Record turnout as series starts

MARION VAN DIJK/The Nelson Mail

FREESTYLE: The Port Nelson Summer Sea Swim Series had a record opening night turnout of 111 swimmers.

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The Port Nelson Summer Sea Swim Series got under way on Thursday night with a record opening night turnout of 111 swimmers, although the competition proper doesn't start until next week.

Most swam over a course of about a kilometre from the Nelson Yacht Club ramp to the dolphin navigation marker and return, with Marlborough teenager Jono Lee making the drive to Nelson worthwhile as he took the win by 17 seconds from last year's series winner, Matthew Hansen.

Ten seconds further back was Fraser Neill. The 13-year-old came on strong at the end of last season and is now looking like a real threat for the overall honours this year.

Flossie Van Dijk is back from her first year at university and showed she has lost none of her edge, coming in ahead of Kirstin Ramsay and Christina Harris in the women's section.

In the short race over nearly 500m, Zoe Borrell was too good for Barry Thomas, with Madisen Stanley, Pippa Cornish, Luke Kelly and Hayden Squance filling the next spots.

Borrell is likely to move up to the longer distance next week, when points start to count for the season, leaving the short competition wide open.

A small group joined the new non-competition section, aimed at building confidence for new swimmers, and this category seems likely to grow as word spreads.

Full results and entry to future races at nelsonseaswims.co.nz.