Swimming: Wycombe District dominate championships (From Bucks Free Press)

Swimming: Wycombe District dominate championships

10:10am Thursday 8th April 2004 in Wanderers

WYCOMBE District Swimming Club dominated the Berks & South Bucks County Championships winning 13 of the 18-event relay gala.

They won the County Men's and Boys Top Club Award for the sixth year running and added the Women's and Girls Top Club Award for the first time, as they made the most of home advantage to be crowned top club in the area.

But they were given a helping hand when championship rivals Amersham had to send a weakened squad because their top swimmers were at a training camp in Lazarote and another, Joelle Jeans, was ill with glandular fever.

But that is to take nothing away from Wycombe.

Katie Ambridge collected the 13 Years Age Group Top Swimmer Award and Robert Matthews-Stroud won the 14 years age group award.

The 13 golds came from the women's open squad of Jeni Howard, Anna Miller, Katie Ambridge, Charlotte Ambridge and Anna Jemielity, who won both the open 4x100m medley and freestyle.

The men's squad of James Crawford, David Ryan, Alex Vine, Scott Simmons and James Poulter did the same in the men's open.

The girls 13/14 years squad of Jeni Howard, Katie Ambridge, Anna Jemielity and Alys Durrant won both the 4x50m medley and freestyle, whilst the girls 15/16 years squad of Charlotte Ambridge and Anna Miller were joined by Clare Penzer, Megan Fell and Emily Campbell in winning their 4x50m freestyle and medley.

Not to be outdone, the boys 15/16 years squad of James Crawford, David Ryan, Scott Mudge and James Poulter also won both their events.

The 13th and final glorious gold medal came from the boys 11/12 years 4x50m medley team of Daniel Crawford, James Stone, Edward Howard and William Philpott.

Now the club, which trains on Tuesday evenings at Handy Cross, are hoping to persuade other youngsters aged seven and above to join the success story.

Anyone interested in joining the club should contact secretary Lesley Hibbert on 01494 511855 for more details.