Tigersharks surge to Summer League Crown

The eagerly anticipated final round of the 2006 Moonraker Summer League lived up to its expectations on Saturday night at the Link Centre. With only one point separating Tigersharks A & Dolphins A after 3 rounds the outcome was always going to go to the wire. The young Sharks were in determined mood and despite being 9 points down on their main rivals, together with a costly disqualification, at the halfway mark they clawed their way back with 15 victories in the last 25 events to overhaul Swindon Dolphin A and claim victory on the night by 2 points. Added to their one point in hand Tigersharks claimed the title by three points from their closest rivals.

The standard of swimming so early in the season was staggering with the Sharks recording 26 first place wins in the 50 event competition and amassing 79 personal best and relay split best times. New Club records were recorded by Eleanor Hussey 11/U 50m Butterfly, Sophie Roberts and Kane Baker 11/U 50m Backstroke, Dean Williamson 15/U 100m Butterfly, Stacey Wood 15/U and Open 100m Butterfly, Jazz Carlin 100m 15/U and Open 100m Frontcrawl.

Jaime King got the Sharks off to winning ways in the Open 100m Individual Medley, closely followed by Eleanor Hussey in the U/12 50m Butterfly. Jazmin Carlin led from start to finish in the Open 100m Backstroke & the U/12 medley quartet of Briony Merritt (BK) Shannon Pink (BR) Eleanor Hussey (FL) & Sophie Roberts (FC). The very dominate boys U/16 Medley team of James Magness (BK), Dean Williamson (BR), Aaron Lee (FL) & Alex Jones (FC) cruised to a very comfortable victory. Victories for Sophie Hawkins U/14 50m Frontcrawl, Stacey Wood Open 100m Butterfly, James Magness & Natalie Montezuma U/16 Backstroke & the girls U/14 medley team of Siobhan Tierney (BK) Sophie Hawkins (BR) Hayley Towner (FL) 7 Rosie Broad (FC) still left the Sharks 9 points adrift from Swindon Dolphin at the half way mark.

Four wins on the trot started the Tigershark claw back with top spots for the girls Open Medley quartet of Natalie Montezuma (BK) Jaime King (BR) Stacey Wood (FL) & Sophie Hawkins (FC), Jason Butt and Eleanor Hussey U/12 Frontcrawl & Aaron Lee U/16 Butterfly. Sophie Hawkins made it a double when she won the U/14 Backstroke & then a further five victories on the bounce – Jaime King Open 100m Breaststroke, Boys U/12 Frontcrawl team of Kane Baker, Thomas Howitt, Oliver Richmond and Jason Butt, Girls U/16 Frontcrawl team of Natalie Montezuma, Stacey Wood, Hayley Towner & Sophie Hawkins and the unbeatable quartet of Aaron Lee, James Magness, Dean Williamson and Alex Jones in the U/16 Frontcrawl team levelled the scores at event 38.

Hayley Towner headed the field home in the girls U/14 Butterfly and the Sharks continued to apply the pressure with wins from Jazz Carlin in the Girls Open 100m Frontcrawl, Kane Baker and Sophie Roberts in the U/12 50m Backstroke & Dean Williamson in the boys U/16 100m Breaststroke so that with 1 event to go Tigersharks had a slender 1 point lead. In the final event of the night the girls Open Frontcrawl team of Natalie Montezuma, Jaime King, Sophie Hawkins & Jazz Carlin, romped to victory to secure a two point win on the night. Added to the one point in hand from the three preceding rounds Tigersharks regained the covetted trophy by a three point margin.

Tigersharks A had won 3 of the 4 rounds and Coach Lesley Leffers has been delighted with the young sharks throughout the competition. ‘Not once did the swimmers let their heads go down and their never say die attitude won out in the end'.

Team Captains Craig Bull and Jazmin Carlin collected the trophy on behalf of the team but this fiercely contested event was played out in an atmosphere of mutual respect from all the competitors with swimming the victor.

Points Totals Division 1

Tigersharks are also celebrating the welcome return of Jazmin Carlin to the club. After a short period with Cardiff jazz has decided Tigersharks is where she needs to be at this time.

Meanwhile both Tigersharks B and D teams were in tumultuous battles of their own. Both teams have performed outstandingly well and have both finished in second place overall in their respective divisions to cement their places for next year.

B team wins came from Matthew Jones U/16 100m Frontcrawl and Back, Lauren Jones U/14 50m Breaststroke, J Alojado U/12 50m Frontcrawl and Backstroke and Michaela Boniface U/12 50m Breaststroke. Relay wins were achieved by Girls U/12 medley team of Becky Healy (BK) Michaela Boniface (BR) Melissa Glass (FL) & J Alojado (FC) and the girls U/16 medley Team of Gemma Jones (BK) Alissa Johnson (BR) Danielle Harris (FL) and Jessica Shakles (FC)

Club Captain Jon Lee was presented with a good luck and thank you gift as he ventures off to University to undertake a course in Physiotherapy. Jon has been an outstanding Club Captain for the past three years and has very successfully managed his own squad for the last 18 months. We wish him the very best of luck.

Points Totals Division 3

Tigersharks would also like to wish Eleanor Hussey (11) the best of luck as she starts her first term at Millfield School . We will miss you Eleanor, see you at Christmas!

Tigershark D team results will be reported on with the C team next week when they have been received by the Summer League secretary.