City of St Albans Swimming Club (CoStA) stormed to victory in the Hertfordshire Peanuts League.

The club’s A team finished on 104 points, 41 clear of hosts Potters Bar in the second round of the Division One match, which is for nine to 12-year-olds.

There were some excellent performances on the night, most notably from the U9 girls’ team of Pippa Samols, Yasmine Meadows, Charlotte Nicholson and Raissa Vickery, who secured first places in all but one event.

The U13 boys’ team also proved themselves formidable opponents, with the combination of Oscar Brice, Joseph Pannese, Ciaran Cook, Kieran Birkett and Edward Richardson, the latter two of which both swam up from U12s, gaining first places in four events.

The B team were also in action, finishing fifth at their event in Stevenage.

Hatfield took the win with Verulam finishing third and Harpenden fourth.

As the only B team at the gala, the CoStA swimmers did a great job racing five A teams, often just missing out on the higher placing by a finger nail.

Some outstanding swims came from Libby Loucaides, who was second in the nine-year-old breaststroke, and Dan Martin, who also took second in the U13 freestyle.

Kate Chadwick, CoStA’s development coach, said: “We’re incredibly proud of both teams’ achievement. Our U9 girls in particular put in a commendable performance for such young swimmers, all of whom are relatively new to competition.

“We’re now hoping for a clean sweep at the third and final round on July 9.”