ALTHOUGH Monnow Swimming Club were defending a trophy which had been won last year, a below strength team gave an opportunity to experiment with individual events for some of the Club members who normally swim in relay events.

They provided times which will be useful for more important Division One Speedo Western League team selection in the near future.

A total of 20 first places in a 51 event gala involving five teams normally makes for a comfortable victory, but the decision to provide all team members with individual swims also gave rather more fourth and fifth places than expected so the final result was against the odds as Monnow finished runners up to Cwmbran.

However, Monnow still finished comfortably ahead of the host team Neath and also the teams from Aberystwyth and Aberavon.

Heading the list of winners was 14-year-old Mackenzie Howe with a clean sweep of four first places in the 15 year girls' age group events, including the 100 metres butterfly in a new personal best time ahead of the current East Wales champion for this age group who was swimming for Cwmbran.

Robert Green was close behind with a hat-trick of firsts. Two came in the 13 year butterfly and backstroke, to which he added the 15 year butterfly, again in a new personal best time.

Monnow members claiming double firsts were Daniela Robbins and Gareth Johns in the 11 year girls and boys 50 metres back stroke and butterfly events respectively, plus David Johns in the 15 year 100m breaststroke and freestyle, the latter being yet another new PB.

Other individual event winners were Arianna Lawrence (breaststroke) and Edward Kowal (butterfly) in the youngest age group, Fenella Farr (13-year breaststroke), plus Suzy Farr (freestyle) and Alexis Howe (backstroke) in the Open age group.

Valuable second place points were gained by Jennie Bucknell, David Johns, Suzy Farr and Richard Swayne (three) and useful third places added by Tom Coton, William Lawrence, Laura Riddell, James Donnachie, Simon Bucknall, Annabel Green, Luke Rollings, Fenella Farr and Suzy Farr.

Monnow's two winning relay teams included Alexis and Mackenzie Howe, Fenella and Suzy Farr, Robert Green, Luke Rollings, John Brewer and Gareth Johns.

Other team members were Peter Brewer, Jodie Scarr and Naomi Howells, who all helped their relay teams gain second places while Naomi also knocked 10 seconds off her PB in the tough 13 year age group 100 metres individual butterfly event.