After three rounds of tense competition the 2015 Winter League drew to a close at the end of last month with a familiar name at the top of the table.

West Suffolk SC led the standings from the competition’s first round in September to its last and showed their strength in depth by finishing the league with the highest scoring boys’ team and joint second best girls’ squad.

A total of 1,087 points was amassed by the club on its march to glory, 61 better than second-placed Lowestoft and Oulton Broad (L&OB) SC A.

Winners last year, and a for a good many years before that, West Suffolk are definitely the scalp that other sides will be looking to claim next season.

But for now they will be able to enjoy another year of success in the competition before likely changes to the format next year.

Head coach Dan Pilbrow was understandably proud of his swimmers, especially those who stepped up to help the club compete on two fronts.

“We changed the criteria for selecting swimmers for the Winter League this year,” he said. “With the club entered into two league competitions (National Arena League and the Suffolk Winter League), we decided to give more swimmers the chance to compete in these galas and where possible, selected swimmers for the Winter League who didn’t get the chance to compete in the Arena League competition.

“There were a few instances where Arena League swimmers were needed to swim but as a group the swimmers really stepped up to the challenge and put in some great performances.”

Pilbrow also voiced support for the competition, saying it was still relevant to his swimmers at a time when the Amateur Swimming Association was making significant changes to young people’s development in the sport.

He added it was a great way to foster team spirit at a club operating from several different pools.

“The league galas are fantastic competitions for the swimmers to be a part of,” Pilbrow said. “They really help bring the swimmers together – especially with the club working out of Bury pool, Culford pool and Haverhill pool – it isn’t often they all get the chance to race together as a team.

“They are fun, fast and furious competitions and whether they are competing against the other local teams in Suffolk in the Winter League or against teams from around the East Midlands in the Arena League, they are really good competitions for the swimmers to come together as a team and race for the team to earn points – it’s not just about an individual and their own swim.

“It is definitely still a relevant competition and the club will continue to take part in the 2016 league.”