SWIMMING.

The Elmbridge Phoenix team spirit was second to none at the Robins Relay Gala with the junior swimmers singing a collection of rousing club songs, pulling the team along and lifting spirits.

Teddington were also competing, though Epsom had to pull out at the last minute. The gala programme was designed for the strengths of the host club, Dorking, but despite this, Phoenix managed a very convincing second place several times. They were in the lead but were just pipped in the latter few events of the evening.

The under-17 girls' team of Lisa Raine, Radhika Gajraj, Victoria Beaney, Katherine Rutherford, plus Mihiri Gajraj, (replacing Katherine on the breaststroke leg) proved invincible in four of their five races.

They won the backstroke, breast, butterfly and medley relays, just missing out on the free relay by a whisker.

The under-13 boys showed what they were made of in the tough butterfly relay, winning with a line up of Kristian Willcox, Adam James, Michael Garside and 10-year-old Nikhil Vaidyanathan, swimming two years out of age.

The under-13 girls followed suit, winning two of their events, the breast and free relays, with Christiana Hoad, Natalie Prince, Caroline Rutherford and Fiona Smith making up a strong team.

The open men's team of Antony Mammous, Gary Willetts, Mike Hargrave, Tom Belin and Stuart Raine, came up trumps in the medley and back relays, swapping Gary for Stuart in the latter.

The under-11 girls won the free relay by a clear two metres. Lauren Childerhouse led the team out, giving them a headstart. Alice Hunter and Nilanthi Gajraj maintained the lead and Jennifer Smith stormed in to win.

The boys under-11 free team of Chris Keeling, Sam Overton, Martyn Smithers and Nikhil Vaidyanathan also had a convincing win but were disqualified for a faulty take over.

The final event, the 8x25 free squadron was won by the Elmbridge team.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.