Doug Laing Followers of the Sundevils swim squad are convinced there must be something in the water on the farms west of Napier and Hastings after the success of 12-year-olds Laura Harris, and twins David and Clair Benson, at the Auckland junior championships during the weekend. The twins and Laura have thesame birthday, all born on December 30, 1991, at Hawke's Bay Hospital (then known as the Hastings Memorial Hospital). Just to take it a stage further, they all live on farms on the Taihape Road. It was the two girls who dominated the show at the weekend, as a team of 12 from the club based at the Flaxmere pool, with all attaining top-eight placings. They finished second on the points table, ahead, even, of the strong North Shore club, which had 83 in the swim. Clair and Laura won 14 medals between them, including seven golds. Clair won four races, a clean sweep of the freestyle events from 50-400m, including a 100 metres Hawke's Bay Gisborne freestyle record for the 12 years age group. Laura Harris's haul of nine medals included three of the gold variety, with records in the 400m individual medley and 200m butterfly. David managed a third placing in the 200m breaststroke. They joined the Sundevils as eight-year-olds, the twins being the youngest of five Benson children in the club. Coach Jonathon Winter says Clair and Laura have been close friends, and big rivals, and "very dedicated."
