Aussie stars heading for surf's pool champs

A strong Australian contingent will boost record-breaking numbers at surf lifesaving New Zealand's national pool championships starting tomorrow.

Led by ironwoman star Naomi Flood and her world champion teammate Downie Langthorne, Australia will have a 16-strong team competing at the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre in Kilbirnie over three days.
They'll join more than 500 New Zealand surf club members, including Olympians Daniel Bell (New Plymouth Old Boys) and Dean Kent (Titahi Bay) from 24 clubs around the country.

New Zealand team members Julia Toomey, Steven Kent, Glenn Anderson and Ayla Dunlop-Barrett will also compete, with Toomey delighted to be able to line up against the likes of Flood.

"We're really lucky to have Australian team members coming over - not only will it provide us with excellent competition but it shows how much respect they for our own pool lifesaving programme," Toomey said.
The New Zealand team has dominated Australia over recent years in the pool and Toomey already has one eye on next year's world championships in Greece.

"We've got some tough standards to meet to ensure we're on track for next year and the New Zealand squad will be pushing themselves pretty hard this weekend."

The Kent brothers will compete together for Titahi Bay for the first time, with younger brother Steven hoping to continue his pool domination of the last two years.

Dean retired after last year's Beijing Olympics but has been enticed back into the pool by his brother.
Bell, Anderson and Dunlop-Barrett will head the strong New Plymouth Old Boys squad, with Bell backing up after collecting the national 200m individual medley title at the New Zealand short-course swim championships in Christchurch this week...

Lyall Bay teenager Samantha Lee will also compete after becoming the first New Zeraland woman to break the one-minute barrier for the 100m butterfly last month.

SLSNZ sport manager Mark Weatherall said the ongoing growth of the event came from clubs taking their pool programmes seriously.

"Our numbers are up by nearly 100 athletes on last year's pool champs and it makes it one of the largest swimming carnivals in New Zealand," Weatherall said.