Fast, fun swim meets introducing young Hutt Valley swimmers to competitive racing

A meet held at the end of each term for Hutt Valley swim schools and clubs has proven successful in helping to introduce young swimmers to competitive racing.

Initiated by Swimzone Racing, the Need4Speed is a fast, fun swim meet predominantly aimed at swimmers aged 12 and under.

The purpose of the meet is to provide an enjoyable, age appropriate racing experience for younger swimmers in the Hutt Valley.

It follows a beat meet concept which means to be able compete in the competition each swimmer cannot have attended a national meet and must be slower than the beat time for each event they enter. The beat times are not age dependent.

Events are swum in age groups and only over 50m and 25m.

There are also ribbons and spot prizes up for grabs.

At each meet meet between 80 and 120 swimmers attend from the Hutt Valley swim clubs - Hutt, Swimzone Racing, Breakers, Upper Hutt and swim schools – TogZone, Ally Todd Swimming, Silverstream Swim Academy, Discovery, Wavebreakers and Splish Spash.

“We have been having Need4Speeds for the last two years and have found them a great way to move kids from the club swimmer to a competitive swimmer and then subsequently to a National junior swimmer,” said Swimzone Racing Meet Coordinator Lynette Sadleir.