Swimming: National team for Europe comprises members from just two clubs

Otago and North Shore swimmers make up the New Zealand team to contest a series of meets in Europe in June.

The six to compete in the Mare Nostram series were selected after the national championships in Invercargill. They are Dean Kent, Nick Sheeran and Hannah McLean (all North Shore club) and Karen Tait, Jonathan Duncan and Liz Van Welie (all Neptune, Otago).

North Shore (46 medals) and Neptune (19) were the dominant clubs at the championships.

North Shore's haul was more than all other clubs combined, excluding Neptune.

The six will compete in four meets - Barcelona, Canet en Roussillon in southern France, Rome and Monaco.

Kent and Tait lead the way with 958 and 938 points respectively on the Fina scoring system.

The other team members are all on 933 points. Close behind are Monique Robins on 932 and her North Shore clubmate, Scott Talbot-Cameron, and Christchurch's Helen Norfolk (both on 930). They may attend the meets under their own funding.

It proved a calculated gamble for Norfolk, who opted out of the 200m backstroke in a busy programme at the championships, to successfully push for qualification for July's world championships in Japan in the 400m individual medley.

The 19-year-old and Kent are the two New Zealanders who have qualified so far for the world championships.

Duncan and Tait, both from Dunedin, and Cameron Gibson (North Shore) will have further chances to qualify at next week's Australian age-group championships.

The unlucky swimmer was Van Welie, who missed qualification for the world championships by 0.2s in the final of the 200m butterfly, her specialist event.

The Sydney Olympic semifinalist turned at the 100m on target but could not press on in the final 50m.

Van Welie had completed a demanding schedule of racing over the four days, and impressed particularly in the 400m freestyle.

Jan Cameron's North Shore club dominated the final night, winning five gold medals. Monique Robins won the 50m freestyle, McLean the 50m backstroke, Gibson took his first national open title in the 200m backstroke ahead of team-mate Talbot-Cameron, Kent won the 200m breaststroke and Sheeran the 50m butterfly.

Other winners were Van Welie in the 200m butterfly, Duncan in the 1500m freestyle and young Canterbury swimmer Jeannie Milne (Wharenui) who followed up her win in the 100m breaststroke with victory in the 200m.