The three rounds of the National Speedo League give the lie to any notion that swimming isn't really a spectator sport, and Central Pool hosted a typically exciting meet on Saturday.
The Evening Post sponsored-Reading Swimming Club's A team - the club is one of few in the region fielding two in the league - tackled visitors from Surrey, Sussex and their own Berks and South Bucks Association, aiming at least to match 2004's solid mid-table performance when round three is completed just before Christmas.
Surrey's Leatherhead SC were overwhelming pre-meet favourites and established a commanding lead in the opening relays, with no finish below third in the first 10 races.
Reading's Matt Sandell swam a strong second place in the 100 individual medley in 59.70 and the pick of the home team's relay quartets were U/16 freestylers Craig Frankum, Garry Dixon, Alex Macarthur and York Kloeppel with another second spot in the club's unfavoured outside lane.
Annette Hopson, the most experienced of the four girls in the youngest age group, swam a strong backstroke second place, as did Katie Hawkins in the U/14 breaststroke.
A second spot for Louisa Downs in the U/16 butterfly - beaten only by Wycombe's Katie Ambridge, one of the country's top girls in their year in the event - helped Reading to a share of the third place when the running scores were announced after 18 of the 50 heats. Leatherhead looked to have a winning lead already on 89 points, with Wycombe second on 70, the hosts and East Grinstead tied on 63, Brighton slipping on 59 and Amersham struggling on 32
Twelve-year-old Chris Boyce pulled off Reading's first win with a great 100m backstroke in 1.11.96, with Ashley James a strong second in the girls' equivalent. Despite third places for Kristina Paige (U/15 fly) and Russel Korting (open backstroke) Reading slipped to fourth by the meet's midpoint and by event 30 East Grinstead had a lead of nine points in what was clearly going to be a battle for third on the night.
Adam Barrett led the recovery with a 100 fly win in 1.08.30, and Reading hit a purple patch as Downs secured a freestyle second, Dixon won his freestyle in one of the night's closest races in 56.56 and both Leona Jones and Alex Perrin picked up open breaststroke thirds.
Barnaby Kempster, who "swam up" in the U/14 relay teams as well as in his own age group, produced Reading's top 10/11 swim of the night with a 50m freestyle second place in 34.91. Barrett (U/14 freestyle) and York Kloeppel (U/16 breaststroke) matched this and thirds for Amy Kunicki (U/15 breaststroke) and Sandell (open free) saw head coach Graeme Thomas's squad into the closing relays looking secure in third place
The U/16 teams were again the pick, this time swimming medleys, with Naomi Herring leading off Kunicki, Paige and Downs for the girls and Macarthur bringing home the boys as both teams placed second.
League meets close with a six-leg open freestyle relay and Reading fielded what looked its most powerful men's team in some years. Sandell set a cracking pace, covering his two lengths in 24.15, Bruno Bamberger and Rob Knott went well under 26 seconds, Korting and Perrin swam low 26s and Dixon's 26.22 brought the sextet home in third place.
Final scores: 1: Leatherhead 244; 2. Wycombe 191; 3. Reading 178; 4: East Grinstead 168; 5. Brighton 167; 6. Amersham 94.
Reading team
Louisa Downs, Katie Hawkins, Naomi Herring, Annette Hopson, Ashley James, Leona Jones, Isabelle Keenan, Amy Kunicki, Rachael Mills, Georgia O'Brien, Kristina Paige, Frankie Wilkins, Georgie Wilkins, Emma Zadrozny.
Matthew Alderman, Bruno Bamberger, Adam Barrett, Chris Boyce, James Bradley, Garry Dixon, Craig Frankum, Barnaby Kempster, York Kloeppel, Rob Knott, Russel Korting, Alex Macarthur, David Mills, Alex Perrin, Matt Sandell, Callum Willcox
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