Swimming: Pool stars sample big time

Melita Raravula (back), Joshua Young; Logan Howe (middle), Callum Prime, Hayley McIntosh, Ellie Eastwood; Cheyenne Field (front), Poai Niha and David van der Star are in Northwave's squad. Photo / John Stone

Some of Whangarei's top swimmers will get a taste of international competition as they look to make waves at the Victorian State Championships in Australia.

Nine Northwave swimmers have touched down in Melbourne ahead of this weekend's competition, which coach Monica Cooper believes is a great opportunity for her squad to learn about competing at a high level.

"The more skills and strategies they have, and are put in a position, the better they will be when they face a situation they once thought was stressful but now know how to cope with," Cooper said.

"Our swimmers are very well ranked so that is an area where they can't anticipate the result before they've swum the race. [It means they will be] learning that if you produce good skills, the result will take care of itself. And, it's always good to race the Aussies."

Northwave's trip to Australia follows on from when Cooper's son, Mark, brought his Surrey Park squad to Whangarei to compete at the Northland Age Group Championships.

Cooper said Surrey Park's visit to New Zealand had proved so successful that her club was returning the favour, adding that the hospitality Northland showed was also being returned.

"They're [Surrey Park] really our sister club now. We're travelling there for the week and [later this year] Mark is selecting a team and they'll repeat the experience they had [this year] next summer.

"I'm looking for this to be an annual trip, it's something that if they continue with swimming they get an opportunity to see what's there and gives them a chance to see there are other people who get up in the morning and swimmers are swimmers and they do the same thing [get up early].

"It was obvious when Mark came over they trained hard and competed against each other and made good friends."

Cooper's swimmers will have some rest upon their return to Whangarei next Tuesday as they continue preparations towards New Zealand Short Course Championships in Wellington later next month.

She said her goal was for the squad to learn to deal with the ups and downs of travelling as a team, from dealing with in-team sickness to learning how to perform when you may not be feeling the best, before heading to Wellington.

"They're looking forward to it I think, it'll be excellent for them to learn to swim and travel internationally.

"My goal is they come back and race hard back in Wellington. Settling them down between now and Friday [when racing starts] will be a task though; it'll be a good coping skill for them."

Northwave squad: David van der Star, Poai Niha, Melita Raravula, Logan Howe, Cheyenne Field, Callum Prime, Ellie Eastwood, Joshua Young, Hayley McIntosh.