The Crawley Town Life Saving Club 18 strong competition squad won 15 national titles at last weekend's Royal Life Saving Societies National Still Water Championships held over two days in the Olympic pool at Ponds Forge, Sheffield.

For the Men Dave Butler was Crawley's most successful competitor with 3 individual (super lifesaver, medley and line) and 2 relay tiles, 2 individual and 1 relay silver and 3 individual bronzes and one relay bronze. For the ladies Jenny Ellison won 4 individual (super lifesaver, 100m carry & 100m tube with fins and 100m medley) and 1 relay titles, 2 individual and 2 relay silver medals.

In U18 championship Sarah Cousins was on aggregate Crawley's highest placed overall competitor with a ranking of 16 and Sam O'Connor Crawley's most successful junior by winning a gold in the 100m carry with fins rescue and silver in the 100 tow with fins rescue.

Crawley's other national champions were George Hopkinson a bronze medallist at last year's European Club Championships who successfully defended both his100m Manikin Carry with fins and 100m Manikin tow with fins titles, Matthew Penny who also successfully defended his 50m Mankin tow title as did Abi Hoyle in her respective masters event. Both Heather Smedley and Luke Peel just missed out on gold in the 100m 0bstacle and line throw events respectively.

In the ladies relay Simmone Bristow, Jenny, Sarah and Abi team up to win gold in the 4 x25m manikin relay and were unlucky to be beaten into second place in both the 4 x50m obstacle and 4 x 50m medley relays in which Abi was replaced by Heather. For the men, Crawley's team of Gary Lee, Matthew, Dave and George remain unbeaten in the 4 x 25m Manikin relay, with Rory replacing Gary the team again won gold in the 4 x 50m medley relay, but had to be content with silver in the line throw relay when Jeff Lutz replaced Matthew and bronze in the Obstacle relay when Matthew replaced Rory.

Crawley seniors now just have one more chance to achieve the World Championship qualifying time at next week's Surf Life Saving still water national championships being held at Bath university pool.

A week earlier the first time pairing of Luke and Gemma Cousins won the county Mixed Pairs Championships held for the first time at the Triangle leisure centre, Burgess Hill, when beating Crawley's last year's defending Champions Rory and Sarah and previous winners Gary and Abi.

Photograph from left to right;
Back - Jonathan Rigby, Sam O'Connor, Matthew Penny, Dave Butler, Luke Peel, John Stainer (official), George Hopkinson, Ellie Bristow, Jeff Lutz, Abi Hoyle, Jenny Ellison Front - Gary Lee, Heather Smedley, Simmone Bristow, Rory Hopcraft, Tina Dwyer, Gemma Cousins, Sarah Cousins, Joanne O'Connor