Swimming: Farrell and Barron cruise to victories

Perry Farrell won his third straight Murray Dingle Memorial Bridge to Bridge swim.

DEBUT WIN: Amy Barron took out the women's Bridge to Bridge race title. PHOTOS/ANDREW WARNER

The sighting of a stingray before the annual Classic Builders Bridge to Bridge swim race held between the main Tauranga Harbour Bridge and the Matapihi Railway Bridge on Saturday added an extra touch of drama for the 118 entrants.

But luckily that was the last it was seen as the 1500m race went ahead without a hitch, apart from a badly-cut foot from the jagged rocks at the race end for one unfortunate swimmer.

Perry Farrell, 19, made it three straight wins in the men's race that also doubles as the Murray Dingle Memorial swim while Amy Barron, 17, cruised home to take the women's title in her first attempt at the landmark Tauranga event.

Farrell took 11m 17s to beat home Kane Sefton, 16, (11.29) in a repeat of last year's quinella placings.

Farrell, who is a fulltime lifeguard on the Mount Main Beach, says "it is a cool race as you get to swim down with the tide".

He spent the winter in Dunedin in the first year of his medical degree and loved being back in the warmer waters.

"It was pretty tough down there but I started my own unofficial swim squad (Perry East Swim Squad) with about 10 people who got together every day to go swimming," he said.

"I did sets I have done for years now so I was reasonably swim fit. But the main thing is my surf programme, with a big meeting in Gisborne coming up then the Eastern regionals at the Mount. Then some of us are going over to the Australian nationals."

It was a new experience for Barron, who has just finished her schooling at Tauranga Girls' College and is a Mount clubbie like Farrell.

"I liked it as it is something different swimming with the tide. It was a nice short race," she said.