National Arena League Cup Final Results!

Following being crowned as champions of the West Midlands Region in December, Repton Swimming were part of the National Arena League Cup Final in Cardiff on Sunday 3rd March. The Final encompassed the top ten clubs in the UK, including the winners and best runners up from Swim England's seven regions. With a number of previous winners of the Cup Final in attendance, competition was fierce.

This was Repton's debut appearance in the Finals. Having only been formed in 2019 and having first competed in the competition in October 2021 after the Covid break. Repton started in West Midlands Division Two, and in three years of paticipation in the league, Repton became Division Two Champions with promotion in 2021, Division One Champions with promotion in 2022 and West Midlands Premier League Champions in Autumn 2023, with the culmination of the national final in March 2024.

The competition had swimmers from Under 11 to 16 & over, with four age separate age categories. The ten lane facility at the Cardiff International Pool saw some fierce racing from all ten clubs and Repton fought hard throughout, securing 4th place at the first score announcement, a position they held on to throughout the competition. Their final placing of 4th was the highest seen by a West Midlands winner for a number of years.

This is a remarkable achievement for a club that continues to go from strength to strength, also on the back of a recent trainining and racing camp for 50 swimmers in Dubai, where Repton secured the Top Visiting Club award at The Dubai International Open Meet. Many of the clubs that competed at the Cup Final in Cardiff are large, city-based clubs, including some with senior programmes for those above school-age, so to see the way Repton competed for every single point, with outstanding team spirit and attitudes to racing, was exceptional.

Also from competition, we should congratulate Lydia Cordle for being crowned Female 13&U Top Swimmer. One of the highlights of the day was the very final relay, the 8x50m Freestyle Squadron Relay, with one swimmer from each of the Boys' and Girls' age groups racing. Repton got the touch at the wall to complete a win in that final event and secure the magnificent 4th place in their first visit to the National Final.

The support from the gallery was equally superb and the club would like to thank our Parents and supporters for making the journey and the many that watched from home and supported via the live stream and social media posts.

Repton are soon back in action as the National Qualifying window opens for its Performance Swimmers and a considerable number will progress to the British Championships in April, which this year doubles as British Swimming's Olympic Trials.