Top Wellington Swimmer Ready To Take On New Zealand’s Best

Local Wellington swimmer, Casey Glover, isn’t resting on his recent success at the State Insurance New Zealand Open Water Championships, instead he is gearing up to defend his turf when some of New Zealand’s best open water swimmer converge on Wellington.

On Saturday 29th January the State New Zealand Ocean Swim Series returns to Wellington for the State Capital Classic, race three of the six race series, and it is shaping up to be the largest and strongest field ever assembled in Wellington.

Glover achieved some his best national results at the recent Open Water Championships, which took place in Taupo on 15th and 16th January, finishing 2nd in the 10km event and 5th in the 5km race.

“I was pretty pleased with how the races went, I have been injured a lot of last year so I wasn’t sure how things would pan out, but I have put in some big training sessions in the last few months and I guess they paid off.” explained Glover.

The 24-year-old is looking forward to taking on a strong field at this years State Capital Classic and hopes he can use his home-towns weather to his advantage.

“There are lots of variables with Wellington weather, it will come down to what we get on the day and who reads that the best, hopefully I can read things well and give the race a good crack.”

While the weather could be complicated to manage, his goals for the race are very simple “I just want to swim as fast as I possibly can and get the best placing I can.”

Casey will have some top competition on the start line, including the New Zealand Open Water 10km Champion, Phillip Ryan (Auckland) and last years defending champion, Kane Radford (Rotorua). The New Zealand Open Water 5km Champion, Bryn Murphy (Invercargill) will also be on the start line.

In the women’s field, defending champion, Charlotte Webby (Taranaki) will have a tough race on her hands with Cara Baker (Auckland, residing in Australia), also on the start line. Baker took out both the 5km and 10km events at the recent New Zealand Open Water Championships.

Webby and Baker each have one victory each so far in 2010/2011 State Ocean Swim Series, however it will be the first time they are on the start line together this season. Both these swimmers will be determined not only take the title but also secure precious series points, their best three swims contributing towards their overall points tally at the end of the series and ultimately determining their share of the over $30,000 prize purse.

The 2.8km course will take swimmers from Oriental Bay Beach to the lighthouse and returning to Freyberg Beach. For those who just want to test the waters there’s a 1000m or 300m option. Children can also join in the fun in the State Ocean Kids 200m event.

The State Ocean Swim Series is a great opportunity for recreational swimmers to test themselves against; some of the best swimmers in the country, the clock or their friends.
 

Among the expected 900 taking up that opportunity in Wellington will be multiple Coast to Coast Champion, Richard Ussher and Mayor of Wellington, Celia Wade-Brown.
The State New Zealand Ocean Swim Series includes ocean swims in Auckland (x2), the Bay Of Islands, Wellington, Christchurch and Bay Of Plenty. The series kicked off in November with the Auckland Harbour Crossing and ends with the King Of The Bays swim in Auckland on April 16.

It’s not too late to be part of the action in Wellington Harbour - registrations for the State Capital Classic close on 27 January – visit www.oceanswim.co.nz