Olympic swim stars to spark exciting Zonal competition

Kiwi Olympians Bradlee Ashby and Helena Gasson, along with Australian star Emily Seebohm, highlight an exciting night of swimming in the fourth New Zealand Zonal Championships in Auckland on Saturday.

Four Australian guest swimmers, led by Olympic and World Champion Seebohm, will compete with 160 junior and senior swimmers who are split into four zones for both individual and relay formats over two non-stop two-hour sessions.

The meet forms an early season competition but with both a fun element and opportunity to swim in a team environment, like is often seen in USA.

Gasson will form part of a strong Harlequins team, comprising clubs from Northland, Auckland and Counties Manukau that also includes New Zealand representatives Daniel Hunter, Bobbi Gichard, Michael Mincham, Gabrielle Fa’amausili, Annabelle Paterson, Ellie Eastwood, Jacob Garrod, Corneille Coetzee, Wilrich Coetzee, Yeonsu Lee, Kelsi Boocock, Carina Doyle, Hayley McIntosh and Helena Gasson.

They will be pushing for their third straight win in the senior competition and defend their junior title won last year.

Their guest swimmer from Australia is Grayson Bell who is a double medallist at the Youth Olympics.

The Southern Makos, comprising swimmers from the South Island, have also enjoyed some success in this meet, winning both senior and junior competitions in the first year in 2013 and the junior winners in 2015.

They will look to New Zealand representatives George Schroder, part of Swimming New Zealand high performance centre, and Dunedin’s Andrew Trembath, while their guest swimmer is triple world junior champion Minna Atherton.

The AquaKnights, comprising swimmers from clubs in Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay and Poverty Bay, will be looking for two star performers to boost their chances. As the bottom placed team last year, they have selected double Olympic gold medallist Seebohm as their guest swimmer, while Rio debutant Ashby will also be a cornerstone to their performance.

The All Stars, representing Manawatu and Wellington regions, have a young group of talented swimmers with their chances buoyed with Australian Nic Brown, a triple Youth Olympic Games medallist.

The zone teams each comprised 40 swimmers split into 20 junior and 20 senior swimmers, competing over both individual events and relays, culminating with a combined relay with all team members.

The Zonal Championships, supported by the Brian Perry Charitable Trust, will be staged at the Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre at AUT Millennium on Saturday with the first session from 5pm and second session from 7.00pm.

The event will be broadcast live on Sky Television.

The teams are:

Harlequins (Northland, Auckland, Counties Manukau), Senior team: Daniel Hunter, Josh Asplin, Bobbi Gichard (all Howick Pakuranga); Michael Mincham, Gabrielle Fa’amausili, Annabelle Paterson, Ellie Eastwood (United); Callum Prime, Jacob Garrod, Corneille Coetzee, Wilrich Coetzee, Finn Kennard-Campbell, Yeonsu Lee, Kelsi Boocock, Carina Doyle (North Shore); Hayley McIntosh, Ciara Smith (Northwave); Helena Gasson (Coast); , Isaiah Gepiga (Mt Wellington). Australian guest: Grayson Bell.

Junior team: Tyron Henry, Jasmine Anderson (Howick Pakuranga); Ikko Shibuya (Mt Eden); George Smith, Allegra Zacest, Madeline Falconer, Alice Waldow, Gina Galloway, (United); Hunter Garrod, Patrick Makgill, Blair Helms, Bailey Wang, Sam Poching, (North Shore); Sean Gibbs, Annabelle McLaren (Parnell); Jonathan Selman (Coast); Tarvarnya Howe, Kiana Swain (Pukekohe); Brearna Crawford (Mt Albert Grammar), Samatha Martin (Roskill).

