2017 was an outstanding year for Kendal swimmers whose exploits have taken them to venues both inside and outside the county.

Led by head coach Linda Womack and her dedicated coaching staff, the club has blossomed and reached heights that have been missing for a number of years.

Now the club has a membership in depth of highly competitive swimmers ranging from nine to 16 years old, who have competed in individual events at all strokes and distances with a great deal of success, at club, county and regional level, while achieving personal bests and qualifying times for events in 2018.

The swimmers have also been highly active in team galas such as Cumbria Diddy League, winning the “B” Final Trophy, Cumbria County Championships and age group competitions, North Lancashire Sub League and the National Arena League’s North West 2nd Division, a competition in which the club exceeded all expectations by winning promotion to the 1st Division.

Not forgetting their roots, the club's range of championships gave all the swimmers the opportunity to gain experience and introduce the up-and-coming youngsters to competition.

Most pleasing was the realisation that the club has progressed so far and is now one of the best in Cumbria and this showed up by the number of new championships and records that were set last year.

There was the performance of outstanding prospect Kate Collin, 9, who with a fantastic swim posted a new mark for the club’s longest standing record. In the 25m backstroke leg of the girls u10s championship, she smashed the 34-year-old record time that has stood since 1983.

11-year-old Elliot Woodburn had an amazing year, posting a club championship record, a short course club record, six long course club records, and his crowning glory was setting four new county age group long course records.

Another outstanding record breaker was Ollie Sargeant whose skill and talent brought him a club record and four long course club records, all coming from high standard swims and against strong opposition.

Having achieved so much at such high levels, Kendal’s swimmers are now looking forward to more challenges awaiting them in 2018.