KEY POINTS:
Kane Radford is about to head overseas and match strokes with some of the world's best but not before he attempts a third straight win in the annual Harbour Crossing swim tomorrow.
Radford, 18, set a furious pace in last summer's opening event in the Sovereign NZ Ocean Swim Series, winning in 29m 37s - the first to dip under 30 minutes. In a change of course, this year's race is from Bayswater to the Viaduct and on to the finish on Te Wero Island.
In a little over a week, Radford will head to the US to link up with Bill Rhodes, the head open water coach with the US swim team.
"This is an amazing chance for me," said Radford, who heads a record field of more than 1400 for the fifth Harbour Crossing. "To train with Bill Rhodes and his squad who focus on long-distance training is incredible."
Other big names taking the plunge tomorrow include Olympic star and 2005 cross-harbour winner Moss Burmester, now-retired pool swimmer Dean Kent and former surf life-saving champion Cory Hutchings.
They will be hard pressed to hold off Australian Trent Grimsey, who beat Radford in the Eyeline 1000/Oceania title at Noosa this year.
"Trent is such a quality swimmer. This is the first time he has come across for one of the Sovereign races so it is going to be interesting," said Radford.
New Zealand-born Australian Kate Brookes-Peterson seeks to break the domination of New Zealand women who won in the first four years.
Ocean Swims
*Sovereign Harbour Crossing
*Bayswater 9.35am tomorrow
Previous winners:
2004: Brent Foster 32m 32s; Helen Norfolk 34m 52s (field 491).
2005: Moss Burmester 33m 19s; Norfolk 35m 48s (750).
2006: Kane Radford 33m 16s; Melissa Ingram 37m 49s (989).
2007: Radford 29m 37s; Norfolk 33m 48s (1235).
