The Traralgon Swimming Club made it 5 in a row in winning the Edison Mission Energy Gippsland Championships at the Traralgon Outdoor Pool as the Gippsland Swimming Season wound up. Traralgon's final point score was 1,797 to Warragul's 957 and third placed Morwell's 661.

Traralgon swimmers amassed 160 medals, winning 48 gold, 45 silver and 36 bronze in individual events, and 17 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze in relay events during the 3 day, 120 event carnival.

Four Traralgon swimmers were singled out for trophies after excellent performances for the team. Sixteen year old Andrew O'Connor won the Charles Ford Memorial trophy for the Top Male swimmer of the meet. Andrew won 6 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal and swam in 13 individual finals as well as 4 Traralgon relays. Andrew broke three Gippsland records - claiming the Open and Championship record for the 400m freestyle swimming 4:28.52. Andrew also broke the 16 years 200m butterfly record in a 2:21.42. Other gold medal swims were in the 15/16 years 100 fly, 100m back, 200m IM and Open 100 fly.

Seventeen year old Caitie Mitchell won the Tom Osborne Perpetual Women's Trophy as the top female swimmer of the meet for the second year in a row. Caitie won 6 gold medals, and 3 bronze medals in 15 individual events, and won gold in four Traralgon relays. Caitie's medals were in the Open 200m breaststroke, 200m IM, 100m Breaststroke, 17 & Over 50m Breaststroke, 200m IM and 50m freestyle.

Fourteen year olds Jeremy Saunders and Melissa Hopley won the Alan Harlow Trophies for Most Outstanding Male and Female Swimmers 14 years and under. Jeremy continued his terrific form winning 6 gold, one silver and one bronze medal whilst breaking the Gippsland Long Course record in the 14 years 200m freestyle swimming 2:06.80. Jeremy won the Open 200m Breaststroke and 200m Freestyle as well as the 13/14 years 100m breaststroke, 100m freestyle and 200m IM.

Melissa Hopley put in an awesome effort winning 5 gold, 2 silver and one bronze medal from 14 finals. Melissa also swam in several winning Traralgon relays. Melissa's gold medals came in the 13/14 years 200 freestyle, 100m backstroke, 100m freestyle and the Open 400m and 200m freestyle.

In further trophy presentations, Jarrod Raun (13) won the MLC Junior Sports Foundation Ben Holman Trophy for the most successful performance by a swimmer outside District 21. This trophy recognises excellent swimming in competition outside the Gippsland area.

11 year old Alice Lieshout was awarded the Anne Bree Memorial Encouragement Trophy for Girls. This trophy recognises Alice's effort and potential.

Several records were broken over the weekend by Traralgon Swimmers and relays. The most notable of these was a 27 year old record belonging to the late Traralgon great, Charles Ford which was broken by Jarrod Raun. The record, for 14 years 100m backstroke was broken by 2 seconds when thirteen year old Jarrod set a new mark of 1:05.76. Jarrod won 1 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medals.

17 year old Abbie Stockdale set two new records claiming the 17 & over 50m and 100m backstroke records clocking 32.58 and 1:09.77. Abbie won 3 gold and 1 silver in 4 events and was a member of 4 winning relay teams. Abbie's other gold medal was in the Open 200m backstroke.

12 year old Emma Heath broke two records, claiming the 11/12 years Long Course 100m freestyle record in 1:05.63, and the 100m backstroke record in 1:14.02. Emma won all five of the 11/12 years events as well as swimming in the Open 100m breaststroke and backstroke finals.

22 year old Ben Geard put in an excellent performance winning 6 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medals. Ben won all four of the 17 & over 50m events as well as the Open 100m freestyle and backstroke. In all 6 events Ben led from the start and held off determined competition.

12 year old Scott Ashby, won 4 gold and 2 silver medals. Scott has been a wonderful performer for the club and will be missed as he takes up a position with the Carey Aquatic Club in Melbourne. Scott, and brother Sam are attending school at Caulfield Grammar. Scott's gold medals were in the 11/12 years 200m IM, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke. Scott won silver in the breaststroke and butterfly events.

