Records tumbled almost from the off as the the first weekend of the AXA Wealth International Swimming Championships took place at the NSC last weekend.
The first event of the programme was the 800m freestyle in which 38 swimmers competed.
In heat one, 10-year-old Oliver Williams took the lead, finishing in a fantastic time of 12 minutes 00.67 seconds, while second was 11-year-old Isabelle Watterson in a time of 12:53.50.
Joe Robertshaw and Louis Peake, 11, had a good battle throughout heat two.
Eventually 12-year-old Robertshaw took victory in a time of 11:35.20, less than four seconds ahead of Louis. Freya Skillicorn also had a great race, finishing in a time of 11:44.51.
Euan MacMurchie, 13, won the third heat in a time of 10:28.24. After 32 lengths, Sam Smith and Ben Raven could not be separated and finished in a time of 10:43.64.
Island Games swimmer Steph Brew, 16, swam her first 800m free and dominated the race, finishing in a time of 9:54.74.
Second was James Cowin (10:27.15) with Cara Bregazzi was just behind him in 10:27.27.
Mark Copparelli, 17, dominated the fifth and final heat from start to finish, touching in a time of 8:55.80, 13 seconds faster than his previous best. Second place went to Ciara Cassidy (9:51.23), while third place went to Imogen Skillicorn, 15, in a time of 10:07.69, a PB by more than 16 seconds.
Saturday saw the first appearance of swimmers from Peel ATS in the Championships and they made a great start, with Jacob Leece making the final of the 50m butterfly.
In the men’s 200m individual medley, it was great to see Tom Bielich back from university in Bath and it was clear to see that he has been training hard there as he took victory in a time of 2:10.84 ahead of Luke Guthrie and Alex Bregazzi. Alex’s time of 2:14.11 was a new junior island record.
Bregazzi just out-touched Bielich to win the 50m freestyle in a time of 25.02 seconds, beating the 14-15 Championship record that he had set in the heats. Bielich was just 0.02 seconds behind and Luke Guthrie came home third.
In the 200m breaststroke Guy Davies dominated.
He set a new Championship record of 2:22.58 in the heats and was just outside of that time as he took victory in the finals ahead of Copparelli and Luke Annett.
Brody Hewison set a new 14-15 Championship record in the heats of the 50m butterfly and went even faster to in the final to win the super final in a time of 26.75.
Tom Isaac finished in second place with Bregazzi third.
The 11 and under 50m freestyle title went to Matthew Humphrey in a time of 32.41s, ahead of Oliver Williams and Louis Peake. Humphrey also won the 50m butterfly in a time of 38.70, with Fletcher Kneale second and Oliver Williams third.
The 12-13 50m freestyle event was won by Josh Corteen in a time of 28.70 from Euan MacMurchie and Harrison Katz. Corteen was also victorious in the 50m butterfly (33.54) with MacMurchie again second and Peter Allen third.
In the older 14-15 age group Bregazzi took the 50m freestyle title ahead of Brody Hewison and James Laing.
Hewison won the 50m butterfly, with Bregazzi second and Ben Donaldson third.
Island Games swimmer Bielich won the 16 and over 50m freestyle ahead of Luke Guthrie and Tom Issac.
Tom Isaac won the 50m butterfly from Guthrie and Dane Harrop.
In the women’s 400m IM Commonwealth Games hopeful Laura Kinley touched first in a time of 5:17.66 ahead of Steph Brew and Ciara Cassidy. This result was repeated in the 100m freestyle when Kinley swam a great race to finish in a time of 58.80.
Laura also won the Johnson Cup for the best schoolgirl in the event.
In the 200m butterfly Allana Kelly won in a time of 2:37.89 ahead of Tara Mitchell and Katherine Picken. Kelly was again victorious in the 100m backstroke ahead of Cassidy and Amy Kinley.
The 11-and-under 100m freestyle was won by Emma Hodgson in a time of 1:07.21 with Isabelle Watterson second and Victoria Kinnin third. Hodgson also won the 100m backstroke, with Kinnin second and Yasmin Ingham third.
The older 12-13 100m freestyle title went to Grace Guthrie (1:04.93) from Kirsten Vickery and Cara Bregazzi. Vickery went one better in the 100m backstroke, winning in a time of 1:15.90 from Guthrie and Bregazzi.
Ciara Cassidy was crowned 14-15 100m freestyle champion (1:02.41), with Amy Kinley second and Imogen Skillicorn third.
The result was the same in the 100m backstroke, with Cassidy touching in a time of 1:11.52.
Laura Kinley won the 16 and over 100m freestyle from Steph Brew and Freya Keig. Allana Kelly took the 100m backstroke, with Rebecca Cowin was runner-up and Freya Keig third.
Saturday evening finished with three relay events.
In the girls’ 13 and under club freestyle relay the Southern team of Emma Hodgson, Grace Guthrie, Tara Mitchell and Isabella Barnes took the top spot ahead of the teams from Ramseian and Douglas.
In the men’s open 200m medley club relay the Southern team of Dane Harrop, Guy Davies, Brody Hewison and James Laing set a new Championship record as they touched in a time of 1:52.33 ahead of Douglas and Ramseian.
The final event was the schools’ 200m freestyle relay for girls. St Ninian’s High School’s team of Ciara Cassidy, Freya Keig, Amy Kinley and Laura Kinley set another Championship record time of 1:54.66.
Castle Rushen and Ballakermeen had a close battle for the other medals, with Castle Rushen touching just 0.49 ahead.