The Royal Navy’s swimming squads have enjoyed a successful year against the other Services – and among the most notable achievements was that of their oldest relay team, which has set a new British record.

The Royal Navy Amateur Swimming Association set itself the objective of finding four veteran Masters swimmers with an average age of 80 plus, to enter a 320 to 359 age group short-course (25 metre) relay team.

Four such swimmers were identified - Geoff Bishop (67) from Portsmouth, Len Rosindale (82) from Leeds, Phil Merryweather (83) from Kenilworth and the Navy’s oldest registered competitor, John Harrison (89) from Elstead, Surrey – but then there had to be a decision on which Masters competition should be entered to prevent too much travel for any of the intrepid foursome.

After numerous discussions and consultations of the atlases, the Midlands was chosen, - specifically the Midlands Masters competition at Leamington Spa.

The record to be tackled was for the 320-years team which could swim a 4 X 50 metre medley and freestyle relay without disqualification – and the team came very close to taking the European record.

In the end they had to settle for the British record, setting the standard for other senior groups to challenge.

The record-breaking efforts of the Masters quartet were typical of the Navy’s season in the pool.

The Inter-Services aquatics competition saw the Senior Service retain their swimming title from last year, with the women’s team winning their best haul of medals.

The event was a close-run thing, with the RAF leading from the first event and staying in front until the latter stages of the competition, when MEM Gary Nuttall and WTR Stu Mantle got a point back in the 400 metres, and MEM Jim Warwick and Diver Kev Brown put the Navy one point ahead with a good swim in the individual medleys.

WO Nick Vaughan and Lt Alistair Witt (100 metre freestyle), OM Ian Fairhurst and Mne de Schoolmeister maintained the narrow advantage, and old-stager CPOPT Gary Thomas and Mne Craig Waugh took eight points to the RAF’s five in the 200 metres breaststroke.

That four-point lead was defended by James Warwick and Mne Paul Thomas, leaving the Navy just ahead as the relays began.

The Medley team finished just over a second ahead of their rivals, stretching the RN lead to six, and all that was required in the final event was a steady swim – and no disqualifications. Even if the RAF won, the Navy just had to finish.

As it happened, it was the Army who took the final race, with the Navy two seconds behind, and the RAF trailing a further two seconds back.

The eight-point margin was a personal triumph for coach Sam Wakefield, who praised his team for their efforts. Everyone’s points were critical in the final analysis, he said, right down to the slowest sixth place.

The Royal Navy took three golds in the men’s competition (excluding relays), with six silvers and four bronzes, while the women – who finished third in their competition – took four bronzes.

The diving competition provided a platform for the women to shine, taking the title for the first time since 1992.

The main reason for the success was WEA Becky Kerchey’s contribution, taking two golds in the 1/3 metre springboard and the 5 metre firmboard – also taking the Tina Childs Trophy for the best combined total.

The trophy is in honour of LWREN Tina Childs, and was presented by Tina’s parents in memory of their daughter in the 1970s.

The Army took the men’s diving event, but the soldiers were beaten into third place in the water polo competition, which was won by the Navy.

The Senior Service took the trophy for only the third time since 1981, beating the Army 5-3 and the RAF10-8.