SKIPTON Swimming Club had a successful weekend of swimming at this year’s North Eastern Long Course Open Swimming Championships at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.

Open championships are designed for qualifiers age 15 upwards, but younger swimmers who have their own age group championships are able to enter events if they meet the qualifying times.

Skipton's major success over the weekend was in the Men's 14-16 years relay teams (400m medley and 400m free), who achieved bronze medals in both events, an amazing achievement as competing against the big city clubs like Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle is no easy task.

Skipton's team was Archie Minto, 16, Archie Dunne, 16, Ned Sharp, 15, and Harvey Pennington, 14.

Sharp took gold in the 100 freestyle and he was in the finals of other events he swam over the weekend.

Minto, 16, of Ilkley Grammar School, had his most successful championships to date.

Dunne, 16, of Bingley Grammar School, competed in six events over the weekend, gaining valuable qualification times.

Madison Turner, 14, of West Craven High School, excelled at the championships, making the finals and personal bests by competing in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke; 50m, 200m and 400m freestyle.

Paige Fenton, 16, of South Craven School, had an amazing swim in the 50m breaststroke and made finals in all her breaststroke events.

Maisie Dunne, 14, of Bingley, competed in three events and Charlotte Leigh took to the water in the breaststroke.

Pennington, 14, of Park High School, Colne, Sophia Basaraba, 14, of South Craven School, Charlotte Kenneth, 14, and Lily Pratt, 12, of Skipton Girls High School, who will all swim at the age group championships later this month, also competed in various events at Ponds Forge.

With just two weeks to go in the qualifying window, Skipton Swimming Club's swimmers will continue to race at events through May to gain entry to this summer's British Championships and English nationals.

VICKI TURNER