KENDAL Swimming Club’s fourth championship gala of the year produced some outstanding swims from competitors ranging from primary school children to senior levels – and the most successful swimmer of all was youngster Elliot Woodburn.

Elliot emerged with four championships, followed by Sophie Richardson and Megan Jones, who won two each, while minor place medals were well spread among the other competitors.

And not only that, four new championship records were set and numerous personal bests and qualifying times were achieved.

The Gala opened with the 200m breaststroke and both Jones and Woodburn immediately stamped their authority on proceedings – both finishinh in record times with Jones setting a new mark of 2:50.89 and Woodburn at 2:37.58. Silver medals went to Bethan Rowley and Jacob Klijn, leaving Sophie Gibson and James Escolme to pick up the bronzes.

In the 100 butterfly championships, Woodburn reigned supreme. With brilliant efforts he took titles in the Under 14yrs, the junior men and the men's championships, smashing the under-14 record that had stood since 2005 with his time of 1:08.34 to finish ahead of James Escolme and Max Ainsworth.

He had to work really hard for the men's and junior titles as Ollie Sargeant and Thomas Klijn came up with brilliant challenges as they matched each other stroke for stroke, with only 100ths of a second giving Woodburn the titles and leaving Sargeant with silver and Klijn the dronze, each with a time of 1:08secs.

Young Mathew Foster stormed to a decisive victory in the Boys Under 12 race ahead of Alex Walton (silver) and Joseph Bulman (bronze), and on the same stroke Sophie Richardson emerged as a worthy winner of the ladies and junior championships by just touching out Jones and Josie Johnson.

The under-14s saw Sophie Roberts produce an outstanding swim to hit the pads in 1:17.80 ahead of Lucie Bulman and Elodie Malcolm. Similarly the under-12s had Evelyn Atkinson pulling away from the start and staying composed to win by a clear margin from Grace Airey and Annie Bottomley.

Next, the sprinters had an opportunity to shine in the 50 freestyle races, with the under 11s providing exciting finishes with Kate Collin and Austin Woodburn impressive in grabbing a title each. Annie Bottomley and Joshua Holmes gave their all to take silver with Anna Roberts and Leo Murray holding on to bronze medals.

The ladies and men's events saw the club's top swimmers fighting for honours, with Jones became locked in a real battle with Rosemary Swallow from start to finish. In the final burst. Jones took the title by a split second.

For the men, Ollie Sargeant was untouchable, storming to victory in 26.17 ahead of Thomas Klijn and Elliot Woodburn.

For the club’s future stars the 25m backstroke leg of the under-10 championships brought victory to Anna Roberts and Leo Murray, with minor place medals for Sophie Robinson, Jake Smith, Lianne Rairata and Adam Wojtacki. And Roberts’s time of 19.85 was a new record.