AquaKnights (Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Poverty Bay) Senior team: Bruin Maunder, Maggie Franks (Napier Aquahawks); Maxwell Stubbs, Kaitlyn Tippett, Vanessa Ouwehand  (Te Awamutu); Julian Weir, Zac Reid (Aquabladz Taranaki); Daniel Caldwell (St Peters); Zarhn Collins (Stratford); Andrew Jeffcoat, Bradlee Ashby, Claudia Ashby, Sophie Lewis (Fairfield); Matt Hyde (Matamata); Lochlainn O’Connor(Greerton);, Charlotte Webby (AquaBladz); Katlyn Steedman, Jessica Chapman (ACE);  Ruby Matthews (Otumoetai); Australian guest: Emily Seebohm.

Junior team: Connor Farrell, Kim Cadzow (Greerton); Jack Lees (Thames); Matt Sexton (Heretaunga Sundevils); Steven Wereta (Hawera); Josh Gilbert, Eleanor Gilbert (Stratford); Ben Littlejohn, Sarah Miller(St Paul’s); Damon Cowie, Bianca Donnelly (Swim Rotorua); Tristain Eiselen (Otumoetai); Samuel Whiteside (Napier Aquahawks); Bevan Jacobs (Central Hawkes Bay); Gina McCarthy (Hillcrest); Amber Booth, Kaitlyn Sosa, Peyton Tofaeono (Fairfield); Sarah Wilson (ACE), Sasha Reid (AquaBladz).

All Stars (Wellington, Manawatu): Justin Roberts, Timothy Fraser, Devlin Forsythe, Thomas Watkins, Jess Iggo, Macy Burns, Natasha Rae, Matthew Peterson, Lewis Clareburt (Capital); Patrick Langley, Ruby Heath (SwimZone); Cam Gillespie (Dannevirke); Paige Cutler (Ashhurst); Aliesha Mitchell, Julia Hogg, George Dorrington (Karori); Chrystel Neilson, Rebecca Moynihan (Raumati); Shannon Schimanski (Wanganui); Australian guest: Nicholas Brown.

Junior team: Ryan Cutler, Paris Cutler (Ashhurst); Ben Stirling, Sophie Irving, Atakura Julian, Che Pulepule (Capital); Jacob Reiher, Bronson Lloyd, Max Drummond, (Porirua City); Chelsey Edwards, Georgia More (SwimZone); Sean Register, Julia Borlase (Karori); Robin Shen, Stevie Shipman, Tommie Milne (Raumati); Joel Crampton, Chelsea Parker (Tawa); Kate Sims (Masterton); Sarya Lower (Wanganui).

Makos (Nelson Marlborough, Canterbury West Coast, Otago, Southland, Senior team: Michael Finlay, Quinton Hurley, Ebony Maikuku, Kayleee Jackson (Jasi); Chris McFadden (Aquagym); Sam McKenzie (Tasman); George Schroder (Hokitika); Matthew Phillips, William Campbell, Justine Owen (Wharenui); Andrew Trembath, Caitlin Deans, Gabrielle Trotter, Cecilia Crooks, Devon Familton, Jeremy Tasker (Neptune); Hannah Bates (Selwyn); Cassandra Wright (QEII); Tame Govaerts-Paul (Zenith); Australian Guest: Minna Atherton.

Junior team:

Jacob Blomfield, Ben Everest, Amelia McKenzie, Daniel Strang (Murihiku); Joel Nicholls (Jasi); Jack Sands (Geraldine); Henri Rollinson (Selwyn); Ezekiel Pine (QEII); Bryn Rumble (Wharenui); Angus Kelliher (North Canterbury); Erika Fairweather, Jessica Scott, Nicole Heaton, Geoffrey Kemp (Neptune); Natasha Johnson, Ruby Wagenvoord, Jermaine Masangkay (Aquagym); Piper Riley (Tasman); Sophie Wilson (Taieri); Tiana Mansfield (Oamaru).

CAPTION: Bradlee Ashby in action at the Rio Olympics. The image is free for editorial use. Credit: Ian MacNicol

NZ Zonal Championships