It was the first time the resort had hosted the event and nearly 80 artistic swimmers from across the South Island competed.
Artistic swimming, also referred to as synchronised swimming, involves teams performing choreographed routines to music in a pool, using a combination of gymnastic and dance moves, without touching the pool floor.
Queenstown’s team, the Wakatipu Artistic Swimming Club, had a team of nine girls entered in a combo routine, and had two girls competing in a duet.
Wakatipu team coach Chrisler Strika said she "couldn’t believe the numbers in the audience — the local support was lovely".
The South Island Championships proved to be a good warm up for teams ahead of the Artistic Swimming National Championships which will be held in Hamilton in September.
All South Island teams will be attending the nationals, where there is a chance to be selected for the New Zealand team.
Results were.—
Selwyn Artistic Swimming won the trophy for best 12 and under team, and Canterbury Artistic Swimming won gold as the top masters team.
Wakatipu Artistic Swimming Club won gold in each event they entered.
In the dolphins figures, Theia Harris from Canterbury Artistic Swimming (CAS) won gold. Emily Messingham from Wakatipu Artistic Swimming was first in the aquanaut figures. In aquarina figures, Zahra Baird from CAS won. Lucy Fogarty from Selwyn won in the 10 and under figures and Alex Wheeler from Selwyn took home the gold in the 11-12 figures. . Ruby Goodall from Southland’s Phoenix club won in the youth figures.
In the combo routines, Canterbury Black from CAS claimed the dolphin combo routine, while Wakatipu Artistic Swimming won the aqua combo routine.
In solo routines, Amelia McConnochie, from Selwyn, won the junior tech solo, Charlotte Sanginiti, from the Phoenix won the aquanaut solo. Senior free solo went to Xiara Patino, from the Phoenix. Youth solo winner was Ruby Goodall from the Phoenix, and the junior free solo winner was Amelia McConnochie, from Selwyn.
Two teams from Selwyn won junior tech duet with Chantelle Murray and Amelia McConnochie and Clara Sellier and Bernie Llorens winning.
The aquanauts duet was won by Emily Messingham and Kuratea Huck, of Wakatipu Artistic Swimming, the 11-12 duet winners were Nicole Carshagen and Alex Wheeler from Selwyn, the youth duet winners were Bernie Llorens and Quinn Richardson, from Selwyn, and senior free duet went to Hannah Shatford and Daisy Sellier also from Selwyn.
