Swimming: The heat is on for Aquaferns

The New Zealand Aquaferns are: back, Victoria Hohaia (left), Jazzlee Thomas, Eva Morris, Caitlin Anderson and Leticia Hart. Front, Anastasia Wilkes (left), Amy Lowans, Aleisha Braven, Sarsha Younger and Kirstin Anderson. Photo / Supplied

While most people their age have been enjoying a summer of rest and relaxation, a focused group of synchronised swimmers have spent the past nine weeks in Tauranga, continuing an intense seven months of training.

The 10-strong New Zealand Aquaferns team has been in the pools at Baywave and Te Puke training 25 hours a week, as well as spending three hours in the gym, five hours doing flexibility training and two hours a week of dance and gymnastics.

They will compete in the Spanish Open in Barcelona, the Swiss Open in Zurich and, ultimately, the World Championships in Kazan in Russia at the end of July. Representing Oceania at next year's Rio Olympics is the ultimate goal.

"At this level, synchronised swimming is a demanding sport," said head coach Julieta Diaz. "The girls will be competing against the best countries in the world and we want to be the very best we can be. To achieve this, the girls need to do lots of work in and out of the pool."

Diaz and her fellow selectors put the girls through an intense selection process - involving synchro skills as well as strength, flexibility and swimming speed testing.

Four team members, Sarsha Younger, Eva Morris, Jazzlee Thomas and Amy Lowans, are from the Tauranga club, with five from Invercargill and one from Auckland. They range from 15 to 25, and all share a deep love and passion for the sport.

"I know many of my friends think I'm crazy to be training 35 hours a week," said Lowans, 15, the team's youngest swimmer.

"But for me, and all the rest of the girls in the team it's a chance to create something great. And a chance to represent New Zealand is something we are all very proud to do."