STOLLY'S NSWIS "SUPER SQUAD" SCOOPS THE POOL AT TELSTRA SKINS

Sydney, March 25: Grant Stoelwinder's NSWIS "Super Squad" dominated the $100,000 Telstra Skins at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre last night with world record holder Libby Trickett scooping the pool - taking home $8,125.00.

Trickett won the 50 metre "Dash For Cash" winning $4000; the 3x50m freestyle Skins ($3,750) and another $375 for her share of the medley relay.

Her training partners Eamon Sullivan, Andrew Lauterstein, Matthew Abood and Sweden's Therese Alshammar also featured in the prizemoney with Sullivan taking the 3x50m freestyle; Abood the "Dash for Cash", Lauterstein the 3x50m butterfly Skins which saw squad member Garth Kates third.

Kates then anchored his team to victory winning $1000 in the 4x50m medley relay, holding off the fast finishing Trickett.

Abood, the 22-year-old from Kingscliff, who beat Sullivan for the prized 50m freestyle National crown, walked away with $5,300 while Sullivan walked away with $5,437.50 and Lauterstein $3,937.50.

Stoelwinder had every reason to walk out of SOPAC one happy coach after pocketing 15 percent of his squad's winnings.

Also banking major prizemoney were Jessicah Schipper, Christian Sprenger, Leiston Pickett, Christian Sprenger, Ashley Delaney and Emily Seebohm.

Schipper, from Stephan Widmer's QAS squad took home $4,750 for winning the butterfly skins event, including the second race bonus as well as her role in the winning 4x50m medley relay.

The men's 50m "Dash for Cash" saw the new sprint star of the pool Abood (22.21) take out the $4000 prize cheque ahead of NSWIS training partner and world record holder Eamon Sullivan (22.26) with Sydney University's Jonathon Newton (22.44) in third.

Trickett took out the women's 50m dash for cash in a slick time of 24.38 ahead of Sweden's Therese Alshammar (24.53) and Sally Foster (25.18).

The men's broken 400m freestyle, which saw the field contest the 200, 100, 50 and 50m format, saw tactics from Vince Raleigh coached AIS training squad come into play.

Two-time Olympian and National 200m champion Patrick Murphy won the opening 200m; Nick Ffrost in the next 100m with Kirk Palmer and Robert Hurley also providing the squad with the points needed to receive the best prize money over the final two 50s,

The tactics paid off for the boys when they took out all four legs and overall all finished in the top five with Murphy winning the overall points ahead of Ffrost and Palmer.

The mystery medley didn't disappoint with last week's Australian Champions Leith Brodie and Stephanie Rice taking out the men's and women's events respectively.

Both Brodie and Rice did it tough with a reverse medley order of freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and finishing with the toughest stroke butterfly.

Brodie stoped the clock at 2.03.16 in front of new comers Stephen Parkes (2.03.16) and Tommaso D'Orsogna (2.04.14).

Rice was pushed all the way by Australian Championship silver medallist in the 200m individual medley Emily Seebohm.

Although she was hurting, Rice held it together in the final butterfly leg to win in 2.13.42 ahead of Seebohm (2.15.33) and Samantha Hamill (2.16.00).

"Wow... it was definitely hard... my legs are killing, I definitely didn't get an advantage starting with freestyle," said Rice

"But I stuck with my race plan and although I saw Emily next to me I just hoped that I could pass her when she had breaststroke.

"I knew the last 50m of butterfly was going to really kill and it did."

Asked if she would use the prizemoney to go shopping in Rome, Rice said: "I don't know if I can save it (the prizemoney) that long."

The women's 50m breaststroke saw the veterans up against the young future champions with Gold Coast teenager Leiston Pickett (31.88) taking the overall prize as well as race one.

Fellow Queensland teenager Tessa Wallace (32.00) was second with Sarah Katsoulis third (32.10).

Pickett was overwhelmed after the three races, saying:  "I'm so excited, the $3750.00 prize money will be used for my year 12 schoolies trip to Bali.

"It's been a great week for me I'm not disappointed about not making the team, some things are meant to be," Pickett, who clocked an A qualifying time but finished third to Katsoulis and Tarnee White in the 50m final at the trials.

"I'm finishing Year 12 this year and my coach Glen Baker and I at Southport Olympic are going to continue my sprint training."

2009 TELSTRA SKINS, Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre:

MEN

50m freestyle L Trickett 25.21 M Guehrer 26.29 S Reese 26.71

50m butterfly J Schipper 26.28 F Galvez 26.60 M Guehrer 26.74

200m Mystery Medley S Rice 2.13.42 E Seebohm 2.15.33 S Hamill 2.16.00

50m breaststroke L Pickett 31.88 T Wallace 32.00 S Katsoulis 32.10

50m freestyle (Dash for Cash) L Trickett 24.38 T Alshammar (Sweden) 24.53 S Foster 25.18

50m backstroke B Hocking 28.86 S Edington 29.16 E Seebohm 29.41

400m freestyle (points race200, 100, 50, 50) M Nay (23 pts) B Barratt (19) E Fullerton (18)

WOMEN

50m freestyle E Sullivan 22.53 C Prosser 23.62 M Abood 23.76

50m butterfly A Lauterstein 24.27 A Pine 24.84 G Kates 25.00

200m Mystery Medley L Brodie 2:03.16 S Parkes 2:03.44 T D'Orsogna 2:04.14

50m breaststroke C Sprenger 28.18 B Rickard 28.68 C Calder 29.08

50m freestyle (Dash for Cash) M Abood 22.21 E Sullivan 22.26 J Newton 22.44

50m backstroke A Delaney 25.97 H Stoeckel 26.03 D Arnamnart 27.36

400m freestyle (points race 200, 100, 50, 50) P Murphy (20pts) K Palmer (17) N Ffrost (16)  

* Australians unless other wise stated.