Otters match rivals with winning start (From Bournemouth Echo)

Otters match rivals with winning start

6:24pm Wednesday 22nd April 2009

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BOURNEMOUTH Dolphins made a winning start as they launched their bid for a third consecutive Southern Junior League title at Bristol – but neighbours Ferndown Otters scored an equally impressive win.

Otters – runners-up to Bournemouth in the 2007 and 2008 finals and winners themselves in 2006 – faced a tougher line-up of opponents at Bath, including SX3, who were third in 2008.

But they finished 11 points ahead of the Swindon squad and 59 clear of the next nearest challengers, Bradford-upon-Avon.

“It was a tough draw and we were missing a couple of kids due to illness but we still felt we had a very strong team and were very pleased to win,” said Ferndown’s assistant coach Emma Hirst.

Todd Price and Alan Wong were both double winners for Otters, Price winning the 12/u 50m butterfly and freestyle, Wong the 11/u 50m fly and backstroke.

The same age groups also brought individual wins from Noah Vides in the 12/u 50m breaststroke, Harriet Higgins in the 11/u 50m backstroke and Christy Cole in the 11/u 50m breaststroke.

In the 10yrs age group, winners were 50m breaststrokers Luke Stewart and Esme Horton and 50m freestyler Alex Price.

The 9yrs age group also provided three individual wins – from Sam Griffiths (25m freestyle), Tom Andrews (25m breaststroke) and Matthew Collins (25m backstroke).

Ferndown won 11 of the 17 relays.

• Dolphins recorded a comfortable victory at Horfield despite scoring “nil points” in two 9yrs relays due to a shortage of girls in the youngest age group.

Christchurch and New Milton Seagulls were third in the same gala.

Bournemouth’s results included 30 wins and 10 second places in 49 events.

Oscar Esposti and Jack Burton were both double winners, Esposti in the 11/u and 12/u 50m freestyle in 30.80 and 30.92, Burton in the 12/u 50m butterfly and breaststroke (33.34 and 38.42).

The 11/u events proved productive with further wins from 50m backstrokers Beth Foland (37.26) and Ross Webb (37.48), Ryan McCormack (50m butterfly 35.32), Amber Wells (50m freestyle 32.70) and Jamie Holmes (50m breaststroke 21.13).

In the 10yrs events, wins came from Olivia Stubbington in the 50m breaststroke (48.92) and 50m freestylers Jasmine Holmes (35.09) and Tom Kingham (31.51).

Other winners were 12/u swimmers Sophie Cook (50m freestyle 31.42) and Lisa Devine (50m breaststroke 40.61) and nine-year-olds Matt Foland (25m freestyle 18.39) and Chris Parsons (25m butterfly 19.92).

• A Poole team missing swimmers at a training camp in St Tropez inevitably struggled at Keynsham, where they could not even contest seven events.

Harrison Moore provided two of their five wins in the 10yrs 50m breaststroke (46.31) and butterfly (39.22).

Other winners were Kieran Olenicz in the 10yrs 50m backstroke (39.22) and the girls’ 11/u and 12/u medley teams of Georgina Tucker, Sophie Eaton, Jessica Stott and Jade Norman and Heather Buchanan, Sarah Mills, Emma Marjason and Sophie Anwyll.

Results – At Bath: Ferndown 248, SX3 A 237, Bradford-upon-Avon 189, Thornbury 143, Tornadoes of S Dorset 139, N Dorset Turbos 54.

At Keynsham: Chard 220, Keynsham 209, Bristol North 158, Weymouth 142, Bristol Central 129, Poole 118.

At Weston-super-Mare: Weston 262, Southwold 253, SX3 B 207, Clayesmore 109, Melksham 100, Wells & Shepton Mallet 73.

At Horfield, Bristol: Bournemouth Dolphins 207, Soundwell 146, Seagulls 122, Bristol Henleaze 114, City of Newport 111.

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