City of Salford emerge victorious in close competition to win Combo Cup

The competition for the GoCardless Swim England Artistic Swimming Combo Cup went down to the wire, but it was City of Salford who emerged victorious, finishing on 32 points and the highest average routine score.

Salford have now won the cup a record four times, having last won it in three years ago in 2022.

The Manchester club medalled in every event they entered, finishing on a high by winning the final event of the day, the division two 15-18 years event. Their ABBA routine scored 120.1450 to win by nearly nine points.

They were consistent through all sessions, grabbing a silver medal in the division one 13-18 category to start the day, followed by another silver in the division one 12 & under event with a routine to the soundtrack of Cats.

A bronze medal in the division two 15 & under event left the club under pressure to deliver in the final event.

“We knew it was doable, but we knew it was going to be really hard work. We just came with the intention to do the best we could in every event, and it has rounded off an amazing year” said coach Jess Fletcher.

“We won the Redwood, got a gold in the Youth Combo at National Age Groups, and a lot of our swimmers were part of the North West squad that won the Regional Games.

“To add another bit of silverware to that is very nice!”

The swimmers of City of Salford were:

Division one, 12 & under team: Alyssa Casey, Bianca Menhart, Elizabeth Eaton-Merry, Eloise Rose, Georgia-Belle Davies, Isobel Bullock, Rhea Shuttleworth, Rose Broadhead, Sofia Pearson & Thea Brockis

Division one 13-18 team: Amelia Pearson, Brogan Cheetham, Charlotte Cohen, Holly Casey, Isabella Maw, Jessica Sheppard, Leigh Newell, Matilda Allen, Neve Burgess & Sabine Melia

Division two 15 & under team: Abigail Pullen, Dorothy Walsh, Eleanor Burlinson, Eva Goodman, Isabella Whittle, Isla Lambert, Kaitlyn Riley, Millie Maw, Tess Burlinson & Zofia Holyniewska

Division two 15-18 team: Ailsa Fox, Caitlyn Brook, Chloe Mccreedy, Elza Melia, Grace Jenkins, Helen Huang, Lily Waddicker, Lotti Horsman, Sophie Huang & Ysabel Brook

City of Bristol finished in second place, with last year’s winners Rugby in third. City of Bristol impressed the judges, also medalling in every event and finishing with 32 points, with their overall routine average just 1.4 points shy of Salford’s winning total.

City of Bristol started strong, winning the first event of the day and scoring 120.1500 to finish more than 20 points clear of their opponents in the division one 13-18 event.

Aquavision North London took the remaining session one title. Their Barbie routine scored 106.0700 to finish just over a point clear in the largest category of the day, division one 15 & under.

There were five gold medals up for grabs in session two, with Cheltenham taking the first in the division one 13-15 event, with a score of 98.8133.

Borough of Kirklees won the division one 12 & under event as the only team to break the 100 points barrier, finishing on 100.6550.

Fellow North East region club, City of Leeds, went on to take the division two 15 & under event, scoring a huge 131.6567, the highest total of the day.

12 & Under National Age Group champions Rushmoor continued their fine 2025 form with a win in the division two 12 & under event, whilst City of Bristol took the title in the division two 13-15 event.

The last session of the day started with City of Leeds retaining their division one 15-18 title, swimming their ‘Grease Lightning’ routine. Portsmouth Victoria’s disco routine took the gold in the division two 13-18 event.

In a tense final event, City of Salford held their cool to win the division two 15-18 event, and Ponds Forge erupted when the final standings were read out.

You can find the final Combo Cup standings and results here.

Images: Will Johnston Photography