A SMALL band of York City Baths Club swimmers returned from the City of Leicester Age Group and Open Meet bathed in glory.

A total of eight personal best short course times (PBSCT) were set, resulting in fourteen finalist positions and a medal haul of four gold, two silver and one bronze.

York newcomer Colin Buffen, 20, a first year sports science student at the University College of Ripon and York St John, won two gold in the men's 400m individual medley and the men's 200m butterfly.

Katy Sunderland won gold in the girls' 200m freestyle with a PBSCT of 2 min 12.50 sec and also took silvers in the 200m butterfly and in the 50m butterfly.Sunderland racked up another PBSCT of 5 min 16.3 sec and a bronze in the 400m individual medley.

Gemma Hughes was first in the Women's Open 400m individual medley with a PBSCT of 5 min 26.30 sec.

Katie Foster, fourth in the final of the 200m individual medley, set PBSCTs of 34.62 sec in the heat of the 50m backstroke and of 32.95 sec in the 50m butterfly.

In the 100m backstroke heats, Steven Emmerson also set a PBSCT of 1 min 10.46 sec.

The 1998 Ridings League Championships proved successful for New Earswick Swimming Club.

They provided 43 finalists for the 36 events, finishing with eight champions, 10 runners up and five third places.

All 13 clubs who make up the three divisions of the Ridings League were represented at the championships, which took place over two nights at Scarborough.

Ten-year-old Daniel Thompson and Anna Horwell set the ball rolling taking their respective 50 metres breaststroke titles and they were followed by Tony Shaw who won the 13/14 years 100m butterfly title and Victoria Clapham in the 15 years and over 100m backstroke.

Horwell then collected a runners-up medal in backstroke, with Shaw and Clapham doing likewise in their freestyle events, while Aaron Gallimore was only beaten by a fingertip in the 15 years and over backstroke.

To round off a successful first evening, the boys 4 x 25 medley relay 'A' team of Andrew Clapham, Ian Smithson, Shaw and Gallimore took second place behind Scarborough while the girls' 'A' team of Horwell, Lucy Gould, Lucy Clapham and Victoria Clapham took third place in their event. The girls' 'B' team of Alice Lawrenson, Amy Collings, Elizabeth Dobbin and Victoria Hatton were fourth.

The second night saw a steady accumulation of medals. Runners-up trophies went to Sarah Oxberry, and two to Ian Smithson while the boys' 'A' team with Philip Segar swimming the anchor leg, again finished second, this time in the 4 x 50 metres freestyle relay.

Third places went to Lucy Gould, Lucy Clapham, Tony Shaw and Aaron Gallimore.

But the glory belonged to the girls. Sarah Oxberry took the girls 13/14 age 100 metres breaststroke title, then Victoria Clapham won both the 100m breaststroke and butterfly events, setting a new championship record time of 1.08.00 for the latter, these victories giving her the top girl swimmer award.

To complete a superb team effort, the girls' 4 x 50 metres freestyle relay 'A' team of Horwell, Gould, Lucy Clapham and Victoria Clapham won the final and most exciting race of the night, beating Scarborough 'A' by just 2/100ths of a second to claim the title.

In addition to the medal many other swimmers set personal best times.

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