AFTER Skipton Swimming Club’s success of age group swimmers at Leeds in September, the older squad swimmers travelled to Sheffield’s Ponds Forge to make their mark at the Yorkshire Winter competition.

Eighteen swimmers aged 13 to 18 competed in a total of 123 races and collectively had 44 top ten finishes and won eight Yorkshire county champion titles.

Team Skipton, coached by Ian Scrivin, finished joint second on the medal table with an impressive haul of eight gold, four silver and nine bronze medals. The team clocked up countless personal best swims and smashed 20 club records.

Club captains Paige Fenton and Ned Sharp set the bar high putting in some outstanding swims over the weekend.

Fenton, 15, of Silsden, competed in eight events and finished the top ten in all but one. She was crowned Yorkshire county winter champion in both the 50m and 100m breaststroke events and completed her hat-trick by taking gold in the girls 15 years 200m individual medley.

Sharp, 16, of Long Preston, achieved an impressive six top ten finishes in the challenging 16 years and over age group. His most noteworthy performances came in the 200m individual medley where he took silver medal. He then went on to take gold and the Yorkshire Winter champion title in the 100m butterfly in a time of 55.67 seconds.

Fifteen-year-old Madison Turner of Salterforth, took home a trio of medals. Turner swam personal bests in the 50m and 100m backstroke, which earned her a bronze and silver medal, respectively. Competing in the demanding 400m individual medley, her efforts were rewarded with a gold as she finished in 4.59.32, smashing her previous best, setting a new club record and being crowned girls 15-year-old Yorkshire Winter champion.

Another triple medallist was 16-year-old Archie Minto. He put in some strong performances and secured new personal bests in all seven events and was placed inside the top ten in all but one. His standout swim came in the 100m backstroke, where he claimed a new club record and won the silver medal with a time of 58.77 seconds. He also went on to take bronze in both the 200m and 400m individual medley.

Fourteen-year-old Harvey Pennington of Colne competed in eight events and achieved new short course personal best swims in all of them. He secured five top ten finishes, most notably taking gold and the Yorkshire Winter champion title in the 14-year-old 100m freestyle with in a time of 56.58 setting a new personal best and club record. Pennington also won bronze in the 50m freestyle with a time of 26.51 seconds.

Jack Jenkinson, 13, competed in six races and secured personal bests and top ten finishes in all his evens. He swam a lifetime best, knocking almost 18 seconds off his previous time, to become the fastest 13-year-old in the gruelling 400m individual medley with a time of 5.02.99. As well as winning gold, he also set a new club record. Jenkinson also took bronze in the 100m butterfly with a time of 1.05.51 seconds.

Sophia Basaraba, took the gold medal in the 14-year-old 100m backstroke with a personal best time of 1.06.83 seconds.

Thirteen-year-old Kaye Fenton won silver in the 50m freestyle and picked up a new personal best and club record.

Eighteen-year-old Ethan Camsey claimed bronze in the 50m backstroke and Roan Sherriff also won bronze in the 14-year-old 50m backstroke event. Keelan Behan took bronze in the 13-year 50m breaststroke. Thirteen-year-old Lily Pratt secured short course personal bests in all seven swims, most notably finishing tenth in the girls 13-year-old 50m freestyle event in 28.81.

Other swimmers representing the club were 15-year olds Zeb Heys and Maisie Dunne, who both qualified for nine events, and Saoirse Behan, who qualified for three. Thirteen-year-old Will Oliver qualified for seven events, whilst 14-year-old Bradley Brennand qualified for two. All swam well and earned personal best times across a range of strokes and distances.

The club hope to continue to shine on the big stage when the regional squad qualifiers travel to Sheffield in November to compete in the North East Regional Age group and Open Championships.