Palmer and Wells lead

Vanessa Palmer and Dale Wells look certain to keep their top placings in the Ocean Swim Series with only one more swim to go.

Palmer is sitting clear atop the women’s board, with 880 points to her name. Her nearest rival, Pare Tangata, has earned 290 points in the series.

Wells has a 100 point lead on second-placed male Kevin Henderson, with 800 points over Henderson’s 700.

On Monday the swimmers will head out for the final time, following a three kilometre course from Muri to Tikioki.

Organisers from the Cook Islands Aquatics Federation said the swimmers were really put to the test in this week’s race.

The swimmers battled through strong currents, choppy water and low visibility at Tikioki on Monday, which all combined to make it difficult to see coral heads and flag markers along the course.

This Monday coming, swimmers will set out from Muri beach at Captain Tama’s and Sails Restaurant on a three kilometres course headed out past motu Ta’akoka and then straight down towards the Beach Cargo in Tikioki. The direction of the race will be determined by the conditions on the day.