Scott Rice - Auckland, New Zealand
Proudly we have had more than 75,000 people involved in a New Zealand Ocean Swim Series event since we started in 2004.
In 2021 alone we have had over 9,000 entries.
I am lucky. I have the best job on race day. I take hold of the microphone and enjoy myself commentating on the start and finish line at the events.
Reassuring the nervousness at the start and high fiving the swimmers as the exit the water is a cool place to be.
For some . . . a 30 to 40 minute effort. For others it is 2 hours.
Who is the real hero? I often ask myself.
Swimming is in my family
“Swimming is in my family. My father, Richard, swum at national level in New Zealand through the 1960’s, but it was mum’s, Sandie, side of the family who excelled at international level.
“My uncle Mike swam for the UK in the 1960’s; the Empire Games (1966) winning three medals, the 1967 World Student Games, winning three medals and the 1968 Olympics in Mexico specialising in freestyle. My aunty Diana also swam for England, in the 1970 Commonwealth Games (Edinburgh,) and the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. She had earned selection for the 1968 Olympics (Mexico) as a 13-year-old, but unfortunately an injury stopped her competing.
“I was always so proud of my uncle and aunty’s swimming exploits. They were often talked of, and I recall believing swimming must be in our DNA. So, I should also be good at it!
“Most likely because of this ‘DNA’ and where we lived, Milford (Auckland, New Zealand), swimming was always part of our family lifestyle. And with my parents’ unconditional support swimming continues to be a significant part of my life.
“Matthew, my older brother, and younger siblings, Joanna and James and I, swam from an early age.
“I recall my early lessons, taught by Jean Hurring (1952 Olympic bronze medal – 100m Backstroke) at the local Takapuna pools. Jean had this wonderful caring nature which gave me the love of being in and around the water from the time I was three or four years old.
“Family swimming and water playtime are terrific memories which I can vividly recall to this day. There were times when we were spending five to six hours in the water with very few breaks. Hours on Milford beach, our local, or at the near by beaches of Takapuna and Orewa. Days at the Waiwera thermal hot pools (unfortunately now closed), and other places, burning up energy and enjoying a vast array of aquatic adventure around Auckland.
“Swim lessons continued until I was aged eight. I developed through the swim program until I was swimming two to three times per week in 60-minute sessions focusing on skills and technique. It was around this time when I started to be coached at the North Shore swim club program by Lincoln Hurring (Jean’s husband), himself an Olympian in 1952 and 1956.
“Throughout the next few years I started to excel in my school swimming sports, which felt good in front of my friends, enjoying promising results at the Auckland regional swimming championships.
“One swim I recall fondly, aged 10 years, was at the Auckland Champs in the outdoor 50m Newmarket pool. Before the renovations to enclose the pool, the facility was engulfed by what seemed to be rows and rows of grandstands. In the 50m Breaststroke I was initially placed 5th, but with two ‘out of area’ swimmers ahead of me, I was a surprised and super excited bronze medal winner. Very proud!
“During these years, until aged 13, I also played rugby in the winter for my club, and became involved in triathlons which were at the peak of popularity. Triathlons were events which saw me leading the swim, but gradually fall away through the cycle and running legs of the event. I soon realised swimming was my thing.
“I cannot recall the exact details but do remember breaking the one-minute barrier for the 100m freestyle in these years. To me, this was a big achievement. It was a barrier I strived to break each season until it happened. And I did it!”
Changed Clubs
“When aged 15 I joined the Glenfield Aquatic swim club. A change of coach to Hisashi Inomata, and a change of pool, moving from the 33.3m pool at Takapuna to the 25m pool at Glenfield gave me the stimulus I needed at the time. Hisashi Inomata was as hard as nails. but he certainly got our squad swimming fast and made an impact on the Auckland and New Zealand swimming scenes . By the time I was aged 15 I was achieving many terrific results at the New Zealand national age championships, breaking age records in both freestyle and breaststroke, and competing in the New Zealand open nationals soon after I turned 16. Like my uncle Mike, the short distance events were becoming my thing,
“Aged 18 in 1995 I graduated from high school, and believing at the time I knew everything I needed about swimming, I moved to Wellington, New Zealand, to start my tertiary studies at Victoria University and continued swimming training. Now I was under the watchful eyes of coach Gary Hurring. Yes, this was coach Hurring number three!
“Gary is the son of Jean my early years swim teacher and Lincoln, my first swimming ‘coach’. Gary was rapidly developing into an elite coach himself after a highly successful swimming career. Gary won gold in the 1978 Commonwealth Games (200m Backstroke) and world championship silver medallist a month later. Unfortunately for Gary, New Zealand did not compete in the 1980 Olympics in swimming, but he did become an Olympian in 1984.
“While living and training in Wellington I made my first New Zealand swim team, competing in the World University Games, Fukuoka, Japan.
“I then realised to reach my aspiration of competing at the Olympics in Sydney 2000, I needed to be surrounded by my biggest supporters, family. My swimming had been enjoyable and I had made my first national team, but my results had started to plateau and I lost my mojo.
