The annual Stratford Sharks Girls Gala took place on Saturday. This event has proved very popular with spot prizes and trophies on offer. The event is sponsored by various companies and a big thank you must go to Avonvale Honda, The Stratford Herald, Accountax Services Ltd, NFU Mutual, Bexson Chiropractic and Sports Therapy Clinic for sponsoring the trophies. Prizes were also donated from Lush, Simply Run, Teddy Bear Ark, Shipston Natural Health Centre and Tesco.

  The Sharks Red team got off to an excellent start with second place finishes in the first four relay events the successful swimmers were Molly Wright, Caroline Furey, Eleri Williams, Laura Bryan, Ellen Price, Sophie Warden, Lucy Castle, Ysabelle Caswell, Elinor Bird, Kathryn Lythgo, Ailsa Gavan Mc Harg, Lucy Tame, Caroline Ankrett, Kara Malins and Frances Goss. The open age group girls led from start to finish in their relay securing a super win the team of Emma White, Grace Wright, Emma Bysouth and Emily Key were in fine form all night.

  Individually Sharks Red also saw first places recorded by Goss, Williams, Key, White, Bryan and Bysouth second places were achieved by Williams, Price, Bird, White, Wright and Gavan Mc Harg. Third places were recorded by Bysouth, castle, Rhiannon Williams, Caswell and Ankrett.

  Two further relay wins were recorded in the six by one length breaststroke relay team consisting of Bird, Williams, Bryan, Malins, Williams and White. The other win was secured by the nine year old girls in a very exciting race saw parents, coaches and swimmers on their feet the team of Bird, Caswell, Lythgo and Gavan Mc Harg were delighted not only with the win but also the cuddly toy they each received from Teddy Bear Ark.

  Sharks Blue team recorded many personal bests including Hannah Anderson, Sian Morris, Annie Cox Anna Gamble, Morris, Sasha Mitchell, Kate Bellamy, Danielle Brain, Annie Cox, Francesca Lombardelli and Faye Tilstone and picked up third places with super swims from Morris, Cox, Bellamy and Brain. The relay team of Francesca Lombardelli, Faye Tilstone, Sian Morris and Kate Bellamy also recorded a fine third place in the Medley Relay.

  Overall the Sharks red team were beaten by a strong Stourbridge team but were well ahead of Kingsbury, Redditch, Camp Hill and Stratford Blue. Thanks to all the helpers, coaches, officials, parents and swimmers and the sponsors for a really successful, enjoyable evening.