THE first round of this season’s Dorset Novice League saw Tornadoes of South Dorset competing against Swim Bournemouth, Christchurch Seagulls, Clayesmore and Blandford at the Littledown Centre in Bournemouth.

The competition is designed to give the less experienced swimmers the chance to compete in a friendly league competition.

With cut off times set to ensure the higher level swimmers are unable to take part and speeding tickets issued to those who exceed these times in the galas, it means that swimmers were looking to achieve on three fronts, team points, personal best times and speeding tickets.

The youngsters from Port-land’s Osprey Leisure Centre didn’t disappoint on any of these three areas.

Over the course of the 44 races, the young swimmers, some of who were competing for the first time, amassed a fantastic 24 personal best times (PBs).

This meant that at the end of the evening’s racing the Torn-adoes finished in third place overall and will be looking forward to round two in a month’s time.

SPEEDING TICKETS

Tabitha Samouelle (12-and-under 50m butterfly), Phoebe Jones (11-and-under 50m breaststroke), Jessica Gale (12-and-under 50m breaststroke), Lizzy Gant (11-and-under 50m backstroke), Emily Hanger (10-and-under 25m butterfly), Zack Griffiths (10-and-under 50m breaststroke).

RACE WINS

Ollie Mills (14-and-under 50m backstroke), Lewis Limm, Luke O’Dowd, Phoebe Jones and Lizzy Gant (mixed 11-and-under freestyle relay), Lee Penny (12-and-under 50m butterfly), Emily Hanger 10-and-under 50m freestyle), Elliott Gover (10-and-under 50m freestyle), Jazmine Callaby-Jackson (10-and-under 50m backstroke), Alice Thursby (12-and-under 50m freestyle), Lee Penny (12-and-under 50m freestyle).

PERSONAL BESTS

Jazmine Callaby-Jackson (50m backstroke), Sophie Cornwall (50m breaststroke), Jessica Gale (50m breaststroke), Lizzy Gant (50m backstroke), Elliott Gover (50m backstroke, 50m freestyle twice), Zack Griffiths (50m breaststroke), Abigail Hamilton (50m backstroke), Emily Hanger (50m freestyle and 25m butterfly), Phoebe Jones (50m breaststroke), Lewis Limm (50m breaststroke), Oliver Mills (50m backstroke and 50m butterfly), Luke O’Dowd (50m butterfly), Lee Penny (50m freestyle and 50m butterfly), Tabitha Samouelle (50m butterfly), Sophie Storey (50m freestyle), Alice Thursby (50m backstroke and 50m freestyle), Elena Walsh (50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke).

Novice League coach Paul Dashwood was very proud of his young swimmers, he said: “This was the first competitive gala for many of the swimmers, some straight from our teaching groups, but all performed brilliantly.

“Gaining six speeding tickets shows how well the swimmers are progressing and with only a few points separating first to third place, it promises to be an exciting next round.”

Anyone wishing to join Tornadoes of South Dorset to either learn to swim, swim competitively or wishing to access extra training, can contact the club secretary to arrange an assessment by emailing torna doessecretary@btinternet.com