Somerset Swimming Report – House and APS Swimming Carnivals

Swimming begins the school sports year and it is always a fast start to the season. Both the Junior and Senior Schools held their House swimming carnivals in week 2 this year. This was then followed by the APS Junior and Senior swimming carnivals held here at Somerset in week 4.

The Junior School House swimming carnival was run on Thursday 6 February. This year’s carnival featured a combined 9 years and 10 years age group for the first time which held through to the APS competition. There was some fast swimming on the day and five records broken. Congratulations to Aksel Pitura (10 years and under) who broke the 100m Freestyle and 50m backstroke record as well as three relay teams – Andrews 11 years girls, Starkey 12 years girls and Andrews 12 years boys teams. Age champions from the day were:

10 years and under – Scarlett Hasselle (girls) and Aksel Pitura (boys)
11 years – Evie Snow (girls) and Edmund Lee (boys)
12 years – Teanna Li (girls) and Kai Edgley (boys)

A big effort from Franklin saw the team take out the aggregate points award for the carnival. Well done!

The Senior School House swimming carnival was run on Friday 7 February. The past few years have seen some very competitive and fast racing and 2025 continued the trend. Five individual students broke records as well as a relay team. Congratulations to record breakers – Cohen Tarrant (15 years) 100m Freestyle and 50m Breaststroke, Leny Grigor (Open) 100m Breaststroke and 100m Butterfly, Kasia Pitura (14 years) 50m Breaststroke, Olympia Pope (17 years and over) 50m Breaststroke, Dylan Aspinall (17 years and over) 50m Butterfly, and Starkey (girls 14 years) Freestyle relay. The age champions from the day were:

12 years – Monet De Bruin (girls) and William Wang (boys)
13 years – Jasmine Teng (girls) and Asha Kowalczuk (boys)
14 years – Kasia Pitura (girls) and Lawrence Lee/Harry Woollven (boys)
15 years – Chalrie Henrison (girls) and Cohen Tarrant (boys)
16 years – Elsa Li (girls) and Leny Grigor (boys)
17 years and over – Holly Hembling (girls) and Ryan Bambach (boys)
Open – Holly Hembling (girls) and Leny Grigor (boys)

This year, it was Laver who won the aggregate points score on the day. Well done!

Following both House swimming carnivals the Somerset Junior and Senior APS swim teams were selected. The APS swimming competition is one of the toughest in the region and a true test of team ability and depth. Both Somerset teams prepared well for the carnivals.

The senior APS swimming carnival was first on Wednesday 19 February. Somerset had finished second overall for the past two years and another strong team had been assembled. Somerset won four age groups on the day – 14 years girls, 16 years boys, 17 years and over boys, and 17 years and over girls. Cohen Tarrant in the 14 years boys was one of only three students on the day to break a record which was a great swim and achievement. Somerset also had three age champions being Kasia Pitura (14 years girls), Leny Grigor (16 years boys) and Ryan Bambach (17 years and over boys). Other students to place in the age championship were Elenor McGrath (3rd
in 14 years girls), Charlie Henrison (2nd in 15 years girls), Cohen Tarrant (3rd in 15 years boys), Martin Hembling (2nd in 16 years boys), and Holly Hembling (2nd in 17 years and over girls). The team was again great on the day and finished a solid second place overall and should be very proud of their efforts. Well done.

The junior APS swimming carnival followed the senior day on Thursday 20 February. With only three age categories on the day, the overall point score would be much tighter than in previous years which proved to be the case. Somerset’s 11 year old girls won their age group showing very good depth from their fast swims on the day. Three Somerset students placed in the age championship being Scarlett Hasselle (3rd in 10 years and under girls), Aksel Pitura (3rd in 10 years and under boys) and Evie Snow (2nd in the 11 years girls). Well done to these swimmers. The overall points score was close this year with Somerset finishing fifth overall and very close to fourth place. This was an improvement from 2024 and hopefully a good sign for the coming years.

Following the APS swimming carnivals, Somerset had 19 swimmers qualify for the South Coast Regional Swimming titles. These swimmers are: Scarlett Hasselle, Holly Hembling, Charlie Henrison, Sasha Henrison, Elenor McGrath, Kasia Pitura, Olympia Pope, Evie Snow, Sophia Tarrant, Jasmine Teng, Dylan Aspinall, Ryan Bambach, Leny Grigor, Hudson Harley, Martin Hembling, Aksel Pitura, Jakub Pitura, Lachlan Talbot, and Cohen Tarrant. Unfortunately due to cyclone Alfred, the trial was cancelled and an online process for entries has been undertaken. Best of luck to our students in gaining selection through the South Coast team to compete in the upcoming School State Swimming Championships later this month.