WINSFORD Swim Team have set high standards at the Cheshire County and Age Group Championships but that won’t stop them trying to raise them further.

That’s the view of head coach Dan Goodwin ahead of the 2019 edition starting in Macclesfield this weekend.

He said: “We’ll be determined, as always.

“And a successful county championship for us will be one in which we perform the way we know we can in every heat, final and relay – and that’s with the will to try and win.”

There is reason to believe him.

Winsford will send a record entry of 69 swimmers to compete over six days during which they will attempt to improve on a best yet showing 12 months ago.

A medal haul totalling 162, including more than a dozen titles in the senior and junior categories, elevated them to second spot behind Stockport Metro in the standings.

That made them the most improved team at the 2018 edition.

Goodwin added: “The Cheshire Championships are one of the most important in the calendar, second only to the regionals and nationals.

“It’s important our swimmers have an opportunity to race against the best of the rest from across the county and try to be as fast as they can at the same time.

“That’s the clear message; swim quickly and with belief in your own ability.”

A strong conclusion to last year included their highest finish, seventh, in the National Arena League’s North West Premier Division.

Before that they had brought back the team prize for a sixth successive year from the North Midlands ASA Championships.

Goodwin said: “Training has been going well and swimmers have optimised the time they’ve had in the water over Christmas and New Year.

“It’s been intense too with large volumes of work completed over the past couple of months to make sure everybody is fit and ready to compete.”