Bishop’s Stortford Swimming Club’s youngest members produced a landmark season as the club won the top division of Hertfordshire’s premier junior swim league for the first time in more than 15 years.
The club’s A team finished top of the Peanuts Swimming League Division One, ahead of City of St Albans A, while Bishop’s Stortford B earned promotion for next season after finishing runners-up in Division Two behind Hertford in only their first season competing.
The result completes a remarkable Peanuts campaign for Stortford, whose A team had finished second last year and went into the 2026 competition determined to go one better.
The Peanuts League is an annual interclub competition for swimmers aged nine to 12, held over three rounds in May and June. For many swimmers, it is their first experience of racing for the club as part of a team, with points collected across individual age-group events and relays.
BSSC Juniors Coach Joe Collins said the achievement was a significant moment for the club.
“In all my years I have not seen BSSC win Peanuts,” he said. “From my first time swimming in 2011, to the years helping as club captain, to being the coach taking the teams to competitions.
“We came so close last year finishing second, and we all had the same goal this year – to go one better. And that we did.”
Across the three rounds, Stortford swimmers competed in a busy programme of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly events, as well as medley, freestyle and squadron relays.
The Division One title reflected the strength of the A team across the age groups, while the B team’s promotion from Division Two, in BSSC’s first ever year of fielding two teams, showed the growing depth of the club’s junior squads.
The Peanuts title comes during one of the strongest periods in BSSC’s recent history, with Stortford crowned overall champions at this year’s Swim England Hertfordshire County Championships after topping three of the four medal tables.
BSSC will now compete with two teams in Division One next year, an outstanding achievement in a competition dating back to 1979 that also includes the likes of Watford, Hatfield and Stevenage.
Collins said every swimmer had played a part in the club’s strong performance at Peanuts.
“A huge congratulations to everyone that swam, across both teams,” he said. “Whether you did one race or all the races, every point mattered.
“The introduction of our Rookies Squads into the team has been incredible, with some swimmers showing up without having ever competed before and blowing the other teams away.
“For some swimmers it was their first Peanuts with Stortford and for some swimmers it’s their last. But I hope that everyone involved recognises their importance in being part of such a fantastic team.”
Collins added: “Thanks to everyone that swam, officiated, volunteered on poolside, cheered and especially to everyone behind the scenes organising such a great three rounds of competitions.
“And let’s hope for more of the same next year.”
BSSC A Team
- Ailbhe Millsom
- Alex Petrocv
- Alys Morton
- Archer Dodwell
- Aria Kalliga
- Aurelia Court
- Benjamin Green
- Benjamin Needham
- Bethany Chapman
- Cian Millsom
- Daniel Cara
- Edward Grant
- Erin Millsom
- George Conday
- George Georgeu
- Harrison Dodwell
- Henry Smailes
- Jeremy Cox
- Josh Green
- Kira Norman
- Lara Crotty
- Linke Groenewald
- Lucy Pickard
- Lucy Tattersall
- Margo Martin
- Morgan Richards
- Naomi Muwangi
- Nigel Chan
- Olivia Cara
- Otis Mastin
- Rose Wright
- Ruby Penny
- Taras Boiko
- William Marshall
- Zahra Warwick
BSSC B Team
- Amaia Smith
- Bethan Crang
- Charlie Donnelly
- Chloe Wilson
- Cian Millsom
- Daniel Cara
- Elizabeth Needham
- Elspeth Warwick
- Emily Chan
- Erin Millsom
- George Georgeu
- Harry Powell
- Imogen Green
- James Tattersall
- Jaycee Chong
- Jessica Masheder
- Josh Green
- Lucy Pickard
- Matilda Colby
- Megan Ma
- Mikail Yurttass
- Nigel Chan
- Nola Glover-Hammond
- Peppe Oliver Sapia
- Peter Martin
- Pumpkin Faccini
- Robyn Davenport
- Ruby Penny
- Teddy Waldron
- Ted Foster
- William Beuzeval
- William Doris
- Zac White
- Zahra Warwick
- Zander Van Baal
