HOME swimmers were on top form as Ulverston Amateur Swimming Club hosted their annual Open Graded Gala at Kendal.

Swimmers from Cumbria and beyond took part in the event, sponsored by JF Hornby and Co Accountants.

The day proved highly successful for the Otters, with a host of medals, personal bests and qualifying times achieved.

Heading the list was promising 10-year-old Amelia Mardel, whose performances were outstanding.

Entered in five events, she pulled off four wins and a third place to seal an almost perfect day.

She started with bronze for her 50m butterfly, then moved up a gear to display her all round sprinting skill and technique in the 50m breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle, leaving her opponents with no answers.

To cap off her day, she tackled the 100m Individual Medley, stamping her mark on the race by putting herself out in front and driving to a decisive win.

Another future star is nine-year-old Felicity Boyle, who struck gold three times and rounded off her day with a silver medal.

Supreme efforts in the 50m breaststroke and backstroke saw her forge ahead and hold on to take victory.

In the 100m individual medley, Boyle showed great talent and technique, saving extra energy for the final length to touch home first.

Four of the more experienced swimmers, Alix Knagg, Tom Robinson, Rhiannon Ellis and Nicola Capstick, were often battling for times only in events that would enable them to compete at county and regional level, though they too took medals.

Knagg showed her usual power and technique to dominate the 50m breaststroke and 100 butterfly to take gold with a fair degree of ease.

County backstroke champion Capstick also struck gold with fine wins in the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle, while Robinson gave his usual solid performance in the 100m freestyle, putting himself in front and gradually forging ahead. Then he produced another injection of pace which proved enough to take gold.

Ellis had mixed fortunes, having to settle for silver over 100m at breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.

A change of fortune came in the 200m individual medley, where her outstanding breaststroke ability put her in an unassailable position enabling her to take gold in style.

Indya Sharp and Shannon Parker added to the list of gold medallists for the host club.

Sharp set her usual relentless pace in the 100m backstroke and butterfly, which brought her well-earned gold, followed by silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 200m individual medley.

Parker showed her power and talent over 100m freestyle as she made a great start off the blocks and controlled the race from the front, judging her finish perfectly to take gold in style.

She also claimed a deserved silver in the 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley.

Minor medals went to Joshua Turner (two silver), Louis Jones (one silver, one bronze), Georgina Milburn (one silver), Anna Morrison (one silver), Patrick Cush (one bronze) and Katie Miller (one bronze) to complete a highly satisfactory day for the Otters.

Ulverston Amateur Swimming Club thanked event and race sponsors JF Hornby and Co Accountants, Alan Myerscough Ford dealership, Wooden Things in Ulverston Interiors, Penny Bridge Nursery, Furness Park Motors, SPC Consultants, Brown Cow Inn, Bender UK Ltd, PPS, R Anderson and Snoozebox.

They also thanked Kendal Leisure Centre and Swimming Club for hosting and supporting the gala, plus the judges, officials, organisers, helpers, supporters and all the clubs and swimmers who took part.