JUST three points were all that denied the Andover club's swimmers their first victory of the year in the final round of the Speedo League held recently at Gosport.

Despite winning 19 races and finishing second in another 13 the local squad had to settle for second place overall in the 57-event gala behind the host club.

The outstanding effort put in by the local youngsters was highlighted with a further seven personal best times recorded in the individual races and 36 in the relays.

In the 4x25m relays the women's open quartet of Emma Oliver, Sally Dearden, Catherine Shearn and Pippa Gillingham won the medley race, with Emma and Pippa both posting PB's for their legs of the race, and when joined by 13-year-olds Lisa Hayter and Emily Webb they also took top spot in the 6x50m freestyle relay, with Emily and Cahtherine clocking new best times.

In the men's open relays the Andover team of Ian Gallagher, Martyin Price, Darren Buchan and 15-year-old Adam Hayter came an excellent second in the medley race, with Gallagher, Hayter and Buchan all gaining PB's, and with Scott Buchan replacing his brother and joined by 15-year-olds Mark Bugg and Simon Taylor another second spot was gained in the 6x50m freestyle relay, with Hayter, Gallagher, Bugg and Taylor all improving on their previous best times.

In the 15-year-old boys' age group Hayter, Bugg, Scott Buchan and Taylor recorded another double triumph for the Andover club when winning both their medley and freestyle races, with Bugg, Buchan and Hayter all returning new best times.

In the events for 13-year-old girls the Andover team of Lisa Hayter, Emily Webb, Sarah Curtis and Amy Sambell won the medley relay, with Sarah and Amy both posting new personal bests, and when new girl Rebecca Sherlock replaced Lisa for the freestyle event the Andover squad came home second, with Sarah and Amy once again clocking new bets.

In the youngest age group 11-year-olds Charlotte Crosby, Virginia Allen-Walker, Lauren Salkeld and Victoria Kenyon were unbeatable in both their races, with PB's swum by Charlotte, Virginia and Victoria, while in the 11-year-old boys squad James McEwan, Chris Page, Chris Martion and Ross Sherwood won the medley relay, with PB's coming from Martin and Sherwood.

In the individual races Sally Dearden was in a class of her own with victories in both the women's 4x25m individual medley (IM) and 100m backstroke while in the 100m breaststroke Emma Oliver recorded another excellent victory for the town club and Pippa Gillingham was a close second in the 100m freestyle.

In the men's open events Darren Scott came second in both his IM and 100m breaststroke races whilst Martyn Price took top honours in his 100m freestyle race. In the 15-year-old boys' age group Adam Hayter clocked up another double triumph by winning the 100m backstroke and butterfly and Scott Buchan won the 100m freestyle with seconds to spare whilst in the 15-year-old girls races Lisa Hayter was second in both her 100m backstroke and freestyle races.

In the 13-year-old girls' events Lisa Hayter was in action yet again with another second place in the 100m backstroke as was Sarah Curtis in the 100m breaststroke and butterfly, with a new PB of 1:43.03s for the latter. In the 100m freestyle Rebecca Sherlock came second in a PB of 1:17.03s whilst for the boys Alex Sherwood took second spot in his 100m backstroke vent.

It was in the 11 years age group where Andover had most individual PB's with Charlotte Crosby taking top places in both her 50m backstroke and butterfly races with new bests of 38.76s and 41.63s respectively. Virginia Allen-Walker did likewise with yet another improvement with 46.79s in her 50m breaststroke event while for the boys Chris Martin won the 50m freestyle and Chris Page had a new PB of 57.03s for second in the 50m breaststroke, During the evening further PB's were also recorded by Alec Sherwood, Rhys Martin and Robert Lovelock.

Gala result: 1st Gosport, 149pts; 2nd Andover, 146pts; 3rd Southampton 'B', 112pts; 4th Romsey & Totton 'B', 74pts.