The Alive St James Swimming Pool in King’s Lynn played host to the second round of the National Arena Swimming League’s East Midlands Premier Division, providing West Norfolk Swimming Club with a home fixture.
Also drawn to compete at St James’ were both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams from the City of Cambridge; Dereham Otters; Bedfordshire-based Modernians SC and Milton Keynes – although the latter was ultimately unable to make the journey to compete.
A strong start for West Norfolk saw five second places finishes and a third from the opening six events. However Cambridge A’s stranglehold of first places meant that a race win initially looked elusive until Ruby Baxter broke the duck by dominating the 11 Years Girls 50 Metre Backstroke, coming home over one and a half seconds clear of the rest of the field.
Sarah Vanderloo’s swimmers then settled back into a comfortable run of strong points scoring finishes, still looking for an opportunity to chip away at the Cambridge machine.
Further second place spots, and with them 5 gala points-a-go, were secured by Eloise Collins; Erin Woodrow; Olivia Bradford; Samuel Liddell and Rhys Burrell to add to those previously earned by Sarah O’Brien; Nathan Wells and the opening relay teams.
Third places in the opening twenty one races came courtesy of Joshua Jones; Nathan Yeaman; Joseph Wells; Daisy Stimpson and Jamie Wilson.
Just past the halfway point of the evening, with the Men’s 100M Backstroke 22nd of 42, Nathan Wells finally chalked up a second win for West Norfolk; followed shortly afterwards by Wilson (13 Years Boy’s 100M Butterfly); O’Brien (Women’s 100M Breaststroke) and Freddie Laws (Men’s 100M Breaststroke) in amongst further podium finishes from Polly Anderson; Woodrow and Adam Jackson.
West Norfolk continued to rack up the points In the lead into the closing relays with further top-three placings from Baxter; Liddell; Collins; Jones; Pemberley Hornigold; Burrell and Nathan Wells.
As the gala drew to it’s close the 11 Year’s Mixed Medley Relay team of Anderson; Jackson; Bradford and Liddell scored a second place finish, before a third place in the 13 Year’s 4x50M Freestyle from Jones; Wilson; Collins and Stimpson.
The Mixed Medley for the 15 Year’s category saw another third place from the team of Chloe Bellamy; Burrell; Woodrow and Thomas Garnett.
Finally the Open Age Group 4x50M Freestyle saw Laws; Molly Lee; O’Brien and Nathan Wells close out West Norfolk’s night with yet another second place.
With the second round complete West Norfolk find themselves sat 8th in the 24-team league table, between the two Lincoln-based teams of Lincoln Pentaqua and Lincoln Vulcans, who look set to provide the principal opposition in the third round fixture scheduled for 10th December.
Final standings – East Midlands Premier Division – King’s Lynn
City of Cambridge ‘A’ – 242 points
West Norfolk – 184 points
City of Cambridge ‘B’ – 164 points
Modernians – 155 points
Dereham – 89 points
City of Milton Keynes – n/a
