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North Lancs at Palatine

Sharks clinch Micro League Final Place

Preston Sharks have clinched a place in September’s Micro League final after another solid display in the final regular fixture of the season in Leyland.

Southport were again the winners, beating Sharks by 24 points, while Carnforth and Leyland were further back by some distance.

Southport were again the winners, beating Sharks by 24 points, while Carnforth and Leyland were further back by some distance.

Team manager Steve Heaps said: “This was a pleasing result in our final league gala to guarantee us a place in the Grand Final in early September. We look forward to the final, but there is plenty of work and training to do before then.”

A highlight of the night was Kathryn Greenslade’s win in the nine years 25m backstroke, setting a new club record in the process.

However, there were plenty of other personal and team bests as well. Florie McLeish swam four personal best times, starting in the 12 and under 4x25m medley relay when she led Laura Joyce, Charlotte Sinclair and Georgia Barton to victory. New bests also came in individual events when second in the 50m butterfly and third in the 50m backstroke. She finished by being part of the successful freestyle relay team alongside Sinclair, Barton and Ashleigh Wareing.

Shauntelle Austin broke three more personal records. The first came in the 4x25m 10 years medley relay along with Molly McManamon, Eleanor Laurence and Abbie Kitcher, and the last in the freestyle relay with the same team-mates. In between, she set a PB in the individual 11 years 50m butterfly.

Laura Joyce swam two bests – the first in the 11 years 4x25m freestyle relay with Abbey Huartson, who also swam a PB, Wareing and Katie Mawdsley.

There were also PB swims for Sheena Patel, Barton, Mawdsley and Kitcher. Patel’s came in the nine years freestyle relay alongside Kathryn Greenslade, Holly Mawdsley and Ella Brown. Barton broke new ground winning the 12 years 50m freestyle, Mawdsley followed suit to land the 11 years 50m freestyle and Kitcher completed an impressive hat-trick of wins in the 10 years 50m freestyle.

There were also a number of big performances from the boys, with eight swimmers recording new personal best times. The boys 12 years 4x25m medley relay team, made up of Matthew Clarkson, Jack Smith, Cameron Austin and Matthew Greenslade, got the squad off to a winning start. And the nine years 4x25m freestyle relay team continued the good work with a second place, with Patrick Hill, Lee Reeder and Alex Joyce all swimming PBs alongside Andrew Davison.

Joshua Watson to set a new best as the 10 years 4x25m medley relay team – also featuring Harry Murphy, Marco Santalucia and Matthew Rosbottom – finished second. Davison and Rosbottom went on to set new PBs in individual events, the nine years 25m backstroke and 10 years 25m butterfly respectively. And Rosbottom was at it again in the 10years 4x25m freestyle relay as he and Santalucia, swimming with Murphy and Watson, both recorded new bests.

Cameron Austin won every event he swam in – the 12 years 4x25m medley relay, the 12 years 50m butterfly and freestyle, and then 12 years freestyle relay team. Clarkson also won the 12 years 50m backstroke.

Final result:

North Lancs at Palatine

Preston were narrowly beaten in their final North Lancs League gala of the season. Their tally of 151 points was usurped by Chorley, but well clear of Rosegrove and Newton Hall.

Team manager John McGinty said: “It’s obviously very galling to miss out by just a few points . You realise just a couple more wins here and there would have made the difference. But the team have had an excellent gala and I am extremely pleased with everyone.”

Perhaps the best performance of the day came from Bethany Shaw who won the 14 years 50m butterfly and set a new club record in the process.

The gala started in promising fashion with a second place and personal best for Sophie Laurence in the 12 years 50m freestyle Laurence then joined Charlotte Sinclair, Georgia Barton and Aimee Gallagher as they all swam new bests in the 12 years 4x50m freestyle relay. Barton also broke new ground in the 12 years 50m butterfly, the 4x50m medley relay – as did Lena Tunbridge – and the cannon. Sinclair also recorded two more PBs, while winning the 12 years 50m breaststroke and in the 12 years medley relay.

Niki Graveson set a new best when second in the 12 years 50m backstroke.

Hayley Smith set a PB in the open 4x50m freestyle relay, swimming with Lisa Gorton, Rachel Smith and Hannah Bridge. She then finished the evening with a new best when runner-up in the open 50m breaststroke.

Faye Birch also recorded two new bests – in the 4x50m medley relay alongside Ellen Buckley, Shaw and Abbe Fielding, and in the 14 years 50m freestyle. Fielding set another best helping the 14 years medley team to victory.

For the boys, Matthew Greenslade won the 12 years 50m freestyle, and also won both 12 years relays. In those relays, Freddie Carter, Jake Beatty and Joseph Wright recorded personal bests. Carter also set another best when finishing second in the 12 years 50m butterfly, and again in the cannon in which Philip Mason swam faster than before. And Wright swam a PB to win the 12 years 50m Breaststroke.

Joshua Watson also recorded two new bests – first leading the 14 years 4x50m medley relay team, of Mitiku Turnbull, Jamie McLaughlan and Jack Bridge to victory, and then in the 14 years 4x50m medley relay, when Bridge and Turnbull also recorded personal bests.

Joe Barnish broke new ground in the open 4x50m freestyle, as did Ben Bailey when runner-up in the open 50m butterfly.

Final result:

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