BASINGSTOKE Bluefin swimmers have been in action in two open water events.

Rowan Williams was the fastest female in the Jubilee River 10km swim.

Williams was one of four Basingstoke swimmers in the event, along with Zoe Sadler, Brett Cherrington and Joanne Postins.

The swim consists of four legs of different lengths, 1.9km, 3.5km, 2.6km and 1.5km.

The start of open water races is always hectic and Williams faced a bigger challenge than most as she was the youngest competitor in the race, starting alongside men and women much bigger than her.

Her tactic was to start at the front and try and get away from the fighting masses as quick as possible, which she managed to do successfully.

Williams was then able to latch onto a group of four other swimmers who could work as a group. The group exited the first leg in 26 minutes, with Williams lying 15th overall.

After the second leg, the longest of the event, which she swam in 40 minutes, the Bluefins swimmer moved up a place.

She then finished the 1.5km final leg in just over 20 minutes, the fifth-fastest individual split making sure she finished as the top woman swimmer.

The other Bluefins finishers were Cherrington (2:38.48), Sadler (3:19.01) and Postins (3:31.33).

Another open water event, the Big Fish and Small Fry, was held at the Reading Lake Hotel.

Young Bluefin Tom Bryce competed in the Small Fry, a 1,500metre race. He was not daunted by the mass start as he pulled off an impressive performance, finishing in a time of exactly 31 minutes to finish 17th out of 35 in a mostly adult field.

Williams and Sadler competed on the 3.8km race. Williams finished in 56 minutes 46 seconds for a creditable fourth place overall, smashing her previous personal best on the course by over six minutes.

Sadler finished in 1:20:36 and 35th place, despite opting not to wear a wetsuit.