WAVERLEY was in winning form at the the BAA Gatwick Surrey Youth Games at the weekend.

The team emerged as joint overall winner from a field of more than 2,000 young competitors (aged eight -15).

The event is Surrey's largest annual youth sports eventand is now in its fifth year.

Eleven teams, representing each of the county's local authorities, demonstrated their enthusiasm and skill on the pitches, courts and track at Guildford's Spectrum leisure centre, Stoke Park and the Varsity Centre.

It was the first time in the event's history that there was a a tie for first spot overall. Waverley tied with Woking for the title.

Waverley produced winning performances in junior netball and senior girls' hockey and Woking, won the junior girls' football, junior girls' judo and both the junior and senior divisions of the tennis competition. Guildford finished third overall.

The "Fairplay Award", sponsored by the Surrey County Playing Fields Association, was awarded to Surrey Heath, who demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship throughout the weekend.

British Olympic high jumper and the only Englishman to win medals in the event at both the Olympics and world championships, Steve Smith, presented the medals and trophies to the jubilant winning borough teams.

Steve stressed the importance of the games for the local community saying: "Early participation is often the key to cultivating a lifelong love of sport.

"If the spirit and determination I've witnessed this weekend is indicative of the current healthy state of youth sport in the UK, then we can all look forward to a rosy future - from grass roots through to international level."

The games are not just about getting youngsters of all abilities involved in sport, but also to help focus Surrey's local sports development programmes.

All 11 of the county's local authorities - Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Guildford, Mole Valley, Runnymede, Reigate and Banstead, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Waverley and Woking - were keen to give their young talent an opportunity to shine.

This year, in keeping with the games' growing stature, the finals were expanded to cover a full weekend of sport, instead of the traditional one-day event.

The games are comprised of eight sports: athletics (a combination of adapted and traditional athletic events), basketball, hockey, tennis, rugby, netball, football for girls (able-bodied) and boys (with moderate learning disabilities) and judo.

Caroline Nicholls, BAA Gatwick public affairs director, said: "We are immensely proud of our association with the games, which have become such an established and popular fixture in the Surrey sporting calendar since it was first staged in 1997.

"The games seem to get bigger and better every year and is a testament to the hard work of the competitors, officials and volunteer organisers from all of the boroughs that this trend has again been followed this year.

"It has been a hugely successful weekend and I for one am already looking forward to returning to the BAA Gatwick Surrey Youth Games next year."