The guys were “chicked” out! The girls took three of the top four placings in one of the NPI Five Islands Swim to Manono.
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The epic 7.5km Manono return swim yesterday was raced in unusually good conditions. Finishing first was Christina Harris from Nelson, Tehani Tamasese was third and Gail Cummins finished fourth.
The only consolation for the men was second placing for Mike Cochrane of Auckland.
The female dominance of the race started right at the blow of the starting horn. Harris, who is a regular Samoa Swim Series competitor, took off in a hiss as if her life dependent on it. She was strong of stroke and streamlined in movement, and she led the entire way.
Harris swam the 3.7km distance from Manono Uta to Manono Tai in just under an hour.
When she reached shore at Faleu, she turned around without stopping and headed back toward Upolu. That subone hour time is impressive.
On the return run, or rather swim, Harris’ time was eight minutes longer than the first leg to Manono.
That is always the case on the way back from Manono, as the prevailing current flows towards Manono.
At the end of the double the Nelson swimmer was all smiles.
“I was just glad to finish,” she said “That was a really good race and I enjoyed it all.
The conditions were much better than I had expected.
“We’ll take it, because many a times it is the other way around.”
Mike Cochrane and Tehani were in touch for the first part of the race, but drifted in distance to Christina as the race went along.
These two stayed entirely together for ninety-five percent of the race mainly due to the fact they shared the same kayaker.
That was a race requirement that swimmers have to have a kayaker accompany them in the Five Islands Challenge.
The conditions were perfect really. I have swum this body of water many times and this was the first time it was picture-flat all the way to the island and back.
Further back in the race, Sam Nimarota finished fifth, Taivai Paulo sixth and Scotty Rowlands from Adelaide finished in seventh place.
There were a few swimmers that swam one way and that included Pastor Arthur Mulitalo who took 2hrs 34mins for one leg of the swim. That was a great effort.
The I’a Lele swimmers also took advantage of the conditions to swim one way.
The first was Manaia To’alepai who swam one leg in 1hr 55mins.
But the day belongs to the girls, who incidentally all swam the double leg to Manono and back.
The race now moves to the Aleipata Islands and Nu’usafe’e tomorrow.
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