Northland’s swimmers dived back into racing last Sunday at the region’s first competition since Covid-19 shut down competition and training across the country. Almost 90 swimmers from clubs took the plunge at the Te Papawai Community Pool in Kawakawa.
“It’s good to see so many people here today getting back in the pool,” says Swimming Northland board chair Jess Rule. She hopes the season will continue without interruptions but says there is a lot of uncertainty ahead for swimmers, especially around international meets.
“It’s just as much a mental as a physical challenge for them – for all swimmers, but especially for those top end swimmers, to keep training without knowing if there is an event for them.”
Rule was impressed at how coaches had worked with swimmers to keep their fitness up over lockdown and get them back up to speed in the pool once training resumed. “I take my hat off to them,” she says. “I think numbers for this event are a bit down, some didn’t feel ready to come into an event yet.”
Before the competition began, trophies based on last year’s performances were presented to swimmers and officials.
Northland’s Swimmer of the Year for the past season was Ciara Smith from Northwave Swimming Club. Smith won gold medals in 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke in her age group at the New Zealand Short Course Championships last year – the only major national swimming event to go ahead last season. She also won silver in the 200m and 400m individual medley and won medals in the open women’s breaststroke events and 400m IM. She was a member of the Swimming New Zealand Development Squad and continues with her swim training while living in Dunedin to study at Otago University, and joining Northwave’s squad when she is home for holidays.
Other top awards went to:
Junior Swimmer of the Year: Hans Haufe (Northwave)
Open Water Swimmer of the Year: Emilia Finer (Bream Bay)
Para Swimmer of the Year: Cameron Leslie (Whangarei)
Community Trust Foundation Shield: Coach of the Year: Monica Cooper (Northwave)
Community Trust Foundation Shield: Official of the Year: Ross Gillespie (Dargaville)
Community Trust Foundation Shield: Administrator of the Year: Samantha Simons (Dargaville)
Swimming Northland Technical Trophy for Emerging Official of the Year: Matt White (Bream Bay)
Mick Parr Memorial Trophy for swimmer service to sport: Marvin Beckmann (Bay of Islands), Samantha Dutton and Emilia Finer (both Bream Bay)
Champion of Champions Trophy (swimmer with the most points in finals at SN Age Group & Long Distance Champs): Tyler Jepsen (Northwave)
Swimming Northland Cup for breaking a Northland long course record by the greatest % margin: Te Rauroha Paki (Northwave)
Swimming Northland Cup for breaking a Northland short course record by the greatest % margin: Ciara Smith
Mark Cooper Trophy for the closest % margin to a national age group record at a national meet: Ciara Smith
Martin Wilson Trophy for breaking a race record by the greatest percentage margin at Northland Age Group Championships: Tyler Jepsen
Swimming Northland Trophy for highest XLR8 points in an NZ Juniors event: Hans Haufe
Lorraine Holmes Trophy for a 12 year and under swimmer who gains the most points in 50m and 100m finals at Northland Age Group Championships: Layla Bell (Bay of Islands)
Crawford Woodman Cup 8 swimmer relay trophy: Bream Bay
O.W. Wright Shield club points trophy (greatest % points gained at SN championships events): Northwave.
Service Awards: Kevin Reade, Sara Reade, Sharon Carroll, Dawn Dutton (Bream Bay)
Honours Awards: Ramona Hellesoe (Manaia), Louise Wickham, Julie Paton (Bream Bay)
Stroke trophies:
Sub 4 Trophy: Fastest female 400m LC freestyle: Emilia Finer (BBY)
Sub 4 Trophy: Fastest male 400m LC freestyle: Tyler Jepsen (WAV)
Stentiford Trophy: Fastest female 200m freestyle: Emilia Finer
Schon Trophy: Fastest male 200m freestyle: Tyler Jepsen
Swimming Northland Trophy: Fastest female 100m LC freestyle: Rebecca Reade (BBY)
Swimming Northland Trophy: Fastest male 100m LC freestyle: Tyler Jepsen
Jurisich Family Trophy LC fastest female 50m freestyle; Rebecca Reade
Honiss Family Trophy LC fastest male 50m freestyle: Archie White (BBY)
Janet Froggatt LM Trophy: fastest female 200m backstroke: Rebecca Reade
Monica Cooper LM Trophy: Fastest male 200m backstroke
Swimming Northland Trophy: Fastest female 100m LC backstroke: Ciara Smith
Bruce Cooper LM Trophy: Fastest male 100m LC backstroke: Tyler Jepsen
Swimming Northland Trophy LC fastest female 50m backstroke: Rebecca Reade
Swimming Northland Trophy LC fastest male 50m backstroke: Tyler Jepsen
R+C Gillespie: Fastest female 200m LC breaststroke: Ciara Smith
R+C Gillespie Trophy: Fastest male 200m LC breaststroke: Archie White
Swimming Northland Trophy: Fastest female 100m LC breaststroke: Ciara Smith
Skip Peyman LM Trophy: Fastest male 100m breaststroke: Archie White
Swimming Northland Trophy LC fastest female 50m breaststroke: Ciara Smith
Swimming Northland Trophy fastest male 50m LC breaststroke: Archie White
HF Crane Trophy: Fastest female 200m LC butterfly: Emilia Finer
Marty Hampton Trophy: Fastest male 200m butterfly: Tyler Jepsen
M+B Cameron Trophy: Fastest female 100m butterfly: Emilia Finer
Michael Bond Memorial Trophy: Fastest male 100m LC butterfly: Tyler Jepsen
McCahon Family Trophy: Fastest female LC 50m butterfly: Emilia Finer
Dot Palmer LM Trophy: Fastest female 200m SC butterfly: Emilia Finer
Anne Bailie LM Trophy: Fastest male 200m SC butterfly: Ethan Gavin (WEI)
Gaylene Martin LM Trophy: Fastest female 400m LC individual medley: Ciara Smith
Gladys Bouma LM Trophy: Fastest male 400m LC IM: Tyler Jepsen
Myra Larcombe LM Trophy: Fastest female 200m LC IM: Ciara Smith
Maurice Fitchett LM Trophy: Fastest female 100mIM: Ciara Smith
Swimming Northland Trophy: Fastest male 100m IM: Archie White
Layla Bell (BOISC) receives her award from Richard Dunkerton
Junior Swimmer of the Year -- Hans Haufe (Northwave)
Open Water Swimmer of the Year -- Emilia Finer (Bream Bay) with Richard Dunkerton
Coach of the Year -- Monica Cooper (Northwave)
