There is no doubt we have been lucky with the weather, and Main Beach at the Mount certainly painted that typical kiwi summer beach scene to perfection for our Mount Swim, Global Swim Series Championships and Aquaknights Zonal Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championships this Easter weekend.
Watch the video from the event.
Conditions were a bit lumpy on the eastern side of Leisure Island, smoothing out for a clean run into the finish at Main Beach with a gentle 1/2m swell. The race came down to the best line, navigation proving to be difficult for some allowing Alex Dunkley to take the win by over a minute in 34:45! An exceptional performance by the youngster with Lam Hamblyn-Ough sliding in for second place with 27 seconds to spare over masters legend, Brent Foster for third. Kalani Bruce (4th) earned bronze in the Zonal Secondary Schools Championships.
In the women’s race, Talitha Mcewan took line honours in all 3 swim events, 2.8km, 1250m and 500m ensuring she left the beach with 7 trophies which included the Zonal Secondary Schools in each distance, and the Global Swim Series Championship. An exceptional performance from one of our swimming stars. Only 20seconds down, Lena Hamblyn-Ough matched her brother’s performance by securing second place, with Ella Crowe finishing for third a minute later.
Four awards were presented for the Global Swim Series Championships, with Alex Dunkley and Talitha Mcewan being overall winners, and Simon Miller and Lauren Mills securing the top spots in the non-wetsuit category. Congratulations!
The Amphibian event was exciting to race in, and to watch, with the overall winners making up for lost time on the run leg. Both Clark Ellis and Eryn Westlake were our overall winners, exiting the water a little behind the lead swimmers taking the lead on the stunning base track of the Mount. Superb performances, especially for Eryn who raced in the 10-13 age group and finished 5th overall! She’s one to watch in the future.
