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Southampton Diving Academy returned to the boards for the new diving season to claim success, hosting its 13^th Southampton Invitational competition, the team retained the team trophy once again. This three day event attracts some of the best divers in Great Britain and many are stars of the future. Amongst this year’s pickings were several Southampton GB/England International divers, and also a guest German International diver who SDA are currently hosting from a fellow club in Berlin.

Leading the way for SDA was Max Cott who dominated the boys 14/15 age group with an excellent display to win 3 gold medals in the 1m and 3m springboard, and the platform competitions. Max showcased new dives from the 10m board, holding his concentration and executing a fantastic handstand double somersault, impressing the judges and attracting scores of 8’s. Teammate Brandon Foster joined Max on the podium in the platform event after winning the preliminarily with a personal best score with mainly 7.5’s and 8’s, just slipping into to silver place in the final. Brandon also took the bronze on 3m springboard – both boys achieved several personal best scores with several new dives.

On form, Angus Kerr, diving in the boys 12/13 years, also used this opening event to the competitive diving season to perform some of his new dives to win a trio of medals, silver in his 3m springboard and Platform events and gold on the 1m springboard. Angus secured his place in all three finals in top three positions with personal best scores.

German International Springboard diver Frithjof Seidel enjoyed success in both Boys 16+ years springboard events winning the 3m event 24.2 points ahead of the silver medallist. Frithjof also took the silver medal in the 3m springboard event. “It is an honour to spend two months in Great Britain, I feel very delighted to have the opportunity to compete at The Southampton Invitational.” Seidel remarked.

Lucy Hawkins enjoyed a successful weekend in the girls 14/15 years settling for silver in a high scoring platform event just behind the gold medallist despite executing an outstanding back two and half somersaults from 7.5m. She then secured the gold medal in the 3m springboard event where she led the final from start to finish. Teammates Tanya Watson and Jessica Bennett both joined Lucy on the podium, Tanya secured the bronze in the platform event with some impressive diving and Jess the bronze in the 3m springboard event, Jess progressed into this final in 6^th place but stayed poised to execute three first-class dives to secure a personal best score and the bronze medal. All three girls performed newly learnt dives and secured personal best scores. Also in this age group Emily Martin won gold in the 1m springboard event performing an outstanding last dive – a forward 2.5 somersaults.

Evelyna Johnson secured silver medals in both the 1m springboard and 5m platform in the girls 11 years & Under events, finishing both finals with an excellent inward one and half somersaults to earn scores of 6 & 7’s and the silver medal. Evelyna also scored personal best scores in all three of her events.

GB Internationals Gemma McArthur and Sarah White shared the victory in the girls 16+ years. Gemma won the 1m springboard event whilst Sarah took gold in the Platform event ahead of Gemma in silver and teammate Lauren Grinstead in bronze, Lauren performed a complicated handstand backwards twisting dive (Handstand back double somersault with two and half twists) in the preliminary, making her first female diver in GB to perform this dive in competition.

Many other SDA divers to achieve a place in the finals, winning top six medals and contributing to the team trophy win were: Sofia Sathio, Milly Batten, Victoria Ward, James Madden, Ethan Bennett, Chloe Harrington, Cameron Gammage, Thomas Bailey, Rhys Crookes, William Osborne, Elliott Moorhouse & Scott Palmer.

Full Results:

Girls Group D & Under 1m

2^nd Evelyna Johnson, 6^th Sofia Sathio, 7^th Milly Batten, 8^th Victoria Ward, 10^th Dulcie Wilson, 11^th Collette Guyett-Smith, 14^th Astrid Davis, 15^th Lucy Chandler.

Girls Group D & Under 3m

4^th Milly Batten, 5^th Victoria Ward, 6^th Evelyna Johnson, 9^th Astrid Davis, 11^th Sofia Sathio, 12^th Dulcie Wilson, 13^th Collette Guyett-Smith, 15^th Lucy Chandler.

Girls Group D & Under Platform

2^nd Evelyna Johnson, 5^th Victoria Ward, 6^th Collette Guyett-Smith, 7^th Astrid Davis.

Boys Group D & Under 1m

5^th James Madden, 6^th Ethan Bennett, 7^th Milo French

Boys Group D & Under 3m

4^th Ethan Bennett, 7^th James Madden, 8^th Milo French

Girls Group C 1m

21^st Gabrielle Kirkham, 23^rd Chloe Harrington, 25^th Ella Anderson

Girls Group C 3m

16^th Chloe Harrington, 19^th Ella Anderson, 20^th Gabrielle Kirkham

Girls Group C Platform

6^th Chloe Harrington, 7^th Ella Anderson

Boys Group C 1m

1^st Angus Kerr, 8^th Cameron Gammage, 12^th Reuben Brown, 13^th Alex Walton

Boys Group C 3m

2^nd Angus Kerr, 4^th Cameron Gammage, 10^th Reuben Brown, 11^th Alex Walton

Boys Group C Platform

2^nd Angus Kerr, 4^th Cameron Gammage, 10^th Reuben Brown

Girls Group B 1m

1^st Emily Martin, 4^th Lucy Hawkins, 5^th Tanya Watson, 11^th Jessica Bennett, 15^th Jade Brindley, 18^th Serena Torpey, 19^th Katie McArthur, 22^nd Victoria Kennedy

Girls Group B 3m

1^st Lucy Hawkins, 3^rd Jessica Bennett, 4^th Tanya Watson, 9^th Serena Torpey, 10^th Jade Brindley, 12^th Katie McArthur, 16^th Victoria Kennedy

Girls Group B Platform

2^nd Lucy Hawkins, 3^rd Tanya Watson, 9^th Jessica Bennett, 11^th Jade Brindley, 13^th Serena Torpey, 14^th Katie McArthur

Boys Group B 1m

1^st Max Cott, 4^th Scott Palmer, 5^th Brandon Foster, 6^th Elliot Moorhouse , 7^th William Osborne, 8^th Thomas Bailey, 9^th Rhys Crookes, 11^th Dylan Lakeman-Brown, 12^th Alfie Lakeman-Brown, 13^th Jamie Bevan

Boys Group B 3m

1^st Max Cott, 3^rd Brandon Foster , 4^th Scott Palmer , 5^th William Osborne , 6^th Thomas Bailey , 8^th Rhys Crookes , 11^th Dylan Lakeman-Brown, 12^th Elliot Moorhouse

Boys Group B Platform

1^st Max Cott, 2^nd Brandon Foster, 5^th Rhys Crookes, 6^th Scott Palmer, 8^th William Osborne, 9^th Dylan Lakeman-Brown, 10^th Thomas Bailey

Girls Group A+ 1m

1^st Gemma McArthur, 3^rd Sarah White

Girls Group A+ Platform

1^st Sarah White, 2^nd Gemma McArthur, 3^rd Lauren Grinstead

Boys Group A+ 1m

2^nd Frithjof Seidel , 7^th Lewys Oakley

Boys Group A+ 3m

1^st Frithjof Seidel