Swimming: Transtasman battle looms

Rotorua's Kane Radford will go up against his training partner and Australian champion Rhys Mainstone tomorrow in Akaroa. Photo / Stephen Parker

A Bledisloe Cup-style battle is all set for this weekend's fourth round of the State New Zealand Ocean Swim series.

Rotorua's Kane Radford and Rhys Mainstone, New Zealand's and Australia's best open water swimmers, will go head to head for the first time in the series when they clash at the State La Grande swim in Akaroa tomorrow.

Radford, 23, is a New Zealand champion and world championship representative and has won many times in the Ocean Swim series including last year's La Grande Swim.

He started this season in superb fashion winning the Harbour Crossing in November last year.

Mainstone, also 23, has represented Australia at three world championships with his best effort a silver medal in the 5km teams race in 2011 at Shanghai.

He was also the 2013 Australian 10km open water champion.

"The New Zealand series has always attracted me, but because I live on the West Coast of Australia it's been difficult to come, but this year I'm very excited to be racing," Mainstone said.

"Just don't label me the favourite as I have never raced in a wetsuit before and with tough competition from Kane and others, I think it could be anyone's," he said.

Mainstone is the latest high quality Australian to compete this summer.

He'll be hoping to join Jarrod Poort and George O'Brien, both not swimming this weekend, as winners this season.

"To be able to get someone who is top quality like Rhys definitely gives the series a massive boost." Radford said.

"The series has pulled in some really big names from Australia this summer and it's going to be interesting when all of us get in the water later on and put the heat on each other," he said.

Adding to the dimension of the clash between Radford and Mainstone this weekend is the fact they train together in Perth, are good mates and have had some royal duels over the years including last year's FINA World Championships in Barcelona.

Radford beat Mainstone at the world champs by just a tenth of a second in the 5km race.