Saturday’s second round of the 2005 Thames Valley Junior League pitted Reading Swimming Club against strong opposition at Amersham’s Chiltern Pool. The gala brought together the teams standing first, third, fifth, seventh and ninth overall, with Reading ninth in January’s first round despite a brave effort by a patched-up team.

The Evening Post-sponsored club was able to field a much stronger squad this time out, boosted by the return of three boys and two girls who had understandably preferred to tackle one of the country’s top age group meets in Sheffield in January.

All five were in action in the opening medley relays in the 12 years age group and immediately in good form. Matteo Spanu, Callum Willcox and Chris Boyce joined Jason Passmore, breaststroke winner in round one, to win their event in 1:09.95.

Reading’s other two round-one individual winners, Annette Hopson and Katie Hawkins, placed third alongside the returning Rachael Mills and Frankie Wilkins in their medley.

The programme consisted as always of 24 individual 50-metre events and 19 relays, and Reading produced improved times in no fewer than 19 of the individual swims. Spanu and Boyce starred in the boys’ team, winning the freestyle in 33.27 and the fly in 34.65 respectively. Passmore placed second in the breaststroke and Willcox third in the back as the quartet shared the solo swims, and they capped their fine evening by adding a freestyle relay win to their medley success.

James Bradley and David Mills supplied further highlights in the 11 years group, runners up in the backstroke and free, with Mills also third in the fly – as was Will Tyrrell in the 10s fly.

The youngest boys shone in both relays, where Sam Robinson, Jodhvir Sidhu, Joe Tichband and Jacob Lancashire placed second in their medley and Sidhu, Tichband, Lancashire and Andrew Jukes second in the freestyle.

Jukes and Sidhu joined Kate Metalli and Natalie Hawkins for third place in the 9s mixed medley – with a second leg of freestyle replacing the butterfly in this age group.

Hopson was Reading’s sole winner in the girls’ programme, taking the 12s backstroke in 40.21, with the next best effort coming from Katie Hawkins who placed second in their year’s breaststroke. Hopson, taking her maximum two solo swims, produced another third spot in the fly, as did Frankie Wilkins in the 12s back.

Reading’s coaches - with much-appreciated help on the night from club captains David Thomas and Lauren Macarthur - also singled out a solid 50m breaststroke PB from teaching programme member Georgina Wilkins, third in the 10s age group.

Reading placed fourth on the night and the result puts them in the league’s B final on 9^th April, at a venue to be decided. However, they finished well ahead of the team going into Saturday’s meet two places ahead of them and close to the one four places better beforehand, so they will be hoping to repeat 2003’s B final win.

Final scores:
1. Windsor 182
2. Amersham 139
3. Chesham 106
4. Reading 101
5. Chalfont 91.

Reading team:
Natalie Cawthorne; Katie Hawkins; Natalie Hawkins; Annette Hopson; Isobel Keenan; Jenny Martin; Kate Metalli; Rachael Mills; Emily Nichols; Bethany Staley; Frankie Wilkins; Georgie Wilkins.

Matthew Alderman; Chris Boyce; James Bradley; Sebastian Cutler; Andrew Jukes; Barnaby Kempster; Jacob Lancashire; David Mills; Jason Passmore; Jodhvir Sidhu; Jeremy Spanu; Matteo Spanu; Sam Robinson; Joe Tichband; Will Tyrrell; Callum Willcox.

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