VALIANT CRUSADERS RUNNERS-UP IN FINAL ROUND

A PACKED gallery at Tiddenfoot witnessed an exciting Final Round of the Junior League which saw Linslade Crusaders securing second place to a strong showing by local rivals Leighton Buzzard.

But there were plenty of reasons to be cheerful for the Crusaders, with big smiles all round for the 11-year-old girls’ freestyle relay team and the 10-year-old girls’ medley relay squad, both of whom smashed club records on the night. While the final cannon relay saw Crusaders triumph, amid deafening cheers from supporters.

Crusaders head coach Adrian Smith said: “Congratulations to Leighton Buzzard on a well deserved victory. It was also great to see some fine swims by Crusaders, particularly in the relays, with many swimmers picking up PBs. Good to see that the practice swimmers kept up in the summer holidays has paid off.”

The event marked the final appearance in junior league, due to age, for Tim Dryburgh, Charlotte Nilson, Daisy Jennings and Heloise Lee. It also saw a commendable first swim in an external gala for young Karl Waydick.

Crusaders finished 1^st in 15 events:

Girls 10 yr med relay: Isobel Pickering, Anna Henderson, Finley Whitbread, Tyla Danskin – Club Record. Girls 11yr free relay: Isobel Jones, Anna Henderson, Lillie Molyneaux, Finley Whitbread - Club Record. Boys 9yr Free: Joe Talbot. Girls 10yr Breast: Anna Henderson. Girls 11 yr Back: Isobel Jones. Girls 10yr Back: Finley Whitbread. Girls 9yr Back: Victoria Sanderson. Girls 10 yr Fly: Finley Whitbread. Girls 9 yr Fly: Daisy Saunders. Girls 10 yr free: Anna Henderson. Girls 9 yr med relay: Daisy Saunders, Daisy Molyneaux, Victoria Sanderson, Ellie Woolhead. Girls 10 yr Free: Finley Whitbread, Tyla Danskin, Isobel Pickering, Anna Henderson. Boys 10yr Free: Nick Kent, Joe Talbot, Billy Woolhead, George Pepper. Girls 11 yr med relay: Isobel Jones, Anna Henderson, Finley Whitbread, Lillie Molyneaux. Cannon Relay: Daisy Saunders, Daniel Hill, Anna Henderson, Nick Kent, Isobel Jones, Callum Connew, Heloise Lee, Tim Dryburgh.

And 2^nd in 9 events:

Boys 10yr Med relay: George Pepper, Billy Woolhead, Nick Kent, Daniel Hill. Boys 10 yr Breast: Billy Woolhead. Girls 12 yr Fly: Heloise Lee. Girls 12 yr Free: Heloise Lee. Girls 11 yr Free: Lillie Molyneaux. Girls 12 yr Breast: Isobel Jones. Boys 9 yr Fly: Daniel Hill. Boys 10 yr free: George Pepper. Girls 12 yr free relay: Heloise Lee, Charlotte Nilson, Lillie Molyneaux, Daisy Jennings.

In all there were 18 personal bests:

Charlotte Nilson

Daisy Molyneaux

Karl Waydick

Joe Talbot

Isobel Jones 3

James Holliday 2

Heloise Lee

Daniel Hill 3

Finley Whitbread 2

Callum Connew

George Pepper

Daisy Saunders

And 17 split relay PBs:

Billie Woolhead 2

Tim Dryburgh

James Holliday

Joe Talbot 2

Anna Henderson 2

Finley Whitbread 3

Lillie Molyneaux

Tyla Danskin

Daniel Hill 2

Callum Connew

Heloise Lee

Final scores were:

Leighton Buzzard, 233, Linslade Crusaders 200, Newport Pagnell 173, Putteridge 155, Luton B 149, Houghton Regis 99.

Picture: the 11-yr-old girls freestyle relay team