The New Zealand Open Water Swimming Championships held in Taupo last weekend also doubled as the NZ Secondary Schools Championship.
Since the inclusion of the ocean swim version of the sport at the Olympics in 2008 the standard of racing globally has quickly become very high - and Taupo was no exception.
Mia Pugh, 15, from the Greerton Swim Club was a surprise winner of the 5km event, winning her first Swimming NZ medal of any colour.
Pugh won the 13-15 year old girls' title from a field of 30 swimmers, finishing 8th overall female behind the outstanding Charlotte Webby from Taranaki.
Despite a slow start due to an unfavourable start line position, Pugh worked her way through the field and late in the race looked a certainty for gold. But fast-finishing NZ development squad member Milla Theobold from Rotorua closed the gap to just two seconds on the finish line.