Liz Bacchetti, 14, was a consistent performer with 2 gold and 6 silver medals from 12 finals. Liz won gold in the 13/14 years 100m butterfly and the 200m IM. Brenton Ford put in a solid performance competing in 16 finals and winning 3 silver and 6 bronze medals.

Eight year old Jayden Askew won 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal in the 8 and Under age group. Jayden won gold in the 50m breaststroke and the 50m freestyle. 10 year old Olivia Brady won the 9/10 years 50m butterfly as well as winning silver in the 200m IM and bronze in the 50m freestyle. Although out-of-age, Sarah Berryman (11) won 3 silver medals and 2 bronze in a strong age group. Stephanie McKay won the 15/16 year 100m breaststroke and placed 2nd in the Open 200m breaststroke and 3rd in the 100m breaststroke. Fifteen year old Rhiannon Raun competed in 13 finals winning gold in the 15/16 years 100m backstroke, as well as 3 silver and 3 bronze medals.

Other medal winners for Traralgon were Charley Askew (12) with 4 bronze medals, Anne Baker (17) with 2 silver medals, , Tim Blackwood (20) 1 bronze medal, Aoife Coughlan (8) 3 silver and 1 bronze, Courtney Ford (18) 3 silver medals, Joanne Hayes (12) 1 silver medal, Leah Kenney (9), 1 silver medal, Simon Laird (16) 1 bronze medal, Kirsten Lieshout (12) 1 silver medal, Alice Lieshout (10) 1 bronze medal, Jordan Radosavljevic (10) won 1 bronze medal, Ben Smits (16) won 2 silver and 2 bronze medals, Tahnee Trembath (15) won one bronze medal and 8 year old Zoe Trembath won one bronze medal. Coaches Michelle Ford, Brian Ford and Jane Mitchell each took out a silver medal in senior 50m freestyle events.

Traralgon always has strong relay combinations, and this was evident once again in the relay medal tally. Records were broken by the boys 16& Under 4 x 50m freestyle relay of Brenton Ford, Simon Laird, Ben Smits and Andrew O'Connor with a time of 1:48.78. The girls 14 years 4 x 50m freestyle team of Melissa Hopley, Liz Bacchetti, Charley Askew and Emma Heath broke the Gippsland Long Course record in 2:01.09 and the 12 & Under team of Charley Askew, Sarah Berryman, Emma Heath and Joanne Hayes also broke the existing Long Course record with a time of 2:08.03.

The Open 4 x 100m girls teams, medley: Abbie Stockdale, Caitie Mitchell, Liz Bacchetti and Melissa Hopley, and freestyle: Melissa Hopley, Emma Heath, Abbie Stockdale and Caitie Mitchell both won gold. In both events, the B teams won silver medals. Freestyle: Liz Bacchetti, Tahnee Trembath, Rhiannon Raun and Jessica Ypelaan, and Medley: Rhiannon Raun, Stephanie McKay, Courtney Ford and Emma Heath. In the Medley event Traralgon also swam a C team in the final and in the Freestyle event, there were 4 Traralgon teams - the C and D teams placing 5th and 8th.

The boys teams enjoyed similar success in the 4 x 100 Open relays with the A team winning both Medley and Freestyle. Freestyle members: Ben Geard, Simon Laird, Jeremy Saunders and Brenton Ford; Medley team: Ben Geard, Jeremy Saunders, Andrew O'Connor and Benton Ford. In each event, the B team placed third. Freestyle: Ben Smits, Jarrod Raun, Andrew O'Connor and Jesse Saunders, Medley: Jarrod Raun, Ben Smits, Tim Blackwood and Simon Laird. In the Medley Event Traralgon's C team placed 6th .

The Women's 17 & Over Medley and freestyle team of Abbie Stockdale, Caitie Mitchell, Courtney Ford and Anne Baker won gold as did the Girls 10 & Under Freestyle and Medley team of Olivia Brady, Alice Lieshout, Sharni Ikin and Leah Kenney.

The 12 year old girls medley team of Emma Heath, Charley Askew, Joanne Hayes and Sarah Berryman won gold as did the 14 years medley team of Emma Heath, Asha McKay, Elizabeth Bacchetti and Melissa Hopley. The 8 & Under freestyle relay team of Zoe Trembath, Keely Matthews, Tegan Ikin and Aoife Coughlan swam a great race to take the gold medal.

