Thirteen Otago swimmers have been picked to help the South Island Makos defend their national zonal titles in Auckland tomorrow.
The 20-strong senior team includes Otago's Andrew Trembath, Cameron James, Jeremy Tasker, Isobel Ryan, Carina Doyle, Aleisha Ruske and Kate Godfrey, while Cecilia Crooks, Caitlin Deans, Nicholas Pryde, Tame Govaerts, Samuel Wardhaugh and Devon Familton are in the junior team.
Both the senior and junior teams won the point-based competition a year ago, beating the North Harlequins, Lower North Allstars and Central North Aqua Knights in the process.
The event, which is being televised live on Sky Sport 4 from 5pm, will be held at the West Wave Aquatic Centre over a couple of two-hour sessions.
Each team will pick two swimmers for each of the first 34 events, and has the choice of picking four swimmers who can earn double points. Swimmers picked to earn double points can do so only once in one event.
Points will be spread out across the swimmers, with the winner of each race earning 26 and the loser (eighth place) earning four.
Junior and senior 20 x 50m flying squadron relays will be the last events of the night, and could well decide the two titles.
Led by junior Pan Pacific swimmers Trembath (Neptune) and George Schroder (Hokitika), who both represented the Makos a year ago, the South Island senior squad has no shortage of talent.
Both competed at the Pan Pacific championships against some of the world's best junior swimmers in Hawaii last year. Trembath finished fourth in the 100m backstroke and Schroder sixth in the 100m breaststroke.
Ryan (Oamaru), who is off to the University of Wyoming on a swimming scholarship in July, showed some good form at the Otago championships at Moana Pool last month and will be tough to beat.
Kate Godfrey (Neptune), who won eight gold medals and a couple of silvers at the Otago championships, will also be one to watch.
Deans (Neptune) is the only Otago swimmer back from last year in the junior team, and heads into the championship on the back of winning five golds at the Otago championships.
Familton and Crooks (both Neptune) and Govaerts (Zenith) also had strong Otago championships and round out a formidable junior team.
The Makos team is made up of swimmers from 16 South Island clubs.
Makos swimming
The team
Senior: Michael Final (Orca), Christopher McFadden (Aquagym), Charles Porter (Aquagym), Thomas Heaton (Tasman), Cameron James (Neptune), George Schroder (Hokitika), Matthew Phillips (Wharenui), William Campbell (Wharenui), Andrew Trembath (Neptune), Jeremy Tasker (Neptune), Isobel Ryan (Oamaru), Carina Doyle (Neptune), Aleisha Ruske (Neptune), Sammy Winward (Aquagym), Ebony Maikuku (Jasi), Caitlin Delany (Tasman), Emily Rennell (Jasi), Kate Godfrey (Neptune), Sally McMath (Blenheim), Caitlin Rennell (Jasi).
Junior: Clara Foster (Nelson), Cecilia Crooks (Neptune), Caitlin Deans (Neptune), Lucy Jackson (QEII), Kaylee Jackson (QEII), Hannah Bates (Selwyn), Talya Harwood (Tasman), Kyra Forrest (Wharenui), James Buk (North Canterbury), Sam McKenzie (Tasman), Matthew Harford (Ashburton), Nicholas Pryde (Neptune), Satori Dobbie (QEII), Tame Govaerts (Zenith), Oliver Rayner (North Canterbury), Angus Syme (North Canterbury), Flynn Sinclair (Murihiku), Samuel Wardhaugh (Neptune), Lucy Gordon (Aquagym), Devon Familton (Neptune).
