Under Strength Dolphin Stay in Touch

Date: Saturday 30 June 2007 Location: Link Centre Event: Moonraker Summer League Round 2 – Division 1

A depleted Swindon Dolphin A team were pipped by four points by local rivals Tigersharks in the second round of the Moonraker Summer League. Trowbridge gave both teams a run for their money in finishing third, with Dolphin B, also under strength, coming in fourth. Following a tie in the opening round, Dolphin now trail Tigersharks by four points in Division 1 at the half way stage of the competition.

A Team – Jon Audis

A win by Jon Audis in the opening event gave Dolphin an early lead, but this was to be the only time they held the advantage all evening. On a night in which Dolphin A clocked up 19 first places, Audis was the most successful Dolphin swimmer with a total of three individual wins and two relay successes in the Boys’ Open group.

Liam Herbert was not far behind with four first places, two in individual events and two with the boys’ U/14 relay team. The boys’ U/12 relay quartet were also unbeaten on the night, and there were individual victories too for Sam Berry, James Clark, Charlotte Pitts, Tilly Gray, Tom Iles, Matthew Sambrook and Cathal Westman.

B Team – Niall Westman

A young Dolphin B team, missing the experience of Andi Manley and Nigel Masters, fared less well but still managed to overhaul the A team on a couple of occasions, Dan Rose claiming a second place finish ahead of Mark Tanner in an epic struggle in the Open Fly, and Niall Westman pinching second place by a fingertip from Matthew Sambrook in the U/12 breaststroke.

Result: Tigersharks A – 157 points, Dolphin A – 153 points, Trowbridge – 125 points, Dolphin B – 61 points.

C Team – John Drake

Over at Wootton Bassett, eight wins failed to avert a fourth place finish on the night for Dolphin C, leaving the third string adrift at the foot of Division 4.

John Drake was a four time winner, with two individual wins and a further two with the boys’ Open relay team of Drake, Andrew Holborrow, Andrew Bilko and Matt Rose. There were also wins for Emma Missen, Michelle Bilko and Sam Lofts. The gala also saw the return to the team of Josh Preston, who has recently resumed training after a two year absence.