Otter crowned Super 5 champions

Otter won their first-ever British League title by defeating reigning champions City of Manchester 16-14 in a pulsating Super 5s decider at the Surrey University pool, Guildford (26 January).

The London club led 5-4 and then 10-6 at the end of the first two quarters and were only briefly under serious pressure when Manchester fought back to trail 12-11 towards the end of the third.

Otter captain Lex Higlett, who finished the match with seven goals then struck a decisive blow. With 30 seconds of Otter possession almost completed and the defence anticipating the ball would be dumped, the Australian whipped a fine shot into the net from an acute angle. Another Otter goal early in the final quarter stretched the lead to 14-11, effectively ending the Manchester challenge. Victory clinched a special double for the Otter club - their Lutra team won Championship 1.

Congrats to the whole Otter Super 5's championship team. Sarah Tollefson, Liz Dunn, Vicky Bowen, Fran Leighton, Tracey Allen, Brooke Tafazolli, Sarah Bennett, Michelle Sazama, Emma Shkurka, Rox Hargraeves, Lex Higlett, Vivi Castagna, Sammy Owen & Coach Nick Buller. 

Undefeated Otter Lutra win Championship 1

Otter Lutra are the new winners of Championship 1, chalking up three wins at Grantham (30 November/1 December) to finish with a 100 per cent record. They will be joined in Division One at the start of next season by Sheffield Sharks and Leeds Sharks.

Otter had to work hard for their points. They beat Manchester Comets 7-4 - hat-tricks from Holly Campbell and Hannah Patchett - Leeds 9-6 and had to rely on a last quarter hat-trick from Hannah Patchett to clinch a 6-5 win over Mid Sussex Marlins, who had led 5-3 with four minutes remaining.

Otter players, back row, left to right: Emily Grant, Hannah Patchett, Ellie Danielson, Lindsey Williams, Rebecca Mulcahy, Isabelle (Izzy) Dean. Front: Marie Mulligan, Catherine Freeman, Jennifer Darnborough, Juliet Edey, Mhairi Nurthen and Holly Campbell.

Peggy & GBR Water Polo team prepare for European Champs

The British Gas GBR Women’s Water Polo team is preparing to head to Budapest next month for the LEN European Water Polo Championship finals.

The team qualified second in Group A in January and will face Greece, the Netherlands and hosts Hungary during the competition which begins on 14 July.

Coach Kostas Vamvakaris said: “Training is going well. The team has been centralised in Manchester for the last six weeks which has been really good and meant we have had time to work on tactics and fully prepare for the tournament. “The win against Spain in April was a huge confidence boost for the players. They feel very positive at the moment and believe in themselves which is great.”

The team travel to Madrid on 9 July to take part in a training camp with Spain before heading to Budapest. This will be GBR's second consecutive European Championships having finished seventh in Eindhoven two years ago.

Water polo is Hungary’s national sport and as such the two week tournament, which also includes a men’s competition, is expected to draw large crowds.

Good luck team GB & Peggy.