Prep 5s Florence and Naomi competed alongside Year 7s Imogen and Jessica and scooped an impressive five top 10 and eight top 20 places between them. This marks the girls out as some of the top surf lifesaving swimmers in their age group in the UK.
The competition was reported to be the largest UK Surf Lifesaving competition to date, involving 35 clubs from up and down the country.
The championships involved hundreds of the nation’s brightest and best young swimmers vying for top spots over the course of two days. A real test of physical and mental endurance, the girls spent over 10 hours on the beach each day.
Naomi came 1st in her individual sea swim heat giving her a place in the final, where she came 6th. She was placed 12th in her individual board race, 9th in the Portreath board relay team and 12th in the Portreath swim relay team.
Her classmate Florence came an impressive 12th in the Polzeath board relay team and 9th in the Polzeath swim relay team.
Both girls were pitted against 54 of the UK’s top swimmers in this category.
Imogen and Jessica were also on fine form in the 11-year-old age group.
Imogen came 12th in her individual sea swim and 6th in the Golden Nipper. It was the first time taking part in the Nipper race for both girls and challenged them to swim 400 metres, run on to the beach grab their Nipper boards, paddle 400 metres and then run 150 metres to the finish line.
Imogen also came 11th in her individual board race, only missing out on the final by one place. She was also placed 13th in the Portreath board relay team, 14th in the Portreath swim relay team and 15th with her team mate in the board rescue.
Jessica came 6th with her team mate in the board rescue. In this event Jessica was taken out by boat 200 metres where she was placed in the sea. Her team mate then paddled out to her using a Nipper board, Jessica then got on the back of the board and they raced to the finish line crossing it together. She also placed 8th in the Polzeath sprint relay team.
Even more impressive, the 11-year-old age group welcomed more entrants than before with nearly 70 girls taking part in the event.
All four girls currently train two or three mornings a week with Cornwall’s top swimming coaches as part of the Truro High swim squad. Launched this January, the development programme aims to further the skills of advanced club swimmers who are seeking stroke improvement.
