Swimmers from across the region — and further afield from Canterbury — competed, and the number of participants rose 41% from last year’s event.
Young Sophie McClintock set a girls 12 year 50m butterfly record with a time of 30.92sec on her way to gold.
She surpassed the previous record of 31.26sec set by Aleisha Ruske (Neptune) in 2010.
McClintock’s Wanaka team-mate, Hana Carnie, followed with an Otago record of her own.
She won the 12 year 100m medley in 1min 11.58sec, breaking the previous record, set by Clara Peniamina (Kiwi) in 2019, by 0.01sec.
McClintock went on to win the 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 200m breaststroke and 200 IM.
Carnie added to her own medal tally with the 50m breaststroke and backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m backstroke and 400m IM titles.
Another Central Otago swimmer, Caleb Ludlow, was in fine form, winning five titles.
The Alexandra swimmer won the men’s 16 and over 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke and the 100m and 200m IM.
Among the other impressive performers was Neo Salmonsson (Kiwi), who again showed his strength across multiple disciplines.
He won the 15 year 50m freestyle and butterfly and 100m freestyle, butterfly and backstroke.
Fellow Kiwi swimmer Kale Twist came home to win the men’s 16 and over 50m and 100m freestyle titles.
Ruby Heath (Neptune) won the women’s 16 and over 50m freestyle, while fellow Neptune swimmer Esme Paterson won the women’s 16 and over 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly and the 100m IM.
World champion Erika Fairweather returned home and won the women’s 16 and over 400m freestyle in her Paris Olympic preparation.
Olympic-bound swimmers Caitlin Deans and Kane Follows also made an appearance.
Follows (Neptune) won the men’s 16 and over 200m backstroke, and Deans (Neptune) won the women’s 16 and over 200m freestyle.
