LANCASHIRE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS
I know I keep saying it but another fantastic meet at the Lancashire Championships held at the Manchester Aquatic Centre over the two weekends in March. In total the Southport swimmers won 105 medals and gained a further 107, 4 – 8th positions. In doing so Southport Swimming Club won the top overall age group (9 -16yrs) club award, only the second time the club have ever won it. The first was back in 1971 when there was only small clubs around and not the big squads we compete against today. At the championships the club had about the same amount of swimmers as last year but then we won 74 medals and 89, 4-8th positions. Just to show it’s not only our volume who qualify but also the quality of the swimmers we have and the improvement they are making. Again in a number of the events we had all three swimmers in their age groups on the medal rostrum, taking a clean sweep of medals. The top overall swimmers in the bagcat awards for their age groups, which go up to 13girls and 14 boys we had a number of swimmers on the podium. 9yr girls 1st Amy Carroll, 2nd Holly Hibbot, 10yr girls 3rd Olivia Disley, 12yr girls 3rd Lauren Cheston, 10yr boys 1st Dan Boal, 3rd Ethan Clark 11yr boys 1st Josh Moniz 2nd Jack Swainson and 14yr boys 2nd Jack Scott. More to the point for all the swimmers who took part there was some fantastic PB’s and well done to you all that competed. There was also a number of further National Qualification times obtained by a number of swimmers. Laura Hyland on her 100m breaststroke, Jack Scott on the 100m Freestyle, Charlotte Disley on the 200m backstroke, Lauren Cheston 100 and 400 freestyle, 200 indiv medlay and 100m breaststroke, Josh Moniz on the 100, 200 and 400 freestyle. Along with numerous North West qualifiers some for the first time who have worked hard and competed well to obtain them, Charlotte Cassleton, Lauren Whiteside, Joanne Whittington plus all the young 10yr olds who will be there for the first time. Well done everyone who competed.

NORTH LANCS SENIOR LEAGUE DIVISION 1
After two rounds one at Fleetwood and the other at Dunes I’m pleased to say after winning both comfortably we are on track to retain the first division title for the second year running.

NORTH LANCS SENIOR LEAGUE DIVISION 2
We have swam in three rounds in this league. The first at Blackpool, where we were narrowly beaten into second place by the home side, but we finished well ahead of the other two teams. This was a good result seeing the team only got promoted in 2008 into this division. The second match was our home fixture, which in a tightly fought gala we got our revenge and beat Blackpool, again leaving the other clubs some way behind. In the third gala at Clitheroe the club side again won, but only by one point over last years relegated team from Division 1, Chorley Marlins. These fantastic results put us in joint top position of Division 2, neck and neck with Blackpool with one round to go.