GB swimmer Kirsty Forbes took top honours for the Killerwhales as they attended the 2006 London Region Winter Championships. In the impressive Crook Log Leisure Centre in Bexley, 15 year old Kirsty powered her way to 1^st place in the 50m and 200m backstroke events in the 16 yrs and under category (Junior), also picking up the Open age group title in the 50 along the way. She added the 400 medley title to complete a memorable weekend’s swimming. Team mate Dan Hime, competing in the Open Age group, also won top prize with an excellent 200m Butterfly, beating his closest rival by 5 seconds. Dan also claimed second spot in the 100 fly and a 5^th in the shorter 50m version.

Dean Smith, 15, won top honours in the Junior 200m medley race with a fine swim to add to two 4^th places in the backstroke. However the highlight was his epic battle in the 400 freestyle where he was matched stroke for stroke by 13 year old Johnny Congdon who eventually came through to take an excellent 3^rd place. Training partner, Matt Smith claimed a brace of second places in the 200 medley and 100 breaststroke, although this time competing for Hornchurch SC. Adam Conway continued his progress finishing 4^th in the 100m Junior breaststroke and reaching the Open Age group final.

The girl’s team were not overshadowed with a typically gutsy performance by Henny Andrews with her top placing being 4^th in her favoured 100 breaststroke, finishing one place back in the 50m. Older sister Laura battled to a 6^th place in the 400 freestyle whilst a storming finish in the gruelling 200 fly saw Julia Braybrooke power home in 5^th in the Open category. Julia appeared to be fading with 100m left but then turned on the power to blast down the last 50 in typical fashion. 14 year old Katinka Merchan’s swim of the day was in the 100 back. A determined swim in the heats saw her reach her first Open Age final and she showed no nerves to give some of the older girls a run for their money over the first 50 metres before finishing in 8^th. A creditable performance. Robyn Beadel also had a good weekend at the Championships with some powerful backstroke and freestyle swims while Katie Miles and Kalei Andrews finished within a whisker of each other in both the 200 and 400 medley events, Kalei just taking the honours with 8^th place her best placing.

The Open Age relay events produced some excellent performances with the Girl’s team wining bronze in both the 100 free and medley events, just edging out the Boy’s achievement who finished 3^rd in the freestyle and one place back in the medley.

Held on the same days were the 50m sprint events. Daniel Bleach grabbed the ‘Whales only gold in the backstroke, narrowly missing out on another with 2^nd place in the fly. Places on the rostrum were also taken by 12 year old Tom Webb in the freestyle, Lewis Clifford Stephenson in the breaststroke and 11 year old Sean Houlihan in the same event showing strength in depth throughout the squad. The youngest Killerwhales on duty was 10 year old backstroker Danielle Rooke, competing in her first major competition, whilst older team mate Georgia Shaw was placed 4^th in the same discipline.

In a tough field the Killerwhales squad acquitted themselves well over both days and will now be aiming for a return to the Regional Age Group finals next Spring.