Scarborough Swimming Club crowned as Ridings League champions

For SSC, this was more than just winning a trophy. It was the result of four years of developing swimmers, rebuilding the team following COVID-19 and bringing together a group capable of competing across every age group.

The 2026 season marked a significant turning point for the SaDSA Ridings League, as clubs finally began to emerge from the lasting effects of the pandemic.

Like many swimming clubs, Scarborough faced a major challenge following COVID-19. It wasn't simply about getting swimmers back into the water. The club needed to rebuild its team, with around 90% of its swimmers needing time to grow, develop and progress into the age groups required for the league.

Unlike individual swimming competitions, the Ridings League requires clubs to field teams across four age categories: 9/10 years, 12-and-under, 14-and-under and Open.

That meant Scarborough couldn't simply rely on a handful of talented swimmers. The club needed strength and depth throughout the team, something that takes years to develop.

And in 2026, those four years of work finally came together.

Winning the Ridings League isn't about winning every race. It's about making the right decisions, placing swimmers in the right events and collecting as many points as possible across the whole competition.

For Scarborough, team selection and tactics played a major part in their success.

The coaching team had to consider where each swimmer could contribute the most points, sometimes choosing an event where a second or third-place finish would benefit the team more than chasing an individual victory elsewhere.

Scarborough had plenty of experience to draw upon. Club Coach David Renshaw previously won the Ridings League title several times while coaching Kingfishers Swimming Club, bringing valuable experience and knowledge of the competition to Scarborough's coaching team.

Senior Coach Nathan Renshaw also brought previous league-winning experience, having guided Scarborough to success in between 2010 to 2017.

Together, their knowledge of the competition, careful team selection and understanding of how to maximise points proved valuable throughout the season.

One of the most pleasing aspects of the championship was seeing swimmers of all ages coming together as one team.

From the youngest 9 and 10-year-olds experiencing the excitement of racing for their club to the older swimmers providing leadership and encouragement, every age group made an important contribution.

Scarborough's championship-winning team consisted of 43 swimmers, each playing a part in the club's success.

Senior Coach Nathan Renshaw said: "This has been four years in the making, and I'm incredibly proud of what the swimmers have achieved.

"After COVID, we had a massive job on our hands. We needed to rebuild the team, and around 90% of our swimmers needed time to grow and develop into the right age groups.

“You can't rush that process. It takes years of training, competitions and gaining experience.

“People sometimes think winning the league is about having the fastest swimmers and winning every race, but it's not. It's about tactics, putting the right swimmers into the right events and getting the maximum points for the team.

“David won the league several times when he was coaching Kingfishers Swimming Club, and I've also won it previously with Scarborough. Between us, we have plenty of experience of this competition and understand how important team selection can be. But ultimately, it's the swimmers who have to get in the water and deliver.

“The best thing for me has been watching the younger swimmers grow in confidence and seeing the whole team supporting one another.

“Every swimmer, coach, team manager, volunteer and parent has played a part in getting us here. This is their championship, and they should all be extremely proud."

The achievement is also a testament to the dedication of everyone behind the scenes.

From early morning training sessions and evening practices to travelling to competitions, organising teams and supporting swimmers, the commitment of coaches, team managers, officials, volunteers and parents has been essential.

2026 SaDSA Ridings League Championship-Winning Team

9/10 Years: Grace Carter, Georgina Emmett, Neve Brown, Eliza Bond, Lillian Koscis, Piper Hodgson, Joseph Cutts Trotter, Alex Cowling, Oliver Hardman, Joey Walker, Lealan Snow and Vladimir Nikolov.

12 Years & Under: Edie Firth, Eden de Silva, Thea Renshaw, Lydia Wardman, Skye Leighton Armitage, Ella Richardson, Skyla Sowden, Freddie Hardman, Wilson Stone, William Child, Joseph Boddy and Rayirth Maharjan.

14 Years & Under: Olivia Thompson, Suki Sowden, Alexandra Harrison, Sofia Baloch, Rose Hewitt, Phoebe Dickinson, Toby Hewitt, Charlie Bob Hewitt, Wiktor Gora and Connor Sellars.

Open Age Group: Hannah Brown, Phillippa Thompson, Savannah Foster, William Robson, Sami Baloch, Angus Leckonby, Ben Rowe and Wayne Renshaw.

Club Captain: Eleanor Kirby.