-under 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle while Harriet Perfect took the girls’ 100m backstroke in the same age group.

In the 13-and-under events, Jess Kelleway carved six seconds off her personal best to win the 100m butterfly.

Result: 1 City of Cardiff 275, 2 Poole 203, 3 Soundwell 171, 4 Yeovil 151, 5 Weston-super-Mare 150, 6 Carn Brea 100.

• At Newport, Swim Bournemouth made their best Arena League start to date with second place behind Millfield.

Swim Bournemouth finished out of the top three only six times in 50 events and their scalps included Taunton Deane, who were third in the 2013 national final.

Head coach Emma Richards said: “It was a fantastic result, especially as we had eight swimmers missing for this round."

Jess Richens set the tone for Swim Bournemouth with a one-second personal best in the first event, the women’s 200m individual medley. She went on to win the 100m butterfly.

Amy Brown was a double winner in the 11-and-under 50m backstroke and 50m breaststroke.

The 11-and-under boys’ team of Archie Corbin, Finn Pardy, Max Lanning and Milo Treloar won their freestyle relay.

• In Division One, Seagulls and Swim Bournemouth B came fourth and fifth, respectively, in a seven-team gala at Horfield, Bristol.

James Richardson contributed to all three of Seagulls’ wins, taking the 13-and-under 100m breaststroke and teaming up with Jacob O’Hara, Miles Ward and Freddie Porter to win both boys’ relays in the age group.

Bournemouth’s only winners were the girls’ 15-and-under medley team of Fran Gallimore, Abby Manns, Danielle Case and Maddy Warmer.

Result: 1 Bristol United 316, 2 Street 311, 3 Swansea 295, 4 Seagulls 242, 5 Swim Bournemouth B 232, 6 Bristol Central 188, 7 Bath 167. DNS: Caradon.