Swimming: Teens in big step south

Northland swimmers Ellie Eastwood (left) and Callum Prime are saying goodbye to the familiar surrounds of the Whangarei Aquatic Centre. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A new horizon beckons for two of Northland's swimming elite.

Callum Prime, 16, and Ellie Eastwood, 15, have been swimming in the fast lane for some time now, and are bound for Auckland this year to further their progression in the pool.

"It's a big change going to Auckland. It's a lot bigger and the opportunities are next level really," Prime said.

Prime, last year's ASB Northland Secondary Schools Sportsman of the Year, will attend Rosmini College on Auckland's North Shore and take up residency with the North Shore Swimming Club. Eastwood will attend Epsom Girls' Grammar and swim for United Swimming Club.

"It's like next level," Eastwood, a recent Kauri Club grant recipient, said of the swimming facilities she and Prime will be able to take advantage of in their new surrounds.

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For Prime, a member of the 2015 Educare Northland Sports Talent Hub, his new club makes use of the Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre - one of New Zealand's premier swimming venues which also doubles as the national training centre for Swimming New Zealand.

"I think it's for the best for both of us," Prime said. "The pool that I'm going to be training in is the Millennium Centre one, that's our international pool.

"At the moment we're training in just 25m," he added of the limitations of the Whangarei Aquatic Centre's main pool.

"I'm going to be moving into the 50m pool which is a lot better racing-wise."

Another core focus behind their decision to move involves a yearning for better competition.

Picking up 15 gold medals - one for every event he entered in - at the recent 2016 Douglas Logging Northland Swimming Championships, Prime's prowess and potential in the pool is clear.

Picking up a solid haul of gold medals at the same meet, Eastwood is not far off the pace either.

"Callum wins everything," Eastwood said.

"Northland's a lot smaller, especially like talent-wise and with competition," Prime added.

"For us there really isn't much competition. I hate to say it, but it's kind of like you're cleaning up and there's not much pushing you. In Auckland it's a big difference.

"We already are in Auckland for the majority of our competitions, so it's so much more convenient for us really," he said.

Besides leaving home, the now former Northwave duo have one minor reservation about their move south of the Brynderwyns.

"Our coach Monica [Cooper] said to us it's kind of like losing a son and losing a daughter, she was a bit cut up about it," Prime said. "She's been such a big impact on our lives really. She's brought us up from little kids really and taught us everything we know today and it's amazing what she's done for us."