The Basingstoke Bluefins National League team were back in action , this time competing at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth.

Hoping to replicate their strong win in the first round, expectations for the team were high, and they certainly did not disappoint in the second of the three rounds.

The first two individual events, the ladies and men’s 200 metres individual medley, were won convincingly by the Bluefins swimmers, and this really set the tone for the rest of the gala.

By event ten the Fins were ahead of their nearest rivals by 13 points, having already won seven events.

That lead had stretched to 37 points by the halfway mark, and the sweet smell of victory was definitely wafting enticingly through the Bluefins camp!

By the time all the individual events had taken place, the Bluefins lead was an unassailable 65 points.

The team pushed on and won all but one of the last eight relay events, securing a convincing gala win overall, and by a margin of 74 points to the next team.

Overall, Bluefins amassed a total of 35 wins during the night, which was one more than they achieved in round one.

The great result at Portsmouth now means that the team are one step closer to achieving the goal of promotion to the next division up.

The third and final round takes place on December 10, and on the strength of the previous rounds, promises some exciting racing.

The final points tally was Basingstoke Bluefins 272, Rushmoor B 182, Hart 177.5, Chichester 122.5 and Godalming 113.

 Six Bluefins Masters represent the winning Hampshire team at the Inter-counties championships take place at The Leys pool, Oxford.

Lizzie Godfrey, Caroline Ball, Mark Straw, Ray Knight, Spencer Turner and Fleur Parker all competed for Hampshire against Surrey, Middlesex, Kent, Berks, Hertfordshire and South Bucks .

There was a personal best from Turner in the 50 backstroke.