From 11th to the 15th August a team of 13 members of the North Canterbury Swim Club swam in the New Zealand Short Course Champs at the brand new Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre in Auckland.

Over the course of the week they achieved 72 personal best times and 25 North Canterbury Club records were broken.

The swimmers compete for their age group placings in the morning. At night they compete for the Open medals and then combined age group finals for team points. Jordan Rahurahu, George Eglesfield and Natasha Lloyd all made Open finals.

The meet was also a selection event for a NZ age group team travelling to Australia in September to compete. Ollie Rayner and Jordan Rahurahu were both selected for this team which will be an awesome experience for them both.

Brigitte Mahan, Wai-Swim head coach said the new pool was fast and the swimmers enjoyed the meet. The competition was very strong with a continent of age group athletes from Australia also competing. The swimmers were rewarded for the efforts that they had put into their preparation which was very pleasing. We were able to field relay teams in the 16 + O club relays which was exciting. The freestyle team made up of Campbell Kershaw, Angus Syme, Will Roberts and Bryn Atkin placed 8th in the heat and final. The medley relay team made up of Michael Pitt, Jordan Rahurahu, Angus Syme and Campbell Kershaw placed 7th in the final, stepping up one place from their qualifying swim in the heats.

Natasha Lloyd, home on her University break from training in the States at Auburn University, was thrilled to break the NZ Open record which has stood for 8 years and was formally held by Annabel Carey another Canterbury swimmer who represented NZ at the Olympics.

Individual results:

George Adam: 15year male Para: bronze, 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle 

Natasha Lloyd: Open female: gold and Open NZ record 100m breaststroke, also gold in 50 breaststroke

Jordan Rahurahu: 17-18 YR male: silver 200m butterfly, bronze 400IM. 4th 200IM, 8th 100 Fly, 9th 400 Fr, 10th 100Bk. Open events – 7th 400IM and 8th 200IM.

Ollie Rayner: 15 YR male: silver 100m butterfly; bronze 50m and 200m butterfly. 4th100Bk, 50Fr,5th200Fr 

Ollie was also part of the Canterbury A relay team that won gold in the 4 x 100 Fr and 4 x 200 Fr relay and silver in the 4 x 100 Medley relay where he swum the fly leg.

George Eglesfield – bronze 200 Fly, 7th 100 Fly, 400 Fr

Campbell Kershaw – 6th 50 Fr, 7th 100 Fr, 8th 200IM, 9th 200 Fr and 10th 100Fly

Michael Pitt – 8th 200bk, 400 IM, 9th 100Bk, 50 Bk

Angus Syme – 5th 1500 Fr, 6th 100Bk, 400 FR, 8th 200 Fr, 100 Fly

Bryn Atkin – 6th 1500 Fr, 7th 50 Bk

Will Roberts – 7th 50 Br, 1500 Fr, 9th 100 Br, 200 IM

Reagan Pitt – 9th 100 Br

Tim Batchelor – 8th 200Fly, 10th 50 Br. Tim swum the fly leg of the relay for the Canterbury B team in an awesome PB that saw them place 6th in the final, stepping up two placings from their qualifying swim in the morning.

Angus Kelliher – 7th 50 Bk, 8th 200Bk

North Canterbury Swim Club Records broken:

Natasha Lloyd: female 19&over: 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley
Angus Kelliher: male 13 Year: 200m backstroke

Oliver Rayner, 15year male, 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly and 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke 

records.  The 200m freestyle record had been set by George Eglesfield in 2009
Campbell Kershaw: 17year male, broke the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle.  The 200m freestyle record had been set by Tim Wright back in 2007.

Jordan Rahurahu, 17 year male, 400m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 200m and 400m individual medley
Micheal Pitt, 18 year male, 400m individual medley

George Eglesfield, 19&over male, 50m and 400m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly
Reagan Pitt, 19&over male, 50m breaststroke