swimmers storm to fourth place in final

BRIDGWATER Swimming Club finished fourth in the Cotswold Series, their highest placing for eight years, after another fine performance in the final.

Six of the eight teams competing, including Bridgwater, had a chance of winning and, knowing that it would be close, the local club really raised their game.

Once again, Rachael Barr got the club started with an exceptional swim in the first event, the individual medley, taking second place and smashing her personal-best time.

Joseph Seal (100 IM), in only his second gala since his return to competitive swimming, also put on a good display and recorded a pb Greg Kyd (100 IM), Kim Taylor (25 free) and Adam Biddiscombe (25 free) made it three personal-best times in a row for Bridgwater, while Adrian Shureskumar finished off the first block of individual events with an impressive swim and pb in the 100 fly.

In the first lot of relays, the boys' U-11 medley team (Tom Holder, Will Hooper, Charlie Cooksley and Adam Biddiscombe), the girls' U-13 freestyle squad (Jess Barham, Emma Trunks, Alicia Symes and Amy Pring) and the boys' U-13 free team (Matthew Chapman, Adam Carthew, Scott Gibbs and Nick Constable) all recorded times faster than in the previous three years.

The U-11 boys' team notched up the club's first win of the evening.

Next, there were four pbs in a row: from Alicia Symes (100 back crawl); Nick Constable (100 back crawl); Kim Taylor (25 fly) and Charlie Cooksley (25 fly).

The second group of relays produced two more club-best times, by the U-15 girls (Amy Pring, Rachael Barr, Jess Fournier and Hayley McArthur) and the ladies' open team (Alicia Symes, Rachael Barr, Amy Anderson and Jess Barham).

Hannah Symes recorded a pb in the girls' 25 back crawl, while Tom Holder followed up with another best time in the boys' event for Bridgwater's second and final win of the gala.

Greg Kyd was involved in one of the closest and most exciting races, which went right to the end. He just missed out on the victory, but recorded an amazing pb in the 100 breaststroke.

There were more club-best times in the third bout of relays this time, through the U-11 free team of Will Hooper, Tom Holder, Oliver Willis and Adam Biddiscombe and the U-13 girls' medley squad, Alicia Symes, Amy Pring, Jess Barham and Emma Trunks.

Will Hooper clocked Bridgwater's final personal best of the evening, in the boys' 25 breaststroke. Then, in the final bout of relays, there were two more club-best times, by the U-15 girls' free team (Amy Pring, Hayley McArthur, Jess Fournier and Rachael Barr) and boys' U-15 free squad (Adam Parchment, Luke Parchment, Nick Constable and Joseph Seal).

The club recorded 16 personal-best times and nine relay best.

Final points (in reverse order): Stroud 182, Bristol Penguins 185, Cinderford 206, Lydney 215, Bridgwater 249, Bishopsworth 250, Bristol Henleaze 275, Cheltenham 304.

Head coach Ricky Hayes said afterwards: "It was a great gala and the team spirit was excellent. Although we didn't win the series, we went to challenge and definitely did that."

The only time in the last decade that Bridgwater have finished higher in the Cotswold Series was 1999, when they won it.

Bridgwater Mercury 12:31pm Friday 25th May 2007