“Returning to Auckland allowed me to re-join North Shore swim club. The club had become the powerhouse of New Zealand, coached by Olympic team coaches Jan Cameron and Donna Bouzaid. Quickly my mojo returned, I found myself swimming alongside future Olympians Dean Kent and Steven Ferguson. Going head to head with these two each day brought the best out of me.”
Some of my best years
“The four years from 1995 to 1999 were my best years. I parked my breaststroke events, specialising solely on the 100m and 200m freestyle. I continued to find success in the New Zealand national meets, as well as swimming in the World Cup series at different locations in Australia, Asia and Europe. The Asian and Australian legs of the series offered Kiwis many opportunities to race the best in the region.
“I recall swimming in the same races as Ian Thorpe on three occasions, Keiran Perkins at least once and on another occasion swimming in lane alongside Alexander Popov. Three of the legends of world swimming. These are near pinnacle moments of my career.
“1999 was my pinnacle year, swimming in the Pan Pacific championship (Sydney) in August 1999, in the 100m and 200m freestyle events, and on the New Zealand freestyle relay teams.
“Relays bought the best out of me. Although I was not the fastest individual, the team coaches trusted me to bring the team home, which I embraced. At times I swam 1.00 to 1.25 seconds faster in relays compared to my individual events.“
New Zealand Team - Pan Pacific Championships 1999.
I was done . . . I was back
“Unfortunately, in late 1999, only a few months after my Pan Pacific championships, I realised I was ‘done’. It was so close to the Sydney Games, but I knew I had reached my ceiling and at the time I was carrying a shoulder injury which restricted my ability to take the next step up. I hung up my cap and goggles.
Like many athletes, retirement can often lead to ‘comebacks’, which I did on two occasions.
“In 2002 the New Zealand National championships attracted my attention with the 50m freestyle being my target.
“I thought a three-month plan, swimming a few times per week would be adequate for me to blast out a quick 50m. My three-month plan started with a no preparation 50m freestyle at a local meet. Fast enough to achieve the qualifying time to enter the national meet.
“But my three-month plan turned into just 2-weeks of preparation. In total, I swam only eight sessions. Each session was a simple warm up followed by 8x25m sprints on 3 minutes, followed by a warm down. Short. Sharp. Specific for the 50m.
“16th after the heats provided me a second swim in the semi-final. My result of the semi-final placed me 9th. Close but missing out on the final by one position. I was proud of what I had achieved. An hour or two later I was informed there was a withdrawal from the final. I had another swim the next day.
“Sharing my new found situation with mates resulted in a personal cheer squad. A mob of 30 friends turned up to support me the following day. Lucky lane 8, close to my loud support crew encouraging me from the spectators’ seats. What did I have to loose? The fairy tale continued. I cannot recall exactly, but I placed either second or third in the final. What a blast!”
Swim suit, to barista, to chewing gum sales, to Europe, and back home again
“When I finished swimming, I identified an opportunity to set up and operate a café at the Glenfield Aquatic centre, where I had swum in my youth.
“Long hours. Minimal returns. This was a dark time in my life. From day one, I asked myself ‘why?’
“I was happy to sell up six-months later.
“Although I always wanted to be my own boss, I took up a role with the Wrigley company to sell chewing gum. I was there for two-and half-years learning about business, especially sales and marketing, skills I would use extensively when I set up my current business Quantum Events.
“But before Quantum Events I took off to Europe with minimal thoughts of where these adventures would take me. I started to tell people my professional career was ‘Event Organiser’. I am unsure where this actually came from, but I used it as my standard line when people asked, “what do you do?”
“I have always been good at organising events, predominately theme parties, putting on a good event for people to enjoy. Any Scott Rice organised event was known to be worthwhile attending.
“The six months of travel across Europe transitioned to working for DB Breweries selling beer to the supermarkets in Auckland while developing my event business on the side. It wasn’t long before I was convinced my events business, Quantum Events, was going to work and become my sole focus.”
It all started with King of the Bays
“Quantum Events first event was the 2.8km ‘King of the Bays’ (now known as Swim the Shore) in 2004. Triathlons were common with events most weekends. The offer of just an open water swimming event was new. Many people told me it would not gain traction. This did not deter me, I believed in what I had started.
“The next summer, the Harbour Crossing event (now known as Swim the Bridge) was added, an instant success, providing me the option to stop working for DB Breweries and focus entirely on the events. From 2005 it was Quantum fulltime. The New Zealand Ocean Swim Series was alive and kicking.
“The following decade Natasha, my wife and business co-director, and I committed to growing the New Zealand Ocean Swim series to become seven events throughout the summer in New Zealand. The 8th event was introduced in July 2021 – our first winter swim.
“An event in Fiji was a new concept introduced in 2018 with the intention to offer swimmers an event during a relaxing holiday in the tropics, but both the 2020 and 2021 events have been postponed due to COVID-19. We are looking forward to returning to Fiji in 2022.
