Craig Stewart and Natalie Bernard ran a week-long swim school. "/>

With the close of the swim school, Craig Stewart revealed that he will definitely be back to Rarotonga for next year’s international triathlon.

Stewart and his partner Natalie Bernard have been on the island for a week running their swim school.

“I have unfinished business with that event,” Stewart said.

He impressed local swimmers and athletes during the event by winning the Boiler swim and being out of the water first in the triathlon.

Bernard said she would definitely come back – but didn’t want to commit to the whole triathlon, although she did say she might take part one of a team.

Twenty people signed up to take part in the swimming school, but numbers swelled to 25 by the time word got round about the high quality training going on. Everyone was committed to swimming as a group in lunchtime and evening sessions, and each participant had a one-hour individual skills training session.

Both the swim trainers said they were impressed by the standard of swimming on the island, especially the swimmers who have taught themselves. “Some people have only been swimming a couple of years, and they are really good,” said Bernard.

Many of the participants are planning to apply all their new skills to making them faster in next year’s triathlon.

The week-long swim school finished up with a quick swim by the Boiler and a drink at Trader Jacks.