Arena League Division 3 Final 10 Dec 2011 at Hutton Moor
The joint team of Lydney and Cinderford swimming Clubs were in the A final of Division 3 of the Arena League at Hutton Moor, Weston. With 8 teams competing the evening opened with Nia Westlake winning the 100m IM, Jacob Salisbury achieved a new PB just being touched into 2nd place.
Nya Levy and Lydia Penn improved on their freestyle time on the first leg of the relay and Lauren Mitchell improved on her backstroke relay leg. A strong boys’ relay team of Thomas Butcher, Luke Mills, Max Turner and Andrew Cole won their race convincingly by 4 sec. After the first set of relays Lydney/Cinderford were just 1 point behind leaders Ilfracombe.
With another 8 races swam the team kept in contention: an improved time by Luke Mills giving him 2nd place and Jess Bayliss swam to a 2 sec PB in the breaststroke, Matthew Garland shaved a second off his 100m backstroke and Jacob Salisbury took 1½ seconds off his butterfly time to take 2nd place.
Maddie Worgan swam to a new PB in the 50m butterfly before taking 2nd spot in the 50m breaststroke with a new PB. Luke Mills achieved a PB on his 50m breaststroke time, Josh Peck knocked time off his 100m freestyle and Lauren Watkins improved her 50m freestyle.
By race 42 before the final relays Lydney/Cinderford were holding on to 2nd place with Cirencester and Tiverton close behind with only 12 points separating these 3 teams. The 11 year old boys’ teams owned the freestyle relay touching in first place again 4 sec ahead of the rest of the field. The last race of the day – the Open 50m relay consisting of Nathan Peck, Billy Harris, Louis Salisbury, Dean Embling, Jacob Salisbury and Sam Thomas did not disappoint, in a very close race they touched in first place to rapturous applause.
The final points were:
1st Ilfracombe 315
2nd Lydney/Cinderford 254
3rd Tiverton 249
4th Cirencester 234
5th Bristol Penguins 213
6th Bishopsworth 206
7th Bridport 175
8th Exmouth 149