Swimming: Kiwis pipped for second in age group test

New Zealand's age group swimming team were pipped for second by a solitary point in the final event of the six-test transtasman series in Melbourne today.

The team won eight races over the two final tests last night and this morning in the biennial event that pits the best young age group swimmers in New Zealand against two teams from Australia in six tests over six days in three venues - Canberra, Wagga Wagga and Melbourne.

After a powerful performance in the fifth test last night to push into second spot, the Kiwis found the two Australian teams in compelling form today to complete the gruelling six-day series.

Once again outstanding Canterbury 17-year-old Matthew Hutchins led the way with four wins in the final two tests, claiming the 100m (50.79), 200m (1:50.73) and 400m freestyle (3:55.38) as well as the 200m individual medley (2:04.59).

The other wins went to Hawkes Bay's Julian Layton in the 400m individual medley (4:23.88), Christchurch's George Schroder in the 200m breaststroke (2:18.76) - which was a fraction outside Glenn Snyders' national age record - Auckland's Rima Williams in the 100m backstroke (1:01.79) and the men's medley relay.

Hutchins led the way in a superb performance, winning 12 of his 13 individual events in the series, including three transtasman meet records in the process.

Layton enjoyed four wins in the 200m and 400m individual medley while Schroder and Williams each won three times.

Swimming New Zealand's youth manager Philip Rush said the series had been invaluable.

"This competition is a vital part of our development," he said. "This is the first serious international team competition for our best age groupers, and to have one of the world's swimming powers just across the Tasman is an enormous opportunity.

"Some of this group will push on potentially to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2016 Rio Olympics and beyond.

"This competition has helped provide them with an appreciation of where the bar is set at the top of the swimming world. It's been a very challenging week for them to race every day for six days as well as some long distance bus travel, and it began to show today.

"They have been an excellent group and the team culture they developed is a huge benefit."