Neptune swimmer Aleisha Ruske has turned swimming training upside down by continuing to break records.
While other swimmers are doing a lot more training, Ruske is doing less and getting better results.
Ruske (13), a pupil at St Hilda's Collegiate, broke 10 Otago short-course records at the 28th annual Neptune Swimming Club's Queens Birthday meet at Moana Pool at the weekend.
It was the most provincial records broken at the major winter carnival. Ronald Poon (Neptune) broke seven Otago records in 2007 and eight in 2008.
Ruske broke the following records in the girls aged 12 and 13 grade at the weekend: 50m (27.88sec) and 100m (59.63sec) freestyle; 50m (32sec) and 100m (1min 07.33sec) backstroke, 50m (30.06sec); 100m (1min 07.40sec in heat and 1min 05.40sec in final), 200m (2min 31.02sec) butterfly; 100m (1min 09.64sec) and 200m (2min 28.25sec) individual medley.
The most significant record was the 100m freestyle when she broke the record that Carina Doyle (Waves) set in 2007 by 0.38sec. It was the first time Ruske had cracked the 60sec barrier.
Ruske took 2.07sec off the 100m backstroke record that Phoebe Williams (Waves) swam in 2006 and also broke the 200m butterfly that Williams set in the same year.
Ruske, who trains less than most serious swimmer of her age, has only four 1hr 30min sessions a week at Moana Pool.
She is coached by Punch Tremaine and has broken 29 Otago age-group records in the past four years.
Tremaine believes young swimmers can still excel with less training and expects Ruske to attend only four of his training sessions each week.
The other record-breaker was Kate Godfrey (Neptune), who broke two of her own records in the senior women's grade in the 50m (29.88sec) and 200m (2min 13.80sec) backstroke.
Godfrey (17), a pupil at Otago Girls High School, is a member of coach Gennadiy Labara's Osca squad.
It was the biggest swim meet held at Moana Pool, outside a national championships, for 30 years, with 414 swimmers competing in 3500 events. Thirty-five clubs sent teams.
There was a big contingent of swimmers from Christchurch clubs, with Wharenui having the most swimmers outside Dunedin with 53.
Thomas Heaton (Waves), in the boys aged 11 and 12 grade, scored the most individual points with 259. He was followed by Nicky Pio (Wharenui) in the girls aged 13 and 14 grade on 237, and Katie Kenneally (Neptune), in the senior women's grade, on 234.
Heaton (12), a pupil at John McGlashan College, has only just moved up to six training sessions a week and is already reaping excellent results.
Godfrey finished runner-up in the senior women's grade with 167 points and Lisa Catto (Hokonui) was third with 124 points.
The men's open grade was won by Nick Tyrrell (Neptune) with 179 points, from Matthew Glassford (Neptune) 149 and Bill Campbell (Wharenui) 129.
Braden Doyle (Waves) swam personal best times when winning the men's 100m (52.30sec) and 200m (1min 52.31sec). He narrowly beat his clubmate, Rhys Applegarth.
Other winners of their age grades were: Kyra Forrest (Wharenui) girls 10, Flynn McDonald (QE2) boys 10, Cassandra Forrest girls aged 11 and 12, Henry Muskee (Aquagym) boys aged 13 and 14.
Neptune won the teams event with 2872 points from Wharenui 2306, Waves 2169, Aquagym 1511.50, North Canterbury 936.50, QE2 929.50, Jasi 812, Queenstown 671, Alexandra 604 and Oamaru 582.
Alexandra was the top club with fewer than 10 swimmers, on 604, followed by Kiwi 488.50 and Murihiku 433.
