A SMALLER and more youthful-than-usual Boston Swimming Club squad travelled to Spalding for the 25th Tulip Open meet.

Heats in this event are traditionally swum first and the fastest six swimmers in each age group, qualifying for the finals at the end of each session, are guaranteed a trophy.

The first swimmer to make the Saturday morning finals was nine-year-old Bethany Holderness in the 50m breaststroke. Bethany set a new personal best time in her heat, finishing sixth in the final.

Reaching the boys nine years final was Ashley Berg. He was Boston's most successful swimmer over the two-day contest by reaching four finals. In the breaststroke final Ashley set a new personal best when finishing fourth.

Continuing the run of good form in the breaststroke was Henry Careless (14) who produced the highest finish of the morning for Boston when finishing second in the 100m. Completing the morning finalists for Boston was Susannah Yielding (13) with third place in the 100m butterfly.

Hannah Macleod (11) who was one of three swimmers to reach three finals over the weekend finished fifth in the 100m freestyle, Bethany Holderness came fourth in the 50m backstroke and Ashley Berg with the highest finish of the afternoon session with third also in the 50m backstroke.

On the second day, Hannah Macleod came fourth in the 100m backstroke, Susannah Yielding produced her highest finish of the weekend with second place in the 100m breaststroke and Ashley Berg came fourth in the 50m butterfly.

Also reaching the boys nine years butterfly final was Sam Macleod who finished just behind his team-mate in sixth place.

Toni Keal (12) had set the tone for the morning session by being the first Boston swimmer to reach the morning finals in the 100m Butterfly where she came sixth.

It was left to Stephanie Goodale (14) to round off a productive morning for Boston with fourth place in the 100m backstroke.

The final session of the meet saw another flurry of finalists and trophies for Boston.

Looking for their opening first place finish of the weekend, their best hopes rested with Hannah Macleod and Michael Keal in the girls and boys 11 years 100m butterfly.

Both comfortably made the finals and although both swimmers set PBs in the final they were both edged out in the final few metres to finish in third place.

The good run in breaststroke finals continued this time for the 11 years boys with Liam Brotherton taking fourth place and Luke Macleod finishing sixth.

The weekend nine years age group double act of Bethany Holderness and Ashley Berg continued in the girls and boys 50m freestyle with Bethany finishing fifth and Ashley fourth.

Susannah Yielding's good weekend finished with fourth place 100m freestyle and it was left to the evergreen Lewis Moses (15-plus) to finish the gala off in style with third place in his only race of the weekend — the 100m freestyle.

Second places: Henry Careless, Susannah Yielding.

Third places: Ashley Berg, Michael Keal, Hannah Macleod, Susannah Yielding

Personal best times: Jason Barnes (3), Ashley Berg, Liam Brotherton (4), Alys Cadle (3), Henry Careless (2), Brad Cooke (2), Tom Cooke (3), Harry Dean-Allen (4), Bethany Holderness (4), Gwion Joyce (3), Michael Keal (4), Toni Keal (4), Hannah Macleod (3), Luke Macleod (4), Sam Macleod (3), Chloe Mallett (3), Jessica Pettitt (4), Becky Pimlott (3), Holly Sauntson (2), William Swain (2) and Susannah Yielding (5).