Last weekend, Gyllyngvase Surf Life Saving + Triathlon Club fielded a team of 64 nippers in the Cornwall Surf Life Saving Championships at Carbis Bay, St Ives.

After two days of intense and friendly competition, the result is believed to be the closest finish in the history of the event between the top two clubs.

Over 500 nippers aged between 8 to 13 years from 15 Cornish Surf Life Saving Clubs joined together to compete. Events included a 1km run, beach flags, sprints, swim race, board race, a number of relay team races and golden nipper (an individual swim/board/run endurance event).

The Gylly team had managed to secure an incredible second place with a point total of 716. The deserved winners of the event by just 3 points were St Ives Surf Life Saving Club, with a total point score of 719. Third was Newquay Surf Life Saving Club with 499 points and 4th Portreath Surf Life Saving Club with 404 points.

Nipper coach, Matthew Trebilcock said: "I cannot be prouder of all the 64 competitors that we took to the Cornish Championships. Every single one of them contributed with their efforts to the great result they managed to achieve for their club. We had some exceptional performances over the 2 days from our nippers that will stay with me for a very long time."

"For a club like Gyllyngvase that has only be going for a short period of time (it is the club’s 5th birthday this October) this result is a real testament to the hard work of the entire nipper coaching team and more so the hard work each of the nippers put into their training and the real enjoyment that they get from the sport of Surf Life Saving, which you can see when they compete."

Over the 2 days of competition, the Gylly team managed to secure 26 gold, 28 silver and 24 bronze medals, which was the highest medal count of the 15 teams that took part.

The focus now turns to the forthcoming National Surf Life Saving Chamionships that will take place on Saunton Sands in North Devon on 23 and 24 August.

To find out more about Gylly, visit www.gyllysurf.org.uk and if you can find out more information about surf life saving in Cornwall by visiting www.surflifesavingcornwall.org.uk.