NO less than ten finals were reached by a dozen members of the Tadcaster Swim Squad, which competed in the seventh Spring Sprints Open Gala at Stocksbridge.

The first finalist was ten-year-old Natalie Carter who, in her first short course gala, knocked three seconds off her best time in the 50metres butterfly (41.00 seconds) to finish sixth in the final.

She also had a three-second personal best in the 50m freestyle, plus an impressive four-second pb in the 50m backstroke.

Philippa Black recorded her best time in the 50m free and Jessica Walker swam a pb in the 50m backstroke.

Together with Charlotte Yeldon, the three 11-year-old girls all recorded their fastest ever times in the 50m butterfly.

Chloe Carter's personal best swims were rewarded with a fourth place in the 50m backstroke (37.31) and sixth in the 50m fly, to add to a well-earned two-second improvement in the 12-year-old's 50m breaststroke time.

Kara Johnson, also aged 12, cut four seconds from her 50m backstroke time, three seconds from her best 50m freestyle time, and swam another pb in the 50m butterfly.

Another 12-year-old, Bobbi Horner, narrowly missed places in the finals of the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly.

Ben Walker, age 13, had an excellent meet with 100 per cent personal best times in his seven races resulting in a 1-2-3 - first in the 50m butterfly in 33.05; second in the 50m back (34.87); and third in the 50m free (30.70)).

Clare Pugh and Rachel Davey, both aged 13, recorded pb's in the 50m breaststroke and, alongside Kerri Wands, also recorded personal bests in the 50m freestyle.

Club captain, 14-year-old Andrew Cowan, registered a first in the 50m breaststroke (35.61), an impressive pb of 26.19 in the heats of the 50m freestyle which led to third place in the final, plus fourth spot in both the 50m backstroke (33.87) and the 50m butterfly (32.71).

Many of the Tadcaster swimmers are now looking forward to the York City Baths Club Grand Prix Series Gala on May 10.

Updated: 12:01 Wednesday, April 30, 2003