The first swim of 2026 brought 87 swimmers to the yacht club for a refreshing start to the year. The sea sat at a slightly cooler 18°C, and although the morning began a little dull, the sun peeked out later in the day during the race, giving everyone a lift just when they needed it.
The 1300m long course delivered some honest work, especially once swimmers rounded the second buoy and hit the strong outgoing tide. Even so, the front of the field moved quickly. Max Stanton was first home in 19:12.1, with Tegen Stewart close behind as the first woman in 19:14.4. Phoebe Diamond continued her great form, finishing in 19:16.4 as the first U16, and Derek Eaton impressed everyone once again, completing the course in 26:55.0 as our 80+ representative.
In the non‑wetsuit long course, Finn Bryant took the win in 21:37.6, while Jude Vincent led the women in 24:04.5. The 500m short course was sharp and fast, with Ardan Warner finishing first overall in 10:35.2, and Chloe Styles leading the women in 11:34.2. Rodney Hansen topped the non‑wetsuit short course in 14:23.5.
A big thank‑you to Rylock Windows & Doors for their continued support of the series, and to all volunteers who helped make the first swim of the year run smoothly.
A reminder that the Tata Beach Swim is happening this Sunday, 4 January 2026 — a beautiful event with 1200m and 600m options, jointly run by the Nelson Tri Club and the Golden Bay Swim Club. Please be sure to sign up online no later than Saturday, 3 January: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=405920
See you at the next swim.
Full results
Series points
Photos by Thomas Young