Set to make a splash

Jenna Powell | 1st February 2010

Double gold Olympian Danyon Loader is set to teach a thing or two to South Wairarapa Swimmers at the Annual Featherston Community Swimming relay.

Loader works for Swimming New Zealand and will be competing in one of the two teams travelling to Featherston from Wellington.

Organiser Jenny Roberts said the high-end swimmers from Swimming New Zealand enjoy being a part of "grass roots" swimming. "I think they get a buzz out of it; a small place like this is where they would have began."

She said this is the second year Swimming New Zealand has entered two teams but it will be the first time they host an Olympic champion.

"I always invite them to come along and enter."

Mrs Roberts said it is a social, relaxing meet with a competitive edge.

"It is a bit of fun for the whole community ... we should treasure it."

Teams of four swimmers swim one length each with the fastest seven teams going through to the grand final for the Pioneer Trophy, she said

"There will be additional finals for the slower teams."

For the more competitive swimmers there is the chance to win the South Wairarapa District Sprint Trophy.

Each team picks their fastest swimmer to have a crack at the prize.

Mrs Roberts said that every competitor would receive of a chocolate bar for their efforts.

She said there are still spaces for more teams and hopes the community will come out to support the event.

"Featherston gets a lot of negative publicity but we have a good swim club and we want to raise the profile of our little community," she said.

Mrs Roberts said she was having a bit of trouble rounding up local teams to compete.

"A lot of them turn up last minute," she said.

She said she encourages businesses and families to enter a team.

Mrs Roberts used to compete in a team with her family.

"That was until my daughter got too fast for me," she said.

She said age is no barrier when it comes to swimming. "It is a very enjoyable night for swimmers from young to the 65 year old we had one year."

The Featherston Community Swimming relay, previously named Business House, has quite a history. In 1974 the proprietors of Pioneer Dairy Trevor and Margaret Dickson gave the Pioneer Cup to the Featherston Amateur Swimming Club.

Young Farmers Club were the frequent winners of the trophy during the 1970's and 80's

The relay had strong community support from 1974 to 1992 but it then fizzled out.

The present Featherston Amateur Swimming Club committee decided to revive the relay as a community event in 2002.

Featherston Fire Brigade, Guten Appetit and Johnson Brother builders have been fierce competitors in the past few years, Mrs Roberts said.

* The annual Featherston Community Swimming relay is on tomorrow (February 2) at the Featherston Community Pool. Warm up begins at 6.45pm and the event starts at 7.30pm. Spectators are welcome; a gold coin donation is appreciated.

* If you would like to enter a team it is not too late. There will be spot prizes and prizes for winners. Contact colinsauto@paradise.net.nz or Jenny 308-9009.