SWIMMERS from Cleethorpes and District Swimming Club (CADS) hit the road in their bid for success in the pool.
The majority of the club's members headed off to Chesterfield to contest a Level Three meet with a few journeying north to Sunderland to take part in the Level One ASANER 25m district age group championships.
Sunderland's impressive 50m facility was split into two 25m pools to allow for the two age group championships to be held simultaneously.
Just four CADs swimmers took part in the younger age group championships, with six more of the club's members taking part in the oddly named 'Senior Juniors' youth championships.
The tough qualifying times required meant CADs' small teams were always going to be up against it, however the younger age group swimmers were able to set several new lifetime bests.
Joe Basdeo-Taylor made significant improvements in many of the events he took part in.
Most impressive was a six-second improvement in the 200m individual medley. He also broke into the top ten in his age group with an eighth-placed finish in the 200m backstroke.
Clubmate Robert Wells swam an impressive 1m 28.83s in the 100m backstroke but, such was the high standard at Sunderland, this ranked him 16th.
The two younger CADs girls; Jodie Unwin and Ellie Buxton, also found the competition tough, despite setting several new personal bests.
Buxton did come home with a district silver medal by virtue of a second place finish in the 10 years 400m individual medley.
Oliver Webster – already a national age group breaststroke qualifier – came agonisingly close to making the 100 metre breaststroke final on the Sunday as he finished in a time of 1m 10.31s in 12th place – just 0.26 seconds outside the required top ten position.
Over at Chesterfield, the 36-strong CADs team collectively racked up thirty first-place, 30 second-place and 27 third-placed finishes during two long days of competition.
Two CADs swimmers were recognised for their overall performance with Caitlin Bower (nine first places) and Lucy Krofchak (eight first places) being awarded Top Girl and runner-up respectively for their performance over the two days.
The club's swimmers set 123 new personal bests in total with 56 of those being greater than a three-second improvement.
George Barber took 4.89s from his personal best to take first place in the 11 year boys 200m individual medley, and also broke the three-minute barrier.
Elsewhere, Jyothi Cross' 100m fly time of 1m 25.75s caught the eye as she also secured first place in the girls' 11 years category while Grace Niblock came first in the 100 metre breaststroke in the same age group.
Nine-year-old Charlie Oliver broke the four-minute threshold in the 200m butterfly for the first time as he took top step on the medal podium while club-mate Nathan Wood hacked 8.5 seconds from his own 200m butterfly time to also claim first place in his age category in a new personal best time of 3m 03.09s.
Eleven-year-old Freya Davies also secured 2013 ASANER District qualifying times in both the 100 and 200 metre backstroke events for next June's prestigious event.
Roll of honour
First-place finishes
George Barber (11) 200M IM; Caitlin Bower (15) 50 Back, 200 Back, 50 Breast, 200 Breast, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 50 Free, 400 Free & 200 I.M; Sophie Cragg (14) 200 Free, 400 Free, 200 I.M; Jyothi Cross (11) 100 Butterfly; Lucy Krofchak (10) 50 Back, 50 Breast, 200 Breast, 50,100, 200 Fly, 50 Free & 200 I.M; Grace Lister (12) 50, 100, 200 Back; Grace Niblock (10) 100M Breast;Samara Nurse (16) 100 & 200M Free; Charlie Oliver (9) 200M Butterfly; Nathan Wood (12) 200M Butterfly.
Second-place finishes
George Barber (11) 200 Back, 100 & 400 Free; Bryony Bower (14) 100 & 200 Back; Caitlin Bower (15) 100 Back, 100 & 200M Free; Georgia Cragg (16) 100 & 200M Breast; Sophie Cragg (14) 50 Free; Jyothi Cross (11) 200 Butterfly; Freya Davies (11) 50 Back, 50 & 100M Free; Lucy Krofchak (10) 100 Free; Grace Lister (12) 200 Butterfly & 400 free; Samara Nurse (16) 50M Free & 200M I.M; Charlie Oliver (9) 200 Breast & 50 Free; Kieran Sharman (14) 200M butterfly; Nathan Sharman (14) 50 Back, 50 Free & 400 Free; Hattie Talbot (10) 200M Butterfly; Nathan Wood (12) 200 Back; Lucy Woodliffe (9) 50 & 200M Free.
Third-place finishes
Bryony Bower (14) 200 I.M; Zach Clarke (11) 50 Back; Georgia Cragg (16) 200 I.M; Sophie Cragg (14) 200 Breast & 100 Free; Freya Davies (11) 100 & 200 Back, 50 Butterfly & 200M Free; Harrison Davies (16) 50 & 200 Back; Lucy Krofchak (10) 200 Back & 200 Free; Grace Lister (12) 100 & 200 Free; Samara Nurse (16) 200 Back & 50 Butterfly; Charlie Oliver (9) 50 Breast & 50 Butterfly; Kieran Sharman (14) 400 Free; Nathan Sharman (14) 100 Back & 200 Free; Jessica Skelton (12) 200 Butterfly; Hattie Talbot (10) 50 & 100 Butterfly; Sophie Wilkinson (9) 50 Back & 50 Breast.
