Chris Boyce, Alex Macarthur and Russel Korting starred as individual winners as Reading’s A team swam well away from home in the first round of 2004’s National Speedo League at Brighton.

The league sees around 12,000 swimmers from almost 400 clubs take part across the country, with Reading in the South’s Premier Division.

The Evening Post-sponsored team enjoyed its most successful league season for several years in 2003. After two years just above relegation – four teams out of 18 face the drop come December in a tough format – Reading secured a comfortable equal ninth place last time round, and Head Coach Graeme Thomas and his staff are looking to build on that in 2004.

Big guns Beckenham looked certainties to win on paper, with Kingston also known to be a strong side and the hosts having home pool advantage. Promoted Herne Bay were an unknown quantity, with Jersey Tigers posting time trial results as costs rule out travel to the mainland for more one round. A neutral observer would probably have marked Reading down for fourth place.

In the event, Beckenham did run away with the meet, but Reading exceeded expectations and secured an excellent third spot.

Reading’s young male team – Rob Knott, Andy Flett and Daniel John the old-stagers at 17 – provided many of the best swims, with Boyce and Macarthur both winning their two individual events.

Boyce, 11, as well as "swimming up" with Macarthur, Sam Flory and Adam Barrett to win both relays in the 12/13 category, won both the back and fly events over 50 metres in his own age group (36.01 and 36.54), with a breaststroke second for Callum Willcox also contributing valuable points in that year.

Macarthur, 13, won his 100m back in 1:10.60 and free in 1:02.39 to make it four wins in four starts.

Reading’s other winner was 15-year-old Korting, who took his year’s backstroke event in 1:05.28. Garry Dixon made second in the 14/15 100m fly, and the pair were joined by York Kloeppel and Kristian Statham for second place in the medley relay to go with third in the freestyle.

Three individual second spots and two in the relay were the top swims in Reading’s girls’ squad, which saw welcome returns to competition for Danielle Mason in the open category and Rebecca Alderson in the 14/15 team.

Alderson, Louisa Downs, Leanne Haas and Holly Tanner secured second place in both medley and freestyle relays, with Haas second in her breaststroke and Downs in her fly swim. Amy Kunicki, 13, was second in her year’s 100m back.

Final scores: 1. Beckenham 262; 2. Kingston, 178; 3. Reading 162; 4. Herne Bay 155; 5. Brighton 145; 6. Jersey 141.

Reading team:
Rebecca Alderson; Louisa Downs; Leanne Haas; Katie Hawkins; Ashley James; Leona Jones; Amy Kunicki; Danielle Mason; Rachael Mills; Kristina Paige; Isabella Ramos; Holly Tanner; Kayleigh Taylor; Grace Waldron; Frankie Wilkins; Emma Zadrozny.

Bruno Bamberger; Adam Barrett; Chris Boyce; Garry Dixon; Andy Flett; Sam Flory; Daniel John; York Kloeppel; Robert Knott; Russel Korting; Alex Macarthur; Matteo Spanu; Kristian Statham; James Tichband; Callum Willcox.

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