Swimming Newton at top Speedo Newton Hall Blackpool Amateur Swimming Club won the first round of the Speedo League in Stretford. They finished 34 points clear of nearest rivals Barrow as most of the club’s individuals and teams earned top-three placings. Taylor Scarborough (50m) and Andrew Hodgson (100m were individual winners in both the backstroke and freestyle. Other individual winners were Mark Tootill (100m bacstroke), Sarah Lucas (100m butterfly), Decia Mortimer (50m backstroke), Tony Lucas (50m backstroke) and Victoria Crawford (100m backstroke). The winning relay teams comprised James Butterworth, Adam Carlisle, Hodgson and Michael Lynch (boys’ medlay), and Crawford, Elizabeth Hodgson, Sarah Lucas and Candice Yeo (girls’ freestyle). A total of 213 points left team manager Alan Harper highly satisfied, knowing that a similar result in the next gala next month will secure a place in December’s final. Kirkham Grammar School U11 swimmers Josh Powell, Bradley Yates, Alex Ward and Hadley Price returned with five goal medals and a silver from the 13-school AJIS competition at Merchant Taylors School in Crosby. Email us and tell us about your stories!