M11 Speedo League leaders Borough of Castle Point came from behind to clinch a thrilling victory against their top rivals to win the single place available in the national semi-finals.
Yet it was Basildon & District who led by four points after three events, before their hopes were shattered by three successive disqualifications.
Their misfortune left last year's winners Enfield Griffins ahead of BCOP and Erith Stingrays by five points after event 12.
Erith then won the last three races in a row, before the lead changed six times between BCOP and Griffins from the 16th to 38th event.
BOCP went in front for the first time with five races to go, finally finishing five clear of Griffins.
Result: BOCP 182 points, Griffins 179, Romford 148, Hoddesdon 136, Basildon 122, Erith 118.
BOCP top three placings:
Lauren Hunt, ten - 2nd in freestyle. Steven Sullivan, 12 - 1st in breaststroke, 3rd in backstroke. Stacey O'Rawe, 12 - 3rd in backstroke. Robert Worthington, ten - 2nd in breaststroke, 3rd in butterfly.
Matthew Brown, 12 - 1st in butterfly and freestyle. Emma Tout, 12 - 1st in freestyle, 2nd in butterfly. Tessa Ing, 12 - 1st in breaststroke. Sarah Jarratt, ten - 3rd in backstroke.
Jenny Baker, 11 - 3rd in breaststroke. Hayley Whitehead, ten - third in butterfly. Ben Preston, 11 - third in freestyle. Aimee Drake, 11 - third in freestyle.
BOCP Relay results:
Tommy Ing, Sophie Kneeshaw, Laura Hurst, Nicholas Bright - 2nd in mixed nine years freestyle.
Chris Chennery, Tommy Ing, Nicholas Bright, Lloyd Argles - 1st in boys nine years medley.
Becky Moran, Sophie Kneeshaw, Laura Hurst, Katy Martin - 3rd in girls nine years freestyle.
Aimee Drake, Suzi Noble, Cassie Williams, Jenny Baker - 2nd in girls 11 and under freestyle.
Aaron Peters, Robert Worthington, Chris Chennery, Jon Howell - 2nd in boys ten and under medley.
Sarah Jarratt, Hayley Whitehead, Charlie Ives, Lauren Hunt - 3rd in girls ten and under freestyle.
Chris Chennery, Sophie Kneeshaw, Becky Moran, Nicholas Bright - 2nd in mixed nine years freestyle.
Steven Sullivan, Ben Preston, Philip Lingfield, Matthew Brown - 1st in boys 12 and under freestyle.
Stacey O'Rawe, Emma Tout, Jessica Jones, Lauren Sinfield - 1st in girls 12 and under freestyle.
Alan Jarratt, Steven Sullivan, Matthew Brown, Philip Lingfield - 2nd in boys 12 and under medley.
Stacey O'Rawe, Emma Tout, Jessica Jones, Lauren Sinfield - 1st in girls 12 and under medley.
Laura Hurst, Nicholas Bright, Sarah Jarratt, Jon Howell, Aimee Drake, Ben Preston, Emma Tout, Matthew Brown -1st in the cannon freestyle.
Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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