She combined the two over the weekend to clean up at the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving pool championships in Auckland.
Fairweather (12), a year 8 pupil at Kavanagh College, won six gold medals at the pool championships, setting three national records on the way.
The St Clair Surf Lifesaving club member won the under-13 100m swim with obstacles, under-13 50m brick carry, under-13 50m swim with fins, all in national record time, while also winning the 50m rescue medley.
She won every individual race she entered.
She also teamed up with younger sister Jade (11) to win the under-14 100m swim with patient and was part of the winning four-person relay team which won the 100m brick relay in national record time.
She also won two silvers in other team events.
The pool swimming championships was a good way to learn how to swim in the ocean as competitors had to go through obstacles both on and under the water and also carry a brick which was getting them used to what it would be like bringing in a patient from the water.
Fairweather is a member of the Neptune Swimming Club and is coached by Genardi Lavara and by Chris Haig in surf life-saving.
She did not have a preference for either sport but was just enjoying doing both.
Skills learned in the pool obviously helped out on the beach.
Overall, it was a very successful pool championships for St Clair which sent a small team of only 13 to the championships.
With more than 600 swimmers competing, St Clair won 10 events all up and finished fourth, its best finish at the championships.
