Swimming: Youngster goes back-to-back

Swimmers hit the water at the start of the 300m dash race staged as part of the Napier Port Ocean Swim. Photo / Warren Buckland

Ruby Adsett had every right to be talking up her chances of a three-peat of women's 2.5km Napier Port Ocean Swim titles at the weekend.

On Saturday she captured her second consecutive title with a time of 27m53s off Napier. The 15-year-old Napier Aquahawks Swimming Club member finished third overall in ideal conditions behind clubmate Hadlee Dyer, who stopped the clock at 27m34s, and promising Hawke's Bay triathlete Kaleb Wright who finished five seconds ahead of her.

"That was my third attempt at that distance in the race and it was good to retain my title. I will be back to attempt a three-peat next year," Adsett said yesterday.

An Aquahawk for eight years and a four-time national age group champion in 200m freestyle, Adsett, said the Ocean Swim provides an ideal training base for her pool swimming. In her first attempt at the 2.5km distance in 2014 Adsett finished second to clubmate and schoolmate Maddie Mason who opted to do the 1km race on Saturday instead of the 2.5km one.

Mason won her 15-19 years age group and was the fastest female in 13m42s. Adsett, who beat clubmate Alena Kamper by almost four minutes for the women's title, will compete in the Central Long Course champs in Hamilton this weekend before tackling the national age group championships which start in Wellington on April 15.

Fifteen-year-old Dyer justified his hot favourite's tag with his victory in the men's section. This was his third appearance in the event but first crack at the 2.5km distance.

"I will be back again next year to try and win the race again and so will our team," Dyer said referring to the fact he was part of the winning team which also included his clubmates and schoolmates, 16-year-olds Cameron Madams and Jade Wills.

Madams was fourth overall in 28m16s and Wills was seventh in 29m16s.

This trio competed in the 300m dash as a warm-up event for the 2.5km one and Dyer won the 15-19 years age group and overall title in 3m40s.

Madams and Wills were second and third respectively with the same time, 3m41s. Dyer's father Ross also had a successful morning when he won the 50-59 years 1km race in 19m08s.

"It was a great day all round. We had a celebration barbecue with Cameron and Jade and their families," Dyer said.

Like Adsett he will be attending the Central Long Course champs and the national age group champs. Other male age group winners in the 2.5km race were Bevan Jacobs in the under-15s, Steve Charles in the 30-39s, Adrian Rasmussen in the 40-49s, Dave Kruger in the 50-59sm and Peter Maguire in the 60plus.

Other female age group winners in the 2.5km distance were Sarah-Kate Birkett in the under-15s, Hannah Jones in the 20-29s, Lisa Birkett in the 30-39s, Tania Wotherspoon in the 40-49s, Carol Prop in the 50-59s and Ann Rogerson in the 60plus.

Aquahawks coach Frank Wylie won the 60plus 1km race in 21m53s.