"We came here to win the gala, job done. Enough said" commented Cambridge Team Manager James Scott after a comprehensive performance by the Blues Swimming Team on Saturday night. Reigning National Champions Bath, runners-up Cambridge and Dark Blue rivals Oxford were all involved in competition in this first round of the 2001/02 BUSA league. The awesome new facility at University of East Anglia which had seen British Records tumble at the National Short Course championships only a few months previously provided the venue for the meet. The twelve teams were split into two galas of six and swam a program including 100m and 50m events on each stroke a 100m IM, 200 free and relays to determine who would take the early advantage in the bid to qualify for the National Grand Final.

Considering their dominance in the relays meet last weekend it was no surprise when Cambridge took an early advantage by winning the opening two events: men"s and women"s medley relays. If there were any nerves then they were calmed as Anja Slim, Dan Mikulskis and Lindsey McFarlane extended the winning streak to 5 by comfortably wrapping up the first three individual races. Bristol and Swansea are not insignificant opponents however and after the Blues" early supremacy the middle part of the meet saw some tight and exciting races. Viktor Stein, unusually swimming backstroke, made good use of his underwater speed and then held on in a nail-biting finish to claim the win. Dan O"Dea showed typical determination to swim through the field and touch first after a slow start in the 100 fly. The Cambridge Ladies seemed to have less trouble handling the opposition, Gemma Hindson (100fly) Miriam Smith (100 breast) and Katie Stokes (200 free) all dominated their races from start to finish to take maximum points.

At the halfway point, Cambridge led gala 2 by a large margin,. While in gala 1 Bath were still yet to lose a race, with Oxford looking some way off the pace in 4th place. The second half of the meet comprises the sprint events, not traditionally a strong point for Cambridge and indeed the Blues men especially suffered. Good sprinting from Bristol, Swansea and Southampton ensured that Cambridge had to fight hard for position in each event, though International Mike Scott reliably took first in the 50m breaststroke. The Cambridge Ladies continued to look invincible, Slim, Smith and McFarlane all returning to win their second individual event, and they finished on a high by winning the last event- the 4*50m freestyle relay.

Ultimately the lead built by Cambridge in the first half of the meet proved unassailable and the blues ran out worthy winners with a tight battle for second seeing Bristol edge out Swansea. In the other gala Bath dominated totally, winning almost every event while Oxford came in 4th. The Blues looked strong and such a convincing win should provide them with much confidence for the forthcoming second round and, on this form, the National Final next April. Of particular note were the performances of the two first-years making their first appearance in BUSA, Michael Roy and Katie Stokes both comfortably assuring their blues times at the first opportunity.