“While the Ocean Swim Series expanded, I also took on, and built a weekly athletic community series, running events off the beautiful Takapuna Beach (Auckland) with options to join an ocean swim, run, or ski paddle. I sold this series in 2015 so I could focus entirely on the New Zealand Ocean Swim Series.
Best job on race day . . . high fiving on the finish line
Give us a brief overview of the New Zealand Ocean Swim Series Scott
“Proudly we have had more than 75,000 people involved in an Ocean Swim Series event since we started in 2004. This year alone (2021) we have had over 9,000 entries. I think nine events is about the sweet spot for the series in New Zealand.
“The events are now well established, but we still look to innovate and improve each year. The winter swim this year grabbed people’s attention. Some 1100 people braced themselves to swim in the chilly water off the beautiful Waiheke Island.
“I am lucky. I have the best job on race day. I take hold of the microphone and enjoy myself commentating on the start and finish line at the events. Reassuring the nervousness at the start and high fiving the swimmers as the exit the water is a cool place to be. For some, this swim is a 30 to 40 minute effort. For others it is 2 hours.”
Who is the real hero? I often ask myself.
“It is fabulous to hear and share many wonderful stories. People who struggle to swim the length of a pool one year, go on to complete an one kilometre ocean swim the year after. Others who overcome significant challenges and huddles to reach their goal makes me feel proud the series has given them such personal satisfaction. I know many people have changed their lives because of the series. It’s a great feeling.”
On the mic
And what was your second swimming comeback Scott?
“Auckland was hosting the World Masters Games in 2017. With this on my doorstep I decided to see what I could achieve. Being 40, and still bullet proof in my mind, I gathered a few helpers to support me in my ambition. I had about a year to prepare. My goal was the 50m freestyle.
“I had a two weekly strength program designed by a fitness professional, and a swimming plan which focused on high intensity training. With limited time for each session we took the approach to be extremely specific in my training.
“During this 12-month period I swam in local master’s swim meets, and raced a few interclub regional meets to get me race fit. Swimming in the interclub meets meant I was older than many parents sitting in the stands watching their kids!
“Long story short. I swam 24.9 for the 50m freestyle, placing second behind another Kiwi, Trent Bray, who I had often raced 20 years earlier. In our peak years Trent and I were neck and neck at many meets, swimming on numerous New Zealand teams together. 20 years on and we battled again. Good fun!
“I think I may consider future World Master Games to test myself again.”
Masters meets
And your swimming now Scott?
“Yes, I do swim. I still prefer the short swims rather than the longer.
“I aim to swim one to two times per week at the Northern Arena facility, close to where I live. My swim sessions are usually by myself. Occasionally a mate will join me, but not often".”
“These swims are my time to be ‘mindful’. A place to turn off the busyness of my life.
“For the last three years I have swum the same session. I love to swim all strokes, and I have deliberately swum minimal freestyle. I follow a simple session of 1800m in total, which is enough to make me feel good.”
Warm Up 600m Alternating 100m breaststroke 100m backstroke
Kick 2x100m 2x50m 4x25m
Paddles 4x50m Technique focus on 70sec
Main set 6x50m 25mFly 25mBk 25mBk 25mBs 25mBs 25mFs
25mBk 25mFly 25mBs 25mFly 25mFs 25mFly
8x25m Fly. Bk. Fly. Bs. Fly. Fs. Fly. Fly
Warm Down
Share a little about you away from swimming
“I have a wonderful family. Wife Natasha runs her own interior design business, Rice Design. We have three kids, aged six, nine and 11. They all follow in the family tradition of being involved in swimming. All the kids swim well, and we will see where this interest takes them.
“I have always had an interest in beer so recently I have launched Puhoi Beer. I engaged a brewer to create a recipe, and from there I have batch brewed my beers at a local factory. I look after the marketing and shipping once the beer has been produced and kegged. The local bars and restaurant have become stockist which is encouraging. Currently, production will remain at the levels we are holding now until I can put more time into this hobby (Editor: another one)
“Although I travel many days in the year with the Ocean Swim events, as a family we love to load up the caravan and explore New Zealand. For us, our favourite family locations to get away are Martins Bay which is only 1 hour north of central Auckland, Mount Manganui (3 hours from Auckland), and Taupo (middle of the north island of New Zealand)
“I sit on the board of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and I give back to Swimming New Zealand in the role of being the race commentator and presenter at the national championships, which are simulcast on Sky TV NZ. I like to think I help create an atmosphere which contributes to the success of the swimmers and the sport.
“We live in a beautiful spot, Orewa, which is approximately 40 kilometres north of Auckland central. Orewa is a wonderful community to be living in, and raising our children.”
Connect with Scott
Scott and Natasha
Post Script:
“After 17 fun years of running ocean swimming events, Scott and Natasha decided it’s time for the Banana Boat New Zealand Ocean Swim Series to change hands.
In mid-July 2021 they sold the Series to Dan Feisst and Jason Herriman, who own and operate the popular Beach Series and the People’s Triathlon Series in Auckland.
“After 15 seasons the timing of their offer was just right.”