Ledbury swimmers are celebrating a double win following a weekend of competition with a PGL Junior League gala on Saturday night and a Wyvern League gala on Sunday afternoon.

The PGL team faced tough opposition from Ludlow, Stourbridge and Fourshires. After 10 events LADASC were trailing four points behind Ludlow but with superb team effort in the relay events and winning swims from Amber Watson, Patrick Blake and Alison Pudge they managed to turn that around to a four-point lead after 20 events.

Freddie van Vuren and Rory Green enjoyed their first team selection, joining the 9-year-old boys relay squad who won three of their four races. The team went from strength to strength with some great racing resulting in first places for Katie Batley, Josie Rycroft, Dan Adair and Emily Klimek giving LADASC a comfortable lead of 30 points by the 50 event mark.

Eloise van Vuren, Iain Docherty, Alice Quigley and Patrick Blake all won races but were too fast for the time limit resulting in 'speeding tickets' and no points.

Although knowing the gala win was theirs the Ledbury swimmers kept the pressure on for the final relay events with some notable swims from, Chris Tedds, Jenna Clark, Claire Powell Tuck, Alicia Green and Kate Docherty giving the team a 34-point lead going into the last race, the mixed cannon.

It was the fast improving Ben Butler who got the race underway with a sound start. He kept abreast with the competition for Gemma Laing to put in a fast length and maintain a close third position. Charlie Green and Amelia Butler were the 10-year- old swimmers who closed the gap from leading teams Stourbridge and Ludlow leaving 11-year-olds, Joe Bloxsome and Emma Fitzpatrick to get ahead to hand over to Patrick Blake and Katie Batley in second place. Both swimmers were determined to take the team into the lead. Final swimmers, 13-year-olds Rauri Smith Cooper and Alison Pudge piled on the pressure. Both covered their length close to their personal best times to win the final event and the gala.

The Wyvern fixture on Sunday was expected to be tough with teams from Hereford, Ross and Chepstow all vying for top league points.

LADASC had a strong team who knew it was essential to do well in this round to keep within medal places for the final in May. Hereford showed their strength with a good win in first event, the 11 years girls' freestyle relay. Ledbury boys were determined to redress the balance and a strong team of David Middleton, Joe Bloxsome, George Parsons and George Bennion won the second event, equalling the points in the process.

The first LADASC individual winners were Hannah Bloxsome and Thomas Stokes in the 13/under 50m butterfly. Also in this age group, Annabelle Wilce and Thomas Stokes won the backstroke, Josie Rycroft and James Middleton the breaststroke and Alison Pudge the freestyle.

In the longer 15/under races, the girls dominated the score sheet with winning swims from Chloe Watson in butterfly and freestyle, Rachael Lea, breaststroke and Annabelle Wilce, backstroke. With the addition of team captain, Lucinda Houghton, Lucy Bennion and Amy Tyler they were also victorious in both their freestyle and medley relay team races.

George Bennion proved to be a valuable team asset winning maximum points in all three of his events in the 11-year-old category, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke. David Middleton made it a clean sweep in this age group with a gutsy two- length freestyle.

Joe Bloxsome was the 10-year-old butterfly winner and team mate George Parsons won the breaststroke.

Swimming for the first time in this league both Chris Harwood (10) and Rhys Jones (nine) proved their worth with fine swims to contribute to the success of their winning relay teams. Boys' team captain, Luke Rycroft was unable to match the Hereford swimmers but swam tremendously well to achieve a two second personal best time in the 100m breaststroke and was pleased to swim the 50m butterfly under the 32 second mark for the first time to finish a close second.

Arron Almond and Eloise van Vuren fought hard to win their freestyle races, both unfortunate to lose on a touch but had the consolation of new best times.

The selected cannon swimmers Gemma Laing and Dan Adair (nine) were first off and despite fast times were unable to keep with the strong Ross and Hereford teams. Ten-year-old Alice Parsons worked hard not to lose any ground but then an inspired 14.56 seconds length by David Middleton dramatically closed the gap, leaving Eloise van Vuren and George Bennion (11) a real opportunity of drawing level.

A slick take-over by Katie Batley gave LADASC the slightest of leads from Ross which Patrick Blake increased during his length. Lucy Bennion showed perfect streamlining on her dive to overtake the Hereford swimmer and with a very smooth swim gave anchor swimmer Luke Rycroft sufficient lead to finish first.

The points were, Ledbury 293, Hereford 259, Ross-on-Wye 225 & Chepstow 149.