Sharks off to a flying start.

Tigersharks set out their stall in the 1st round of the Moonraker Winter League with storming performances by their 3 teams in the 39 event relay competition on Saturday night.

The top gala at the Link Centre featured the 6 teams likely to contest the Winter League final in March 2006- Chippenham, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Swindon Dolphin A, Swindon Dolphin B & Tigersharks A- with the young sharks going into a lead over the opposition as early as Event 3 & which was extended to 20 gala points on the night at the close.

The sharks claimed 20 top finishes in the 39 event competition & amassed an amazing 96 personal best performances to leave the opposition in their wake. The U15 boys quartet of Alex Jones, Dean Williamson, James Magness & Matthew Jones maintained their unbroken record of wins & this was matched by their female counterparts – Natalie Montezuma, Sophie Hawkins, Stacey Wood, Siobhan Tierney & Hayley Towner. The U17 boys team of Aaron Lee, Frankie Peters, Shaun Bracey, James Magness, Alex Jones & Dean Williamson also showed a clean pair of heels in all of their events. The boys squadron fly team of Jason Butt, Dean Williamson, Aaron Lee & Grant Turner and the squadron breaststroke team of Ciaran Alstowe, Dean Williamson, Frankie Peters & Team Captain Grant Turner also touched home in first place. The final event- the exciting mixed 8x1 Cannon Freestyle relay- sealed the Sharks victory on the night with Rosemary Broad, Jason Butt, Sophie Hawkins, Alex Jones, Jazz Carlin, Shaun Bracey, Hayley Wood & Grant Turner touching home in first position.

A resurgent Tigersharks B team made the trip to Trowbridge and secured a 30 point winning margin over local rivals Wootton Bassett- this despite having 3 disqualifications for faulty backstroke takeovers when the Sharks headed the opposition home. The Sharks secured 16 1 st places & 14 2nd places in the 39 event competition & almost matched their A team counterparts recording 92 personal best performances. The Sharks Open swimmers led from the front recording victories in all their events. Club Captain Jonathon Lee & Team Captain Vicky Smith were joined by Craig Roberts, Craig Bull, Dave Quinliven & Daniel Butt in the boys & Anna Hanley, Stephanie Millin, Alissa Johnson, Gemma Jones, Hannah Brown, Jess Shakles & Danielle Harris in the girls to secure the points.

The girls U13 quartet of Briony Merritt, Faye Millin, Alex Lee, Olivia Gingell & Aisha Lewis headed the field home in the backstroke & freestyle relays with the U15 girls team of Stephanie Millin, Alissa Johnson, Gemma Jones, Hannah Brown & Danielle Harris going one better than their younger team mates by also winning the breaststroke relay. The U17 girls also secured victory in the breaststroke & the boys U17 team of Ben Tanner, Kieran Mycock, Daniel Butt & Kris Langley touched home ahead of the field in the backstroke. The B team matched their A team counterparts by securing victory in the cannon freestyle with Alex Lee, Jacob Roberts, Hannah Brown, Tim Newcombe, Stephanie Millin, Kris Langley, Vicky Smith & Craig Bull romping home for victory.

A very young Tigersharks C journeyed to Tidworth & put in a sterling performance to edge Corsham B for 2nd place on the night behind a very accomplished Trowbridge B team. The sharks scored 17 second places and outdid their A & B team counterparts by recording a staggering 107 personal best times & the cannon freestyle team of Melissa Cheetham, Matthew wood, Emma Wakefield, Sam Jones, Louise Wadsworth, Iain Fitzpatrick, Claudia Larsson & Daniel Forder recorded a very creditable 2 nd place.

This was a tremendous night for the Sharks who look likely to head the Winter League Table once all the times have been filtered in from all the competing Clubs.

Final gala points

Link Centre
Tigersharks A 199
Swindon Dolphin A 179
Trowbridge 149
Swindon Dolphin B 148
Chippenham 82
Bradford-on-Avon 61

Trowbridge
Tigersharks B 155
Wootton Bassett A 125
Warminster A 119
Westbury A 103
Devizes A 69

Tidworth
Trowbridge B 154
Tigersharks C 90
Corsham B 83
Marlborough B 57