Blue Lake Delivers Stunning Conditions for Secondary School Open Water Champs

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Competition Wrap - 2026 NZ Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championships

The 2026 NZ Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championships were held over the weekend in conjunction with the Legend of the Lake event hosted in the NZ Ocean Swim Series. It was a beautiful morning, with Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) again producing stunning conditions for the championships.

A total of 74 students took part in the championships across the three distances. The 3.5km distance had 47 students complete the lap of the lake, while 36 students completed the 1km distance and 20 students took on the shorter 500m race.

3.5km Distance

Tyler Lushkott (Auckland Grammar – 41:33.3), national 7.5km champion from the New Zealand Open Water Swimming Championships earlier this year, was the first to the finish; claiming gold in the boys 14 - 15 years age group. It was a tight finish between Lushkott and Sheldon Hogan (Tauranga Boys' – 41:33.9), who took out the boys 16 - 19 years age title.

Jack Barton (Kristin – 43:32.0) claimed silver in the 16 - 19 years age group, finishing two minutes back from Hogan, while Eliot Webber (Napier Boys' – 46:52.9) rounded out the podium.

There was good competition behind Lushkott in the boys 14 -15 years age group, with Dom Barton (Kristin – 43:51.4) and Benjamin Crawford (Shirley Boys' – 44:05.5) separated by just over 10 seconds at the finish to claim silver and bronze respectively.

Nicola Lovell (Marlborough Girls' – 45:10.4) was the first of the girls to finish, taking out the 16 - 19 years title. She was challenged the whole way by youngster Maeve McDonnell (Pakuranga College – 45:16.2) who claimed gold in the 14 - 15 years age group, marking her third consecutive gold in this event at the championships.

Danielle Claridge (Tuakau College – 52:49.8) earned silver in the 16 - 19 years age group behind Lovell, while Claudine Bennett (Rangiora – 53:40.8) took home the bronze.

McDonnell was joined on the 14 - 15 years age group podium by Indy Leeds (Rangi Ruru – 46:19.1) and Maggie Harper (Woodford House – 50:15.7).

Kathryn Bates (Epsom Girls Grammar – 47:48.6) led the charge in the 12 - 13 years girls age group, claiming gold for the second year in a row. Jorja Postill (Rosehill – 49:50.5) and Olivia Calder-Kerr (Palmerston North Girls' – 54:17.2) rounded out the podium with silver and bronze, respectively.

On the boys' side, Kaede Aish-Brough (Hamilton Boys' – 48:03.3) took the 12 - 13 years title, followed by Ryder Sax (Mangawhai Hills College – 49:35.2) and Lucas Postill (St Peter's Epsom – 53:25.2).

3.5km Results

1km Distance

Emma Iceton (New Plymouth Girls' – 14:42.1) was the fastest finisher of the women, finishing more than 20 seconds ahead of her closest competitor to claim gold in the 16 - 19 years age group. Maeve McDonnell (15:05.0) was next to the finish, earning gold in the girls 14 - 15 years age group.

Paige Franklin (Central Hawke's Bay – 15:16.1) and Sophia Maltai-Spence (Mount Maunganui – 15:39.6) won silver and bronze behind Iceton in the 16 - 19 years age group.

McDonnell was joined on the age group podium by Renee Dresner (Tauranga Girls' – 15:42.0) and Scarlett Wadham (St Matthew's Masterton – 15:53.5) claiming silver and bronze, respectively.

It was a tight finish between Tyler Lushkott (13:26.7) and Jack Barton (13:27.0) on the men's side, with Lushkott inching ahead at the finish to be the top finisher once again. Lushkott claimed gold in the 14 - 15 years age group for his efforts, with Barton doing the same in the 16 - 19 years age group.

Reigning champion Leo English (Rotorua Boys' – 14:41.0) had to settle for silver behind Barton in the 16 - 19 years division, with Luca Dohnt (Tauranga Boys' – 15:56.8) claiming bronze.

Dom Barton (13:30.4) finished just four seconds back from Lushkott in the 14 - 15 years division to claim silver, while Benjamin Crawford (13:59.8) took bronze.

Kathryn Bates (15:11.5) took out her second 12 - 13 years age title of the day, with Amelia McEwan (Mount Maunganui – 15:23.6) and Paige Aitchison (Mount Maunganui – 15:42.1) joining her on the podium this time around. As did Kaede Aish-Brough (16:25.9) on the boys side, with Ciaran Henderson (Wakatipu – 17:02.3) and Jagger Cordes (Long Bay – 18:03.9) rounding out the podium.

1km Results

500m Distance

For the shortest event on offer at the championships (500m), there more sprints to the line to determine the finishing order.

Jack Barton (5:18.4) and Tyler Lushkott (5:18.4) had a strong tussle, both finishing in the exact time to each claim gold in their respective 16 - 19 years and 14 - 15 years age groups.

Luca Dohnt (6:19.6) joined Barton on the podium in the older age group, while Maxwell Latu (Gisborne Boys' – 5:42.6) and Kaeto Sasamoto (Gisborne Boys' – 5:51.9) claimed silver and bronze respectively in the 14 - 15 years age group behind Lushkott.

Youngster Amelia McEwan (5:48.1) was the fastest finisher in the women's field, fighting to the finish with Maeve McDonnell (5:49.6) and Kathryn Bates (5:50.8). For their efforts, McEwan and Bates won gold and silver respectively in the girls 12 - 13 years age group, while McDonnell took out the age title for the 14 - 15 years division.

McDonnell was joined on the podium in the 14 -15 years age group by Maggie Harper (6:11.2) and Scarlett Wadham (6:22.2).

Rio Sasamoto (Gisborne Girls' – 5:59.2) claimed gold in the girls 16 - 19 years age group, finishing less than three seconds ahead of Paige Franklin (6:01.9) in second place, while Sophia Maltai-Spence (6:17.3) rounded out the podium.

The boys 13 - 14 years division saw Ryder Sax (6:28.3) take gold.

500m Results

Mount Maunganui College retained the Top School Trophy with 110 points, ahead of Kristin School (105 points) in second place. It was a three-way tie for third place, with Pakuranga College, Hamilton Boys High School and Auckland Grammar all equal on points (78 points)

School Points Results

Thanks to the NZ Ocean Swim Series team for delivering these championships and to all the swimmers who got active in the water over the weekend.