New Zealand Open Water Swim Double for Cara Baker

Queensland-based New Zealander Cara Baker made it a clean sweep when she took out the 5km title at the New Zealand open water swimming championship on Lake Taupo on Sunday.

Baker, 19, added the 5km title to her 10km victory in the elite women’s competition on Saturday to become a genuine contender for international selection for New Zealand in open water competition.

The former Manawatu swimmer out-touched Taranaki’s Charlotte Webby in a photo-finish to take the women’s honours in flat conditions today.

Auckland’s Philip Rush successfully defended his 5km title in the men’s competition, holding off a fast finish from former champion Kane Radford (Rotorua).

Baker, based in Queensland under world renowned coach Denis Cotterell, is keeping her options open, and will also return to New Zealand for the commonwealth Games swim trials in April.

She plans to compete in next month’s Australian open water championship at Lake Nagambie in Victoria, which is the New Zealand trial for selection to the world championships and Pan Pacific Games.

However Baker is still hopeful of qualifying for the Commonwealth Games over 800m in the pool after an appendix operation cost her any chance of Olympic selection last year.

Her performances this weekend has pleased Swimming New Zealand open water coach Philip Rush.

“Cara has been the find of the championships for us. It was disappointing to lose Alannah Jury with illness to get a comparison, but the big plus for me is that we are starting to show some real signs of developing depth.

“Cara has definitely put her hand up and if she can perform well at the Australian Championships then that can help us develop a stronger international programme.”

Baker and yesterday’s runner-up Georgia Hind (Capital, Wellington) were joined by Bell Block’s Charlotte Webby, who returned overnight from competing in Australia.

The trio broke clear before Baker and Webby duelled it out over the final 300m, with Baker finishing just half a second ahead with Hind third.

The men’s race saw a small pack cruise through the first lap before the heat went on over the final 500m with Rush leading from the front from Otago’s Bryn Murphy, in his first tilt at open water competition. Rush kicked clear with Radford leaving his run just too late, storming home for second place four seconds behind.

“All the swimmers were very tired from the 10km in that slog yesterday. So it was good to see them get up and perform strongly today.

“Philip and Kane are proven performers and now Bryn Murphy has shown his hand and in the junior grades Stefan Talbot from Howick Pakuranga also impressed.”

Talbot took out the 15-16 years title inside the top-10 overall.

Today’s race was combined with the Epic Open Water Festival and the New Zealand Masters open water championships.

Results, NZ Open Water Swim Championships, 5km:
Male: Philip Rush (Waterhole, Auckland) 58:50.60, 1; Kane Radford (Swim Rotorua) 58:54.56, 2; Bryn Murphy (Waves, Dunedin) 58:57.10, 3; George O’Brien (Australia) 59:18.44, 4; Casey Glover (SwimZone, Wellington) 59:40.05, 5.
15-16 years: Stefan Talbot (Howick Pakuranga,Counties Manukau) 1:00.53.88, 1; Josh Beard (Australia) 1:01.10.42, 2; Joshua Richardson (Australia) 1:01.12.58, 3.
13-15 years: Jack Burnham (Australia) 1:03.09.60, 1; Ben Ruback (Masterton) 1:07.11.19, 2; Michael Rasdall (Swim Rotorua) 1:07.38.19, 3.
Female: Cara Baker (Howick Pakuranga) 1:04.48.47, 1; Charlotte Webby (Bell Block, Taranaki) 1:04.48,98, 2; Georgia Hind (Capital, Wellington) 1:05.05.33, 3; Caitlin Zillman (Australia) 1:08:49.62, 4;Rebecca Roling (Swim Rotorua) 1:11.13.54, 5.
15-16 years: Hind 1, Zillman 2, Roling 3.
13-15 years: Shelby Wilson (Fairfield, Hamilton) 1:13.01.23, 1; Abbie Humphries (North Shore) 1:13.51.86, 2; Jade Tuwhangai (Fairfield) 1:14.35.18, 3.
Full results: www.swimmingnz.org.nz