The boys 14 & Under medley and freestyle team of Jarrod Raun, Jeremy Saunders, Tom Harlow and Jonathon Hayes won gold and the 17 & Over medley and freestyle team of Tim Blackwood, Jesse Saunders, Ben Geard and Andrew Legge won silver. The boys 10 & Under freestyle team of Cameron Juha, Emmanuel Askew, Jayden Askew and Jordan Radosavljevic won silver as did the girls 16 & under freestyle and medley teams of Rhainnon Raun, Liz Bacchetti, Melissa Hopley and Tahnee Trembath and the 16 & under medley team of Rhiannon Raun, Stephanie McKay, Liz Bacchetti and Melissa Hopley.

The boys 12 & under freestyle team of Scott Ashby, Eoin Coughlan, Dylan Trembath and Matthew Watt won silver and their medley team won bronze.

In many relay finals Traralgon had several teams competing - often with more than one team medalling. This was so in the boys 16 & under freestyle where Ben Smits, Jarrod Raun, Jonathon Hayes and Tom Harlow won bronze, and in the medley relay where Jarrod Raun, Jeremy Saunders, Tom Harlow and Jonathon Hayes won bronze. The girls B team in the 14 & Under freestyle relay - Sarah Berryman, Erin O'Connor, Asha McKay and Kristie Smith took out the bronze medal.

In 25 relay events the Traralgon Club had 58 teams in finals. Other relay finalists were Brian Ford, Stuart Reid, and Draper and Mick McNeill (17 & Over medley), Zoe Trembath, Keely Matthews, Tegan Ikin and Nicole Morgan (10 & Under Freestyle), Ross Henning, Matthew Norwood, Matthew Berryman and Peter Labros, Mathieson Jenkin, Alistair Jenkin, Daniel Golcic and Liam Bedford (10 & under freestyle), Erin O'Connor, Asha McKay, Caitlyn Hopley and Alana McLean (16 & Under freestyle), Colin Draper, Byron Blackwood, Patrick O'Connor and Ross Coughlan (16 & under freestyle), Alice Lieshout, Kirsten Lieshout, Stephanie Morgan and Olivia Brady (12 years Medley), Peter Labros, Ross Henning, Tim Bedford and Jayden Askew and Scott Henning, Jordan Radosavljevic, Cameron Juha and Emmanuel Askew (12 & Under Medley and Freestyle)Asha McKay, Anne Baker, Tahnee Trembath and Jessica Ypelaan (4 x 100m medley) Jonathon Hayes, Jesse Saunders, Tom Harlow and Scott Ashby (4 x 100 Medley), Kirsten Lieshout, Amy Laird, Olivia Brady and Tahnee Trembath (12 & Under freestyle), Alana McLean, Caitlyn Hopley, Erin O'Connor and Tara Bedford (16 & Under medley), Colin Draper, Byron Blackwood, Patrick O'Connor and Ross Coughlan (16 & Under Medley), Gemma Watt, Lauren McLean, Samantha Lynn and Nicole Morgan (10 & Under Medley).

Following the Gippsland Championships, 46 junior Traralgon swimmers travelled to the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre to compete in the Country All Junior. Swimmers won through to 33 finals in which they won 4 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze medals. Eight year old Jayden Askew won a gold, silver and bronze medal. Charley Askew (12), Olivia Blackwood (10) and Leah Kenney (9) won one gold medal each. Melissa Hopley (14) won one gold and one silver medal. Eoin Coughlan (11) won two silver medals. Tom Harlow (13) won silver and Sarah Berryman (11) won one silver and 2 bronze medals. Liz Bacchetti (14) won 2 bronze medals.

Traralgon's 12 National swimmers are now preparing for the National Age and Open Championships. Abbie Stockdale, Ben Geard and Emma Heath will go to Sydney in late March to compete in the Olympic trials. In mid-April Age swimmers Brenton Ford, Andrew O'Connor, Ben Smits, Jeremy Saunders, Jarrod Raun, Caitie Mitchell, Abbie Stockdale, Courtney Ford, Rhiannon Raun, Emma Heath and Melissa Hopley will travel to Perth to compete in the National Age Championships.