New Zealand's best age group swimmers hope that home advantage will lead to their first overall victory over Australia in the annual trans-Tasman series next week.
A 20-strong Swimming New Zealand (SNZ) team will meet two Australian teams in a six-test series to be staged in this country for thefirst time since the contest was resurrected six years ago.
Two tests will be held at Mt Maunganui, Taupo and Masterton, with the first at Mt Maunganui on Monday.
The series was a crucial development tool, according to SNZ youth and age programme manager Trevor Nicholls.
"We are blessed to have a swimming world power so close to us and therefore this series has played a significant part in our development. There's no doubt that it is a significant pathway for our best 13 to 17-year-olds," Nicholls said.
This year's Commonwealth Games team include a number of swimmers that have come through the trans-Tasman series, including Natalie Wiegersma, Gareth Kean and Emily Thomas, while Cara Baker qualified for the open water world championships.
"The chance to compete at home is fantastic for these swimmers and also provides the opportunity for club swimmers to witness some of the swimming stars of the future in action and hopefully motivate them to reach this level and beyond," Nicholls said.
New Zealand team: Jeffrey Arona-Tuifana'e (Howick Pakuranga, Counties-Manukau), Nathan Capp (Greerton, BOP), Nick Gillum (Tawa, Wellington), Corneille Coetzee (Coast, Whangaparaoa), Shane Hornby (Thames), Matthew Hutchins (Wharenui, Christchurch), Ewan Jackson (Howick Pakuranga), Julian Layton (Greendale, Napier), Corey Main (Howick Pakuranga), Jordan Quintal (Laser Mt Eden, Auckland), Sophia Batchelor (AquaGym, Christchurch), Elizabeth Brown (Ashburton), Stefannie Gillespie (Waves, Dunedin), Josie Kydd (Ashburton), Alex Laidlaw (AquaGym), Natasha Lloyd (Kaiapoi, Canterbury), Bianca Rowley (Coast), Brydie Whitehead (New Plymouth Aquatics), Phoebe Williams (Waves), Shelby Wilson (Fairfield, Hamilton).
