ALTON Swimming Club were denied victory by just one point in one of the closest Speedo championship galas anyone could remember.
They travelled to the Arun Leisure Centre last weekend to compete against Bognor Regis, Chesham, Eastleigh, Rushmoor 'B' and Chalfont Otters in the Speedo league final.
Alton were depleted by illness and some of the younger swimmers had to compete in much older age groups.
However, Zoe Coles sprang from the starting block in the opening ladies' open 4 x 1 medley, determined to stamp Alton's authority on the event. She powered to a decisive victory, setting a new club record and personal best.
John McHarg, swimming up in the men's medley, also set a club record and personal best. Both swimmers won other individual races later in the gala, Coles taking the ladies' 100m backstroke and McHarg winning the boys' 15 and under 100m breaststroke.
Alton won or came second in seven of the first 10 races. The winners were the girls and boys' 15/U freestyle relay teams – Kelly Smith, Victoria Puttock, Charlotte Fletcher and Catherine Cooper; Russell North, Ben Flannaghan, Tom Buckland and John McHarg.
The boys then won the medley relay. Zoe Coles, Kristie Garrett, Carla Shanley, Catherine Cooper, James Gay, Stuart McHarg, William Ford and David Slade won the ladies and men's open medley relays.
There followed a gruelling series of races, with Alton's swimmers battling it out round for round. Sophie Douglas set a club record in the girls 11/U 50m backstroke and Peter Massey followed with another club record in the boys' 11/U 50m backstroke.
Sam Newland won the boys' 13/U 100m breaststroke and the competition must only have seen the wake he left behind.
David Slade took the lead and kept it to win the men's 100m backstroke and Tom Buckland set a new PB in the men's 100m breaststroke.
John McHarg recorded a club record for the boys' 15/U 100m freestyle and brother Stuart powered to victory in the men's 100m freestyle.
The last race of the night was the men's open 6 x 2 freestyle relay – a fast, but exhausting event. The Alton men stormed through the water in pursuit of the championship and won through against fierce opposition.
A tense few minutes followed while the points were added up. Alton had scored 216 points over the 50 races, but came second to Chesham who beat them by just one point to take the trophy with 217.
The fact that Alton did so well in extremely difficult circumstances does the team and their dedicated coaches a great deal of credit.