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New Zealand age group swim team scored nine wins on the first day of the three-test Trans Tasman Series in Sydney today.

The squad set six new national age group records and enjoyed one of their strongest showings in the history of the competition with 29 podium placings.

While they trail Australia Green and Australia Gold, there is only 18 points separating the three teams after the first two sessions held at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre tonight. Green lead on 212 followed by Gold on 208 and New Zealand on 194.

The trio of Cara Baker - pictured (Kiwi West, Palmerston North), Orinoco Faamausili-Banse (Laser Mt Eden, Auckland) and Cameron Burrows (Howick Pakuranga, Counties Manukau) each set two new records.

Baker whacked nearly six seconds off the previous short course record clocking 8:38.72 to win the 800m freestyle and was second on her way to a record in the 400m freestyle in 4:14.38.

Banse, 16, produced a superb effort to go under the 50 second barrier to win the 100m freestyle in 49.95s, more than a second inside the old mark, while he blasted his way to a record in the 50m freestyle in a stunning 23.05s as the leadoff in the relay.

Burrows, 15, broke both his records in the evening programme clocking 8:10.40 in the 800m freestyle, nearly seven seconds inside the old mark, and in the 200m butterfly in 2:03.08, where he was more than two seconds off his own previous record. He finished second in both races.

Daniel Bell, 17 (West Auckland Aquatics) enjoyed a superb day with four wins clocking 55.94 in the 100m backstroke, 54.86 in the 100m butterfly 2:02.97 in the 200m backstroke as well as the 50m backstroke skins.

Banse and Baker won their finals in the 100m freestyle and 800m freestyle respectively on the way to their records, as did Abby Shaw (Aquagym) in winning the 200m butterfly in 2:17.78.

Starn Simpson, 16 (West Auckland Aquatics) took out the 50m breaststroke skins while the men’s medley relay combination of Bell, Simpson, Shaun Burnett (North Shore) and Banse beat off both Australian combinations.

The team travels to Woy Woy on the central New South Wales coast for two further sessions tomorrow evening and Thursday morning before busing to Canberra for the final two sessions on Friday evening and Saturday morning at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Full results: www.swimmingnz.org.nz

For further information:

Ian Hepenstall, Sports Media NZ, Tel 0275 613181, E: ianhep@xtra.co.nz