‘The Venue’ at Boreham Wood was the setting for the Cheshunt Open Gala 2006 where Killerwhales contested their first full meeting of the season. Despite being without a number of the Club’s top swimmers who were on duty for the Borough elsewhere the ‘Whales exceeded expectations and again claimed the top visiting club award for the second year running.

The club’s first swimmer of the day was Birthday girl Mikaela Kennedy who set the tone for the meet in the 9 years 100 meters individual medley, racing home with an 11 second personal best. One year older Cassie Beadel followed suit bettering her previous record by an 8 second margin as the clubs younger swimmers raised their game throughout the day to hit new personal highs. The first medals came in the 10 year old group IM with Molly Sparks taking bronze. A feat repeated by 11 year old Liane Kennedy. She later added to her collection with Bronze in the 50 backstroke and ‘fly. Eleven year old boys Sean Houlihan and George Crow had a battle royale all day with Sean marginally ahead in the 100 IM to take bronze, with George turning the tables for a medal of the same colour in the 50 Back. Sean took the bragging rights however in his last swim of the day winning Gold in the 50 breastroke with a powerful swim. He also had a bronze in the 50 freestyle.

Earlier in the day the ‘Whales first Gold was delivered by Holly Jackson swimming a fine 100 fly in the 13 years age group. 14 year old Team mates Katie Miles and Kalei Andrews shared a silver in the same event clocking exactly the same time down to 1/1ooth of a second despite being in different heats! Kalei later picked up another silver in the 100 back. But it was Katie’s day as she stormed to a new personal best in each of her races with the sort of determination that younger swimmers can aspire to. Katie’s best was reserved for her final event where she edged out the Watford swimmer to take a well deserved Gold to add to her Bronze medals in the 100 Back and Breastroke.

Competing well across all age groups the boys showed they were not to be outdone with Lewis Clifford Stephenson taking silver in the 100 fly (13 years age group) just ahead of fast improving team mate Glen Kennedy who collected a bronze. Third position was the order of the day for a host of ‘whales in both the 100 breaststroke and 100 IM. 12 year old Tom Webb continued his progress with bronze in both events, matched by with Lewis Clifford–Stephenson in the 13 years age group. Tom’s third bronze of the day came in the 12 year old freestyle. 14 year old Lee Parker nearly repeated the feat finishing 3^rd in the IM and 4^th in the backstroke. Adam Conway also weighed in with a bronze in his age group.

The tough 15 years plus also proved a source of medals with Henny Andrews taking a well deserved Gold medal in the 100 IM. Her full set of medals of every colour was achieved with a silver in the breaststroke and bronze in the freestyle. Older sister Laura responded well rounding off the day with an excellent last swim in the 100 free to take Gold. Just off the top position in the fly Julia Braybrooke won silver and a battling display by Robyn Beadel, saw her finish in the same position in her favoured backstroke.

Throughout the day the Killerwhales swimmers finished in the top six on no less than 77 occasions, grabbed a haul of personal best times and travelled back down the M25 with the top club trophy safe for another year.

Final Placing
1st Killerwhales 153 points
2nd Bishop Stortford 149 points
3rd Hitchin 100 points
4th Cheshunt 94 points