TEN records were broken at the Ledbury and District ASC championship gala.

Thirty-five swimmers tackled one of the toughest events of the year, the 200m butterfly, eight lengths of the pool. First record breaker was eight-year-old Caitlin Clark with a brilliantly paced swim finishing in 3.58.59 taking 20 seconds off the existing 9/under record. Patty Holloway was the runner up and Lucy Stokes the bronze medallist in this age group.

Joe Bloxsome was the winner of the boys 9/u in exactly the same time as Caitlin with George Parsons taking the silver medal and Sam Parsons the bronze.

In the 10-year age group George Bennion tackled his swim with great energy smashing the record by some 16 seconds and at 3.23.50 faster than the next age group. Thomas Stokes was second and Bradley Smith third.

The girls race was closely contested throughout with Katie Batley emerging the winner and Josie Rycroft a close second and Kate Docherty in third place.

In the 11-years age group both records were broken, Hannah Bloxsome knocked six seconds off her best time and 30 seconds off the record finishing in a very fast 3.15.32 whilst Arron Almond set the boys time at 3.26.59. Annabelle Wilce and Patrick Blake won the silver medals, Ruari Smith Cooper and Charlie Scott Wilson were third.

The remaining record to be broken was with a superb swim, showing great technique from Lucy Bennion in the 13/14 age group clocking 3.02.89, an 18 second improvement from the previous record, and which also won the senior champion trophy for the overall fastest swim. Chloe Watson was second and Rachael Lea third. Luke Rycroft was the winner of the 13/14 boys and Hywel Pothecary the 15/over winner and senior champion. Laura West was the 15/over girls winner with Sarah Bethell the runner up.

The one length 7/under races were won by William Wilce and Sally Fitzpatrick and the 8-years by David Middleton and Caitlin Clark. Medals were awarded to Fred Van Vuren, Alexander Dereham, William Brown, Daniel Adair and Amelia Butler.

The other main event of the gala was the 100m individual medley, which heralded five new records. In the 9/under girls race Anabel Dereham shaved over a second off one of the longest standing records set in 1996. Thomas Stokes took six seconds off the 10 years record, Chloe Watson managed to reduce the 13/14years by four seconds and both Hywel Pothecary and Laura West set new records in the 15/over categories.

Other gold medallists were, Josie Rycroft (10yrs) Arron Almond and Charlie Scott Wilson (11/12) and Luke Rycroft (13/14).

All of the races were well contested, producing exiting races and well deserved personal best times. Congratulations to the runners up, David Middleton, Alice Parsons, James Middleton, Katie Batley, Patrick Blake, Annabelle Wilce, Lucy Bennion and Sarah Bethell.

Bronze medals went to, Joe Bloxsome, Caitlin Clark, George Bennion, Emily Klimek, Ruari Smith Cooper, Alison Pudge and Rachel Lea.

The 50m handicap race saw Lily Lowe win the girls and Oliver Brown the boys. Amelia Butler and Charlie Green won silver with Anabel Dereham and William Brown finished in third places.

The championship gala was sponsored by Fusion Foods.