Selwyn Times: August 14, 2019

SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Wednesday August 14 2019 9
Our People
Christine Cassin
Watching out for fair play in the fast lanes
Lincoln’s Christine Cassin
has spent 15 years with
her eye on the fast
lanes at national and
international swimming
competitions as a
International Swimming
Federation accredited
official – only one of six in
New Zealand. She talks
to Jacob Page about the
role
How did this all start for you?
Both my children were swimming
at Halswell and the club
asked me to help out.
When I joined the Swimming
Canterbury West Coast management
committee in 2005, I
joined because I felt I had skills
that were valuable and the other
members of that committee were
all qualified referees at the time.
They ran junior carnivals so I
started helping them and I felt
if they were going down to help
that I should go as well because I
was on the committee.
When did it start to become a
serious pursuit?
That was when I started refereeing
at national competitions
and that’s when the international
opportunities started. It’s really
TALENT: International swimming official Christine Cassin.
grown on me.
I first qualified as an inspector
of turns in 2005 but when
I started refereeing nationally
that’s when I really started to
gain a passion for what I was
doing. We are there to make sure
the swimmers have a fair and
equal opportunity.
Any benefit of the doubt goes
PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER ​
to the swimmer so if there is any
doubt you have to be 100 per cent
clear on what you saw before you
disqualify someone.
I’m one of six FINA registered
officials in New Zealand and I’m
incredibly proud of that achievement.
Each term is four years and
I just got another four year
term which started this year.
It’s a form of validation to get a
second term, like you’re doing
something right.
Reaction time is important
because the speed and touch at
which the swimmers are turning,
you do really need to be on
your game. The age of 65 is the
cut-off age and that makes sense,
you have to give younger people
an opportunity.
Can you talk about your time
at the World Championships
at Gwangju, South Korea last
month.
That’s been a real highlight,
there’s a lot of pressure and you
have to be at the top of your game
because there’s a lot going on but
to be that close to the best swimmers
in the world is a real thrill.
Did you ever think that you
would end up at an event like
that when you started out 15
years ago?
Absolutely not, I came into
this relatively late in life, I wasn’t
a competitive swimmer, and I’ll
be the first to admit I’ve sort of
done things backward to get to
this point.
•Turn to page 10
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