Kerikeri 13-year-old comes out tops in ocean swimming champs

Competitors charge into the water at the start of the New Zealand Secondary Schools 1.25km open water event at Mt Maunganui. Photo / supplied

A Kerikeri 13-year-old has come first in her age group in a national ocean swimming event — beating her nearest rival to the finish line by almost two minutes.

Kaia Derbyshire represented Kerikeri High School at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Open Water Championships, which doubled as part of the Banana Boat Ocean Swim Series, held at Mt Maunganui on April 2.

She finished first among the 12- to 13-year-old females in the 1.25km event around Long Island with a time of 19 min 28 secs. The second swimmer was 1 min 56 secs behind her.

Overall Kaia was the fifth female out of the water in the 19-and-under division for that distance.

In a quick turnaround, she then competed in the 500m beach swim, coming second by one second after a sprint finish for the line with a time of 6 min 6 secs.

Kaia Derbyshire, right, in a sprint finish in the 500m open water event at Mt Maunganui. Photo / supplied

She was also first of the 10-13-year-old females in the 1.25km Banana Boat open water race around Leisure Island, and second in the 500m Banana Boat main beach event for 8-13-year-old females.

Proud mum Trudy Derbyshire said Kaia was the only Northland swimmer at the Mt Maunganui event.

''So it was an awesome effort. It's nice to see Northlanders competing against the nation's best and coming out on top,'' she said.

She put Kaia's success down to her sheer dedication and her coach.

At the end of April she will compete in the New Zealand Age Group Championships in Wellington, where the best pool swimmers in their age groups will battle it out for the top honours.

Kaia swims for Northwave Swimming Club in Whangārei under head coach Monica Cooper.

Kerikeri 13-year-old Kaia Derbyshire at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Open Water Championships. Photo / supplied

The Banana Boat Ocean Swim Series returns to Northland next month, with the Bay of Islands' Beach to Bay swim on May 7.

Starting in Russell there are a number of swims on offer: Beach to Bay – 3.3km; Round the Bay – 1000m; Beach Blast – 500m; Amphibian – Swim 500/Run 3km/Swim 300m and Banana Boat OceanKids 100m and 200m (7-12 years).

For more information go to https://www.oceanswim.co.nz/events/