Albatross divers shone in Plymouth at the first Grand-Prix Club event of 2019.  The team of 12 Albatross Divers brought home a clutch of medals and sought essential qualification scores for National Championships later in the year.  The medal haul included: a gold, three bronze and a silver medal in the individual events plus gold, silver and bronze in synchronised diving and a bronze in the team event.

Charlotte West dived exceptionally well in women’s 16+ 1m.  Her consistent performance won the silver medal with 136.70 points.  Charlotte also won bronze on platform where a well executed inward two and a half somersaults from 7m contributed 51.30  to her final score of 131.65.  Charlotte placed 10th on the 3m board with 177.00 points.

There was further podium success in the boys B+ events.  James West won gold on 1m and Quinn Shaw won bronze in the 3m event.  A consistent performance  and a high scoring inward one and a half pike dive for 52.80, ensured James won the 1m event with a finals score of 144.60.  In the preliminary round Quinn Shaw was 7th (252.95) and Hernan Mosqueda-Jolly 20th (164.35).  In the final of 3m Quinn Shaw triumphed for Albatross winning bronze (142.40)  with James 5th. (137.60).  Hernan Mosqueda-Jolly also dived well in the 3m prelims achieving a boys B+ National Age Group qualification score of 211.25.  In the platform event Quinn Shaw qualified for the finals in 5th (248.45) with James West 7th (237.25) and Hernan Mosqueda-Jolly 18th (174.70).  The platform final was of an exceptional standard.  Quinn finished strongly scoring 58.05 for his front three and a half somersault tuck from 10 M to place 5th with 140.50.

Lauren Saunders, Maya Peche, Meah Thorngate and Austin Bradbury were all competing in the girls and boys group C events.  Lauren Saunders triumphed on the 1m board where she won bronze with 95.50 points.  In the 1m prelims Maya put in a strong performance to finish 10th (169.85). Meah scored 145.10 and Austin 131.90. On 3m Lauren finished in 11th place (183.45) with Maya close behind in 15th (173 points).  Meah scored 145.10 and Austin 121.60.  On platform Lauren finished 8th with 199.25, Maya 14th with 169.15 and Meah 19th with 153.40.  This was a significant competition for Maya Peche who achieved personal bests on all boards and booked her place at National Age Groups 2019 by achieving all her qualification scores on 1m, 3m and platform.

In the mens 16 + events Ollie Breach and Ethan Jones both qualified for finals.  On platform an exceptional 5231b for 53.30 helped Ethan finish 5th with 266.25 points.  Ollie was just behind in 6th with 264.95. Finlay Cook finished the prelims in 8th (239.70) with Edward Beal  in 10th (206.30). Ollie Breach was the only Albatross diver to make the 1m final with a preliminary score of 288.45.  He went on to place 5th in the final with 119.15 points.  In the preliminary round Finlay placed 11th (257.85), Ethan 13th (245.95) and Edward 14th (238.95).  In the 3m preliminary event Ethan placed 9th (244.10), Finlay 10th (239.05), Ollie 13th (208.85) and Edward 14th (201.70)

It was a podium hat-trick for Team Albatross in the boys 14+ synchronised diving event.  Quinn Shaw and Ethan Jones took gold.  James West partnering Ethan Bennet from Southampton took silver and Ollie Breach and Finlay Cook won bronze!

Final success came in the Team Event where three divers of different ages and genders compete together as a single team.  Charlotte and James West dived with Lauren Saunders to finish 3rd in this fun but highly competitive event.