Hambly tops her division in series

Dargaville swimmer Deborah Hambly has topped the women's age 35-39 division in New Zealand State Ocean Swim Series.

The final race of the series was a 2.8km race from Milford Beach to Takapuna last weekend in which Hambly came second.

Other Northlanders were also successful in taking out series titles.

It is nearly a year since Hambly became the first person to swim from the Kaipara Harbour and up the northern Wairoa River for 42km.

She entered the series for fun on the prompting of a friend, having barely swum for six months prior to the races.

She came third in the first race of the season last November, the Auckland Harbour (2.8km) race, having been in the pool only twice in the six months leading up to the race. In the Russell to Pahia race - she had gained notoriety in 2010 by using only the butterfly stroke - she improved her position by coming second.

She wasn't able to travel to compete in race three or four in Wellington and Christchurch due to costs and family commitments, instead competing in the Mount Manganui swim on March 10 as her fourth swim.

She finished second in this race and initially thought she had secured second overall in the series. However, the series rankings are based on a swimmers age in the first race of the season, whereas individual race placings are based on a swimmers age on the day of the race.

Hambly's main competitor turned 35 after the first race, so was actually collecting series points in the lower age division, leaving room for Hambly to take the top spot in the women's 35-39 age division.

Kerikeri police officer Rob Cameron won the men's 50-54 age division - choosing to do all his swims without a wetsuit.

Fellow Kerikeri swimmer and vet Matt Peters won the men's 35-39 division. In the women's 70-74 division, Pat Owens-Bohme, from Whangarei, clinched the title.