It might have been jacket weather on the pool deck but there was some sizzling action in the pool when Gunnedah hosted the Speedo Sprint Series Heats and New England and North West Championships on the weekend.
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Just under 180 swimmers from clubs across the region competed across the two events with 176 taking to the water for the Speedo sprints and 162 for the area championships.
The Speedo sprints started things off on Saturday morning with the top four finishers in each event going through to represent Swimming New England and North West (SNENW) at the finals in Sydney next month.
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The area championships then got underway in the afternoon and continued through Sunday.
Area president Brian Coombs said there was some good swimming across the weekend.
"The kids did really well," he said.
"There were quite a few area records broken and quite a few pool records broken."
That was despite some pretty horrible conditions. The wind was so strong at one stage, he said they had to take the shade covers down at one end because it was starting to damage the marquees.
It wasn't though "overly cold" in the water, he said.
Coombs thanked all the technical officials that helped over the two days.
"There were quite a few trainee technical officials that got some work in over the weekend," he said.
"Quite a few got assessed as technical officials."
It was encouraging, he said, having earlier in the season bemoaned the lack of technical officials in the region.
"We're starting to get some people interested, which is great from an area perspective," he said.
For the local clubs there were some great results across the weekend.
Kootingal-Moonbi had 15 of their swimmers qualify for the Speedo finals, which will be held at Olympic Park in Sydney.
The club also reported a number of "state times, area records, pool records and a huge medal tally".
Champions and runners-up
8 years and under girls: Champion - Ellie Prescott (Warialda), Runner-up - Jemma Mackay (Kootingal- Moonbi)
8 years and under boys: Champion - Valentyn Lavea (Tenterfield)
9 years and under girls: Champion - Hope Smith (Tamworth City), Runner-up - Hannah Akinyemi (Gunnedah)
9 years and under boys: Champion - Josh Spinks (Gunnedah), Runner-up - Thomas McDougall (Kootingal-Moonbi)
10 years girls: Champion - Alexis Whitton (Gunnedah), Runner-up - Molly Ramien (Gunnedah)
10 years boys: Champion - Warne McShane (Glen Innes), Runner-up - Eddie Lowick (Wee Waa)
11 years girls: Champion - Indianna King (360 Scully Park), Runner-up - Sophie Irwin (Glen Innes)
11 years boys: Champion - Jacob Smith (Gunnedah), Runner-up - William Smith (Wee Waa)
12 years girls: Champion - Chelsea Smith (Tamworth City), Runner-up - Laura Hall (Tamworth City
12 years boys: Champion - Nathaniel Stimson (Kootingal-Moonbi), Runner-up - Zach Akinyemi (Gunnedah)
13 years girls: Champion - Tahlia Smith (Gunnedah), Runner-up - Jolanda Hess (Alligators of Armidale)
13 years boys: Champion - Alexander Scanlon-Dawson (360 Scully Park), Runner-up - Will Hejduk (Scone)
14 years girls: Champion - Abbey Trewern (360 Scully Park), Runner-up - Allison Tooley (360 Scully Park)
14 years boys: Champion - Paul Russell (Muswellbrook), Runner-up: Daniel Smith (Narrabri)
15 years girls: Champion - Amelia Simm (Tamworth City)
15 years boys: Champion - Harrison Bennett (Wee Waa), Runner-up - Hess Flynn (Alligators of Armidale)
16 years and over girls: Champion - Zahli Woolnough (Muswellbrook), Runner-up - Ruby Straker (Alligators of Armidale),
16 years and over boys: Champion - Caine Ford (Tamworth City), Runner-up - Rowan Cowley (Glen Innes)
Opens women: Champion - Cadence McShane (Glen Innes), Runner-up - Amelia Simm (Tamworth City)
Opens men: Champion - Jacob Smith (Gunnedah), Runner-up - Alexander Thompson (Gunnedah)
