ULVERSTON'S swimmers got their club off to a glorious start in this years age group County Championships at Kendal.

The girls in particular had a massive impact on the final results with Rebecca Fell, Alix Knagg and Nicola Capstick in magnificent form, taking eight of the championships between them.

Fell in particular, with her sparkling technique coupled with natural talent, proved virtually untouchable. To open her score she found herself in a battle with team mate Alix Knagg in the 20 freestyle and stroke for stroke neither would give an inch. A powerful finishing burst gave Fell her first result.

Then she got involved in a battle with another team mate, Amy Richardson, for the 50 butterfly sprint title. Both swimmers gave their all and it was only a supreme effort by Fell that brought her another title breaking the county record in the process.

She them made it a hat-trick of championships with another devastating piece of sprinting at 50 breaststroke and setting another new county mark at the same time.

Then the individual medleys gave her the chance to display her all round ability and here again she had too much skill for her opponents taking the 100m title in another close encounter with Knagg and establishing another county record in the process.

Finally, in what was probably her finest effort, another clash with Knagg in the 400 brought out the best from both swimmers. Shoulder to shoulder, length after length they were supreme drawing on all their skills that kept supporters on their toes. Timing her finish perfectly it was Fell who emerged triumphant.

Despite having to be content with silver in these events Knagg got her reward when it came to the backstroke finals.

In the 100 she put herself on the front and took it on setting the pace and then preceded to hold of all her challengers. As the race progressed she got better and better, and heading for the finish she had a clear lead which she held right to the finish.

The 200 saw her once again stamp her authority on the race storming out of the start and transition and full of confidence set another relentless pace. Her opponents had no answer and pulling clear took the race with a fair degree of ease.

The 50 backstroke produced the biggest upset of the meet. With three Otters, Knagg, Richardson and 13-year-old Nicola Capstick in the final, all eyes were on the big guns.

All three were in the mix and setting a furious pace as they headed for the turn and it looked to be anyone's race. It was then that the young Capstick produced a swim from the gods.

In a supreme effort of sheer determination she burst through to just touch out her team mates to take her first County Championship and claim a county record time for her age group.

Success for the Otters didn’t end there for the age group competitions saw Tom Robinson win a grand total of six out seven of his events. His performances were outstanding and his results were well deserved.

Fresh on the scene came nine-year-old Amelia Mardel with an all round performance to be proud of. With four firsts and a second from five events she looks to have a bright future.