NEW Earswick's 34-strong squad pipped hosts Bridlington to win the first Ridings League division one swimming gala of the season.

Bridlington Amateur Swimming Club were the hosts and other swimming clubs competing were Whitby and South Hunsley.

Earswick got off to a good start with a win in the boys nine and ten years medley relay and after the the medley relay events were in joint-second with Bridlington, a point behind South Hunsley.

In the next 16 individual events, New Earswick began to rack up the points with maximums for Ian Smithson, Kate Hunt, Darrianne Helstrip, Bob Hunt and Charlotte Yeldon, to open up a six-point gap on Brdling-ton.

However, the lead was eaten away in the next few races with only Becky Galloway and Charlotte Yeldon winning for New Earswick, who were overhauled by Bridlington.

The boys nine and ten years Freestyle relay team of William Powell, Ryan Powell, Ben King and Nathan Helstrip restored the lead and then the girls from the same age group beat Bridlington by ten seconds.

The hosts piled on the pressure winning the next three events to lead the gala by a point.

Victories by New Earswick's girls 14-and-under freestyle relay team and the open boys relay meant the last event would decide the gala.

The open girls freestyle relay quartet of Kate Hunt, Steph Oliver, Emily Broadbent and Charlotte Yeldon had it all to do. They were in third place after the first three legs of the relay but Yeldon put in a fantastic effort to pull the team back in to second place which secured the vital three points needed to edge out Brid.

Final result: New Earswick 137pts, Bridlington 136, South Hunsley 114, Whitby 80.