St Ives Swimming Club had a tough start to the Arena National Swimming League last Saturday.

The locals finished fourth out of five competing teams in their first round gala at Dereham which was won by the host club.

But St Ives still managed to claimd 12 victories and eight second places from the 50 events in the schedule.

The Girls 15 & Under freestyle relay squad of Chloe Butler, Anna Freeman, Lottie Flynn and Ciara Taylor provided one of the victories with Butler and Taylor then joining forces with Fran Crocker and Cathy Thomson for success in the Ladies open medley event.

Taylor and Butler also took the Girls 15 & Under medley relay along with Freeman and Alice Turner, while Crocker, Taylor, Butler and Thomson proved to be an awesome foursome in the Ladies freestyle relay.

Taylor (Girls 15 & Under 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle), Butler (Girls 15 & Under 100m breaststroke) and Crocker (Ladies 100m backstroke) were also individual winners.

Other successes were provided by James Quinn as he completed a 100m breaststroke double in both the Boys 15 & Under and Men's races.

Thomas Davis (Men's 100m backstroke) also enjoyed victory along with Olivia Smith in the Girls 13 & Under 100m freestyle.

Other swimmers to represent St Ives were Marli Taylor, Emily Quayle, Anna Gallagher, Tessa Quayle, Max Lucas, Harrison Pearson, Felix Butterworth, Oliver Dickson, Olivia Brown, Millie Taylor, Thomas Sprawson, Connor Brookes, Alfie Everett, Max Hearn, Ewan Desborough, Luke Tunstall, Josh Bigwood, Harry Everett, Jordan Bradford and Amelia Dunn.

St Ives finished on 146 points with winners Dereham earning 178. Runners-up City of Norwich collected 154, Lowestoft & Oulton Broad gained 149 and Wisbech brought up the rear on 121.

St Ives compete in the 'A' Final of the Junior Fenland League at Boston this Saturday.