The Evening Post-sponsored Reading Swimming Club "A" team completed its best season in the National Speedo League since Graeme Thomas took over as head coach four years ago in a thrilling finale to the 2006 league season at Maidenhead's Magnet pool.
For the third year running, Reading A were in the mid-table gala, contesting places seven to 12 in Premier Division South, and aiming to improve on last year's showing when an illness-depleted team limped home sixth on the night at Haslemere.
Six closely matched squads fought out a typically gripping 50-heat meet, with Reading particularly strong in the older age groups.
Matt Sandell set the tone in his opening individual IM swim, taking all six points in 1.00.32, before leading off York Kloeppel, Dan Hester and Garry Dixon for another win in the open medley relay.
The girls' 15 and under freestyle quartet of Zoe Hester, Naomi Herring, Kristina Paige and Amy Kunicki also secured a maximum, Kunicki in a fingertip finish, and the ladies' open medley quartet (Hester, Carole Eyles with a very strong breaststroke swim, Louisa Downs and Holly Tanner), placed a clear second.
With very little to choose between the teams in the first quarter, Reading secured consecutive wins through Callum Willcox in the 12/13 100 breaststroke (1.17.54) and Hester (14/15 100m back in 1.05.71), and brother Dan obliterated the field with a 59.06 100m fly to give Reading a two-point lead after 18 heats but with only eight points covering the first four.
Thomas's charges then hit a purple patch of three wins, a second and a third in consecutive heats.
Chris Boyce set things rolling with a big margin 12/13 backstroke win in 1.08.27, immediately followed by the outstanding Paige in her100 fly, a 14/15 100 fly third place from Adam Barrett, a second for the busy Zoe Hester in the ladies' open 100 back and Sandell's second individual win of the night in the men's back (1.00.01).
Luca Poli gave one of Reading's best 10/11 swims with a 50 breaststroke second place. Paige won her age group 100 free in style, and with 16 events left the meet seemed certain to be between Reading and Herne Bay.
The Kent team, however, stormed ahead in the last batch of individual swims, where only Barnaby Kempster's 10/11 50m free second place and Dan Hester's smooth open 100 free win in 52.08 - a masterclass for youngsters watching - scored significantly.
Herne Bay were over the horizon after the younger swimmers' closing relays, but Reading came good as the 15 and under girls repeated their freestyle success in the medley.
As always the meet closed with six-leg open freestyle relays and Reading finished on a high with 11 of the 12 points on offer.
The ladies (Tanner, Downs, Eyles, Kunicki, Herring and Paige) placed second, and the men's sextet of Sandell, Dan Hester, Andre Cross, Dixon, Kloeppel and Alex Macarthur left everyone trailing - going under 2.30 for the 300 metres and finishing half a length up on second place.
Final scores:
1.Herne Bay 206
2.Reading 187
3.Windsor 181
4.Kingston 170
5.Crawley 153
6.Rushmoor 147
Reading team: Eleanor Cawthorne, Louisa Downs, Carol Eyles, Naomi Herring, Zoe Hester, Amy Kunicki, Ashley Manners, Jenny Martin, Rachael Mills, Kristina Paige, Beth Staley, Holly Tanner, Frankie Wilkins, Georgie Wilkins, Ellie Wood.
Adam Barrett, Chris Boyce, Alex Cawthorne, Niko Ciecierski-Holmes, Andre Cross, Garry Dixon, Dan Hester, Barnaby Kempster, York-Peter Kloeppel, Alex Macarthur, David Mills, Luca Poli, Matt Sandell, James Tichband, Callum Willcox.
Many thanks also to poolside officials Kaeken Kloeppel and Andy Ciecierski.