City of St Albans’ (CoStA) third place in round two of the Arena National Swimming Club has clinched the club a top eight position going into the final round next month.

That will see the Westminster Lodge-based club lock horns with London’s top seven clubs in round three, to take place on December 10 at Luton Sports Village.

This is the first time the club had achieved this feat and came about due to some sterling performances across the age groups at Harlow in round two.

The girls’ U13 team proved particularly strong, with Ella Chown winning both the freestyle and butterfly, while the quartet of Florie Guerts, Grace Stedman, Jessica Patrick and Chown secured a win in the medley relay.

CoStA only narrowly missed out on the top spot with second place finishes in a number of events.

Stedman (U13 breaststroke), Lauren Stott (U15 backstroke), Shannon Stott (ladies open butterfly), Lucy Coia-Bell (10/11 breaststroke), Sarah McGrath (10/11 freestyle) and the line-up of Stott, Chown, Beatrice Barder, Georgina Lawson, Jessica Laitner and Evangelina Fisher (ladies open freestyle relay) all stood on the second step of the podium.

That feat was also achieved in the boys’ races by Jude Liddiard (U15 butterfly) and the quartet of Kieran Birkett, Daniel Holliss, Alasdair Woolgrove and Oliver Carpenter (9/11 medley relay).

Ealing took the win in round two with Hatfield ahead of St Albans in second.