A compilation by Sue Edwards
It is known that a Synchronised Swimming group was active in Dunedin in 1933 and 1934. Mrs Raper, who was a member of this early group organised a display at the opening of the Newmarket Olympic Swimming Pool in Auckland in 1948, and there was a Water Ballet group called the "Mermaids" in Auckland in the 1940s. From 1945 - 1956 a rhythmic swimming group was part of the Kiwi Swimming Club in Dunedin. The group was formed by D Forsyth and Mr Isaacs, after the Esther Williams film " Bathing Beauty" had been shown in Dunedin . A Kiwi Club Aqucade was produced biannually, a total of eight shows Jean Hurring ( nee Stewart ) who was a member of the Kiwi Club, went to the United States in 1950, where she saw Beulah Gundling in action. This encouraged Jean to devote considerable time to the sport, and she realised the potential for New Zealand. In 1957 Jean choreographed and produced a Water ballet called " Ondine " with Jan Duthie and Jim Todd of Dunedin. The swimming was synchronised with the music, and the standard of performance was becoming far more polished.
In 1952 an American Group performed a display of Synchronised Swimming in Auckland, and during this time the late Sally Franecivic ( nee Batchelor )who was an Auckland Backstroke swimming champion, became interested. Sally joined the Mermaids Swimming Group, and following an audition by the American group, was invited to train with them. While overseas in 1960, Sally trained with the US Synchronised Swimming Team, and perfected a solo routine, then accompanied the US Team on a European tour. Jean Stewart moved to Auckland about 1958, and established a Synchronised Swimming group within the Mt. Roskill Swimming Club - the " Dolphins" One of the first projects here was a water pantomime, " The Ugly Duckling".
In the early 1960s, the Auckland Synchronised Swimming Championships began, with swimmers from the clubs in Auckland, as well as from other parts of the country, competing. Until the first National Championships were held in 1979, the Auckland Championships were effectively the Nationals. In about 1965, Sally Franecivic returned to Auckland and with Lorraine Ramsey (nee Dew), established the Auckland " Water Follies". By 1968 there were three groups in Auckland, the two mentioned, and another at the Mt. Eden Pool, a small group in Wellington, and a group in Taupo, coached by Sue Edwards. About this time three girls from the Water Follies competed in the Australian Championships. In 1968 Deborah Sutherland, (nee Lye) and Barbara Simpson, from the Water Follies won their club duet championships, and Sally Franecivic arranged for them to compete in the National Junior Duet Outdoor Championships in Illinois in June of that year.
Also in 1968, in August, just prior to the Auckland Championships, the Auckland clubs organised an Aquacade, with 40 swimmers from Auckland, 9 from Taupo, and 7 from Wellington. At this time, training and competition was held at the Tepid Baths, in downtown Auckland. From late 1968 to early 1969 the Auckland clubs faced a setback because of lack of coaches, and with the support of the Auckland Swimming Centre, and led by Malcolm Davies and Tom (?) Bosworth, the clubs amalgamated and the Auckland Amateur Synchronised swimming Club was formed. This club was the forerunner of what is now Harbour Synchro. Mrs Marlene Lye was the principal coach. Miss Helen Elkington, from England, visited New Zealand in 1970, on a swimming sponsorship, and while in the country gave several clinics and coaching session for Synchronised swimming. The early 1970s saw a burgeoning of Synchro Clubs in New Zealand. Sally Franecivic, Suzanne Franklin and Joan Eustace establised a group in Tauranga at the Otumoetai Swimming Club, Marion Fretchling started Synchronised Swimming in Hawera, and new groups were established in Christchurch, Dunedin and Wanganui.
The 1970 Auckland Championships had teams from Auckland, Taupo and Tauranga competing, and Deborah Lye and Michelle Russell were the Duet champions. These two girls competed in the New South Wales Championships, placing 6th. Following the 1971 Auckland Championships, the Auckland Club produced an Aquacade - " The World Wide Fantasy of Sinbad". In 1972, Pauline McCullagh from Canada visited New Zealand, and spent time with each of the clubs teaching new techniques, and introduced updated coaching methods. Soon after her visit, the Auckland Championships included competitors from Tauranga, Taupo and wellington, with the swimmers performing at a much higher standard. Auckland club members won all the titles, with the exception of Junior Solo, which was won by Judith Wilson, of Taupo - the first time a title had been won by someone from outside Auckland. Underwater speakers were first used in New Zealand in late 1972. At the Australian Synchronised swimming Championships in 1973, a team of 10 swimmers from Auckland, and Judith Wilson from Taupo competed. Deborah Lye placed 3rd in Solo, and with Michelle Russell, was 3rd in Duet. The two Teams from Auckland were 3rd and 4th. Mrs Donalda Smith from Canada, the grand old lady of Synchro, visited New Zealand following the Australian Championships, and her vists included lectures and coaching sessions. 1974 was the year of the first true International representation by a New Zealand Synchro swimmer. Deborah Lye was selected by the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association to compete in a competition in Ottawa, Canada, and the first Pan Pacific Synchronised Swimming competition in Hawaii.
By the end of 1974 new groups had been established in Napier and Invercargill. At the 85th Annual General Meeting of the NZASA in 1975 a policy was embarked on to extend the awareness of and participation in Synchronised Swimming in New Zealand. Deborah Lye was named as National Coach, and a National Aquacade was held in Dunedin and Christchurch. This was based on the earlier Auckland production of " Sinbad" and swimmers came from several clubs in New Zealand, with Deborah anchoring the performance. The 1975 Auckland Championships competitors included Karen Cosgriff (nee Gunby) from Southland. The New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association funded a 6 week visit to New Zealand by Mrs Terry Jones from Canada, in an effort to raise the standard of the sport in the country. She spent time with every club, and visited some schools. The publicity received through her tour promoted further interest in the sport. A meeting was held in Tauranga, under the chairmanship of Mr Maurice Duckmanton President of the NZASA and attended by Mr John Buckingham, Minister of Sport and Recreation , where discussions were held as to the future promotion of the sport, the construction of aquatic facilities, and the use of facilities by athletes from all the disciplines.
The first inter-Centre Synchro competition, organised by the NZASA was held in Tauranga very shortly after this, with teams from Auckland, Taupo, Tauranga Napier and Dunedin competing. In early 1976 Deborah Lye and Sally-Anne Jenkins from Auckland competed in the Australian Synchronised Swimming Championships, and in September of 1976 Sally-Anne and Anne Breekveldt from Auckland were selected by the NZASA , and became the second International representatives when they competed in Solo and Duet at the Pan Pacific Championships in Nagoya, Japan. Sue Edwards was coach/ manager, and also judged at the competition.
