Worcester Swimming Club got off to a terrific start in the Winter League on Saturday 16^th January with the "A" team totally dominating their gala and the "B" team putting up a terrific, battling performance for joint 2nd place. 

In the "A" team gala, the swimmers won 24 of the 40 events - including 6 of the 8 relays - to finish comfortably clear of the other teams.  The final points were Worcester 209, Redditch 162, Stourbridge "B" 143, Haden Hill 142, Perry Beeches 100 & Ludlow 82. 

In the 11/U age group, Chloe Mabbett showed real determination to record two fingertip victories in the 50m Backstroke & Freestyle while new team mate Caitlin Adair, on debut, delivered a hugely impressive 42.03 to win the 50m Breaststroke.

In the 13/U age group, Cara Lee showed her class, cruising to easy victories in the 100m Backstroke & Freestyle while Alice O'Toole stormed to first place in the 100m Butterfly - before then stepping up an age group to also win the 15/U 100m Backstroke.

Alice's win was part of a clean sweep by the Girls in the 15/U's with Sarah Cowin (Breaststroke) and Tabitha Monkhouse (Freestyle & Butterfly) earning valuable points for the team.  Tabitha also won a third event, the Open 100m Breaststroke, with Hollie Horton adding the Open Backstroke & Freestyle.

The boys were no less successful.  Mike Adair enjoyed probably the biggest win of the night in the 13/U 100m Backstroke while there were also comfortable first places for Daniel Adair, Greg Everest & Jonathan Edwards in the 15/U 100 Butterfly, Backstroke & Freestyle respectively.

In the Men's Open age group, the standard was exceptionally high and only Sergey Mandradzhiyski managed a first place with a blistering 52.59 in the 100m Freestyle - though his 60.72 in the 100m Backstroke and his brother Ivo's 59.75 in the 100m Butterfly were no less impressive.

For the "B" team, drawn against the powerful Stourbridge "A" team, victories were much harder to come by with just three first places achieved.

Matthew Rochell was on top form to win the Boys 13/U 100m Backstroke while Eloise van Vuren produced a fine early season performance to win the Girls Open 100m Freestyle in 1.01.92. 

However, the swims of the night came from Luke McCluskey.  He destroyed his old PB to win the 15/U 100m Backstroke in a sensational 1.07.72 - before smashing another PB with 1.08.60 for second place in the 100m Butterfly. 

Other "B" team swimmers to catch the eye were the Lovesey twins with Kate recording an excellent 1.30.11 for second place in the 13/U 100m Breaststroke and sister Emma a stunning 1.09.95 in the 100m Freestyle - while Becky Hodson knocked almost 3 seconds off her 100m Freestyle PB to record a superb 1.07.55 in the 15/U event. 

The final points were Stourbridge "A" 227, Worcester "B" 162, Hereford 162, Orion 139 & Broadway 96.