Kiwi Swimmers Step Up as Victoria Wins Tri Series

Competition Wrap of the 2025 Tri Series

Team NZ Black

Swimming Victoria have achieved a third consecutive team victory at the Tri Series held from Thursday 10 – Saturday 12 July in Ballarat. The hosts were challenged throughout the five matches by New Zealand Black, with a close battle ensuing as points were collated at the end of each session.

The 2025 Tri Series consisted of five match races, where swimmers raced to score points for their team. Individuals could race in a maximum of three events per match, specifically two individual events and on relay. The series proved to be a high-level representative competition for swimmers and coaches. Athletes’ racing skills were challenged, particularly with the requirement to back-up performances with multiple races in each of the matches across the three days of competition.

The trip catered for more than just development in the competition pool. In the days leading up to racing, the teams got together for group activities to build camaraderie as part of the experience. This included a trip to Sovereign Hill, a key location during the gold rush era in the mid 1800’s. The teams even experienced some light snow fall during this visit, a new experience for many of the Western Australian swimmers and some of our New Zealand team! In the evenings, teams also participated in group quizzes in teams that were mixed up to encourage bonding.

Team NZ White

We have provided a brief overview of how the points progressed from match to match and the overall awards that were presented at the end of competition below.

Match One

The first match indicated two battles with the team points from the start, with Victoria and NZ Black nearly inseparable at the end of the Thursday morning session, as were NZ White and Western Australia for the bronze position.

1. Victoria = 548

2. NZ Black = 546

3. NZ White = 386

4. Western Australia = 383

Match Two

Victoria won the second match to extend their lead ahead of NZ Black. Western Australia edged out NZ White to leapfrog them into third place overall.

1. Victoria = 610

2. NZ Black = 526

3. Western Australia = 356

4. NZ White = 350

Match Three

The third match took place in a pool configured to 20m, designed to provide more emphasis on skills execution.

1. Victoria = 823

2. NZ Black = 790

3. Western Australia = 537

4. NZ White = 473

Match Four

The fourth match returned to the 25m short course set up, and NZ Black led the charge to win the match and close the gap on Victoria in the overall points tally. NZ White took third in the match ahead of Western Australia as the battle for the final placings would come down to the last match held on Saturday morning.

1. NZ Black = 599

2. Victoria = 511

3. NZ White = 368

4. Western Australia = 326

Match Five

The final match saw the hosts arrest control of the points by winning the final match ahead of NZ Black. NZ White finished strongly to place third in the match.

1. Victoria = 628

2. NZ Black = 547

3. NZ White = 331

4. Western Australia = 316

Final Points

After winning four of the five matches, Victoria was crowned the champion team of Tri Series for the third consecutive year. NZ Black locked down second position, with Western Australia narrowly scraping home for third ahead of the fast-finishing NZ White in fourth.

1. Victoria = 3120

2. NZ Black = 3008

3. Western Australia = 1918

4. NZ White = 1908

Top Points Scorers

Paralympic Pathway

• NZ Black = James Haydon (Club 37)

• NZ White = Londyn Dillinger (Murihiku)

Olympic Pathway

NZ Black

1. Fraser Walker (United - 170 points)

2. Jasmine Lyles (Phoenix Aquatics - 164 points)

3. Orlando Hardie (Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato - 156 points)

NZ White

1. Jade Lyles (Phoenix Aquatics - 146 points)

2. Laura Menzies (Wharenui - 118 points)

3. Millie Bell (North Canterbury - 96 points)

The New Zealand teams gathered additional support during the competition, with the Venue Manager from the aquatic facility being a Kiwi himself, and he regularly came to support the swimmers during the matches.

Overall, the New Zealand teams gelled well together, and the competition was successful in achieving its goals. The competition provided an excellent opportunity for the development of our age group swimmers.

2025 Tri Series Teams

Overall Support Staff

Name	Club	Role
David Lyles	Phoenix Aquatics	Tri Series Head Coach
Brigitte Mahan	North Canterbury	Team Manager

Team Black (New Zealand Youth Team)

Name	Club	Coach	Role
Mat Woofe	Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato		Team Black Head Coach
Tracy Breuer	Kiwi West Aquatics		Team Black Assistant Coach
Olivia Bates	North Shore	Michelle Gillies	Swimmer
Orlando Hardie	Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato	Mat Woofe	Swimmer
James Haydon	Club 37	Mitch Nairn	Swimmer
Freya Hingston	United	Andy McMillan & Andrew Jeffcoat	Swimmer
Noah Ireland-Spicer	Otaki Titans	Jon Winter	Swimmer
Hunter Lloyd	Raumati	Bronson Lloyd	Swimmer
Jasmine Lyles	Phoenix Aquatics	David Lyles	Swimmer
Xanthe Miller	United	Andy McMillan & Andrew Jeffcoat	Swimmer
Charlotte Murphy	Aquagym	Emma Smith	Swimmer
Te Paki	Northwave	Monica Cooper	Swimmer
Amber Proudfoot	Aquagym	Emma Smith	Swimmer
Bridie Quayle	Wharenui	Carl Gordon	Swimmer
Liam Rees	Kiwi & Swim Dunedin	Lars Humer	Swimmer
Ariella Riley	Hamilton Aquatics & RPC Waikato	Mat Woofe	Swimmer
Mila Tongalea	United	Andy McMillan & Andrew Jeffcoat	Swimmer
Rawiri Tristram-Brown	Otaki Titans	Jon Winter	Swimmer
Fraser Walker	United	Andy McMillan & Andrew Jeffcoat	Swimmer
Hope Wang	Phoenix Aquatics	David Lyles	Swimmer
Alfie Weatherston Harvey	Kiwi & Swim Dunedin	Lars Humer	Swimmer
Rylind Wheeler	North Canterbury	Brigitte Mahan	Swimmer

Team White (New Zealand Youth Development Team)

Name	Club	Coach	Role
Carl Gordon	Wharenui		Team White Head Coach
Jon Winter	Otaki Titans		Team White Assistant Coach
Elwin Bao	North Shore	Michelle Gillies	Swimmer
Lucas Bell	Tasman	Shaun Foley	Swimmer
Millie Bell	North Canterbury	Brigitte Mahan	Swimmer
Paige Conley	Whanganui	Richard Gheel	Swimmer
Liam Curling	Coast	John Gatfield	Swimmer
Londyn Dillinger	Murihiku	Madi Wills & Jeremy Duncan	Swimmer
Leo English	Swim Rotorua	Aidan Withington	Swimmer
Tandia Fisher	Wharenui	Carl Gordon	Swimmer
Kayne Howat	SwimZone Racing	Frank Tourelle	Swimmer
Jonty Howland	Dannevirke	Lin Tozer	Swimmer
Jade Lyles	Phoenix Aquatics	David Lyles	Swimmer
Octavia Mahoney	United	Andy McMillan & Andrew Jeffcoat	Swimmer
Luke Manderson	Wharenui	Carl Gordon	Swimmer
Alex McIntosh	United	Andy McMillan & Andrew Jeffcoat	Swimmer
Laura Menzies	Wharenui	Carl Gordon	Swimmer
Lucas Robins	Otaki Titans	Jon Winter	Swimmer
Hannah Sampson	SwimZone Racing	Frank Tourelle	Swimmer
Sebastian Segers	United	Andy McMillan & Andrew Jeffcoat	Swimmer
Nathaniel Wood	Porirua City Aquatics	Gerusio Matonse	Swimmer
Michael Yang	Phoenix Aquatics	David Lyles	Swimmer