THE journey to Workington for the Cumbria League's 'A' final meet.proved well worth while for Kendal’s Diddy League swim team.

Drawn against Ulverston, Carlisle, Carnforth and Cockermouth meant they had a pretty tough task on their hands and although Carlisle were favourites it was by no means certain how the results would go.

Opening with two relays, Kendal made a solid start with a second place in the boys' 6 x 25m freestyle relay where Mathew Foster, Idris Morgan, Finley Wood, Joshua Holmes, Leo Murray and Austin Woodburn combined brilliantly.

Then 9-year-old Rebecca Fisher joined the action in the 50 breaststroke and with her superb stroke pattern led them out and over the first length got a slight lead.

Out of her turn and transition, she held her nerve while waiting for the attacks and into the pressure zone called on her reserves and forged ahead for a great win.

Working hard, the swimmers then kept the team well in the hunt for points as the boys' 11 years 4 x 25 squad of Foster and Morgan joined by Joseph Bulman and Mathew Capstick stormed to an amazing win.

Bulman also stepped up for the 50 backstroke and following a powerful start he quickly took the lead and set a devastating pace to which his rivals just had no answer, and out of his turn he kept up the pressure to take the win with a fair degree of ease.

More valuable points came from a clutch of second place results with an opener from Max Ainsworth at 50 breaststroke where despite a fantastic effort in a close finish, he was just touched out of the win by the Carlisle swimmer.

Ten-year-old Annie Bottomley gave an immaculate display in the 50 breaststroke, putting herself in a position for success and then holding her nerve to finish as runner up.

Isabelle Wall-Budden was also impressive at 50 backstroke where she showed superb technique as well as power and she too just missed out on a win.

Taking the team up to the halfway stag,e two more supreme efforts from Joseph Bulman and Evelyn Atkinson at 50 breaststroke left Kendal holding third place overall behind Carlisle and Cockermouth.

They got off the mark in the second period with Sophie Robinson, Anna Roberts, Grace Irving and Annie Bottomley linking up to hit the finish as runners up in the 10 years 4 x 25 freestyle relay.

Some solid results followed, then a second place from Evelyn Atkinson and a winning swim by Mathew Foster gave them a real boost.

Then it was back to more relays and Roberts - backstroke, Bottomley – butterfly and Robinson – freestyle, were joined by Elissa Kinley – breaststroke and were just touched out of a win as were Wall-Budden – backstroke, Kate Collin – breaststroke, Charlotte Stainer – butterfly and Emma Buxbury – freestyle, results which kept them still in the hunt in third place.

Into the closing stages Kendal upped their game and the 11 yr boys led the charge in the medley relay.

Foster led them out at backstroke with a masterpiece and Bulman piled on the pressure at breaststroke before handing over to the ‘pocket rocket’ Morgan at butterfly who charged down the pool to leave anchor Capstick an easy task in taking the win.

Austin Woodburn also made a great contribution with a super 50 butterfly to surge through to a second place.

Then in a final burst Isabelle Wall-Budden and Mathew Foster took on the 50 freestyle and with power, skill, talent and loads of controlled aggression produced superb swims to take Kendal up a place.

In the final freestyle cannon relay Kendal cemented second spot with Fisher and Murray opening the race.

They were followed by Roberts and Woodburn who both maintained the pace and handed over to Wall-Budden and Mathews who brought the team home and saw them clinch the runners up spot with 121 points behind winners Carlisle with a total of 159 points.