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Hundreds of athletes have taken to the water in the annual Sand to Surf swim competition.

The Sand to Surf includes the 200m ‘OceanKids' swim, 300m ‘give it a go' swim, 1000m ‘step it up' swim, 2.6km ‘I'm going long' swim and 300m tag team relay.

Athletes making a dash for the water. Photos: Tracy Hardy.

McKeelie is one of a number of competitors taking part in the annual swim at Mount Main Beach today.

Event organiser Scott Rice says there is a race for every skill level. 'It's for recreational swimmers, no matter what their ability, other than the fact they've got to be able to swim; that's the first tick box.”

Scott predicts whole families will turn up to watch participants, with past events drawing crowds of 1000 to 1500.

Mount Maunganui 14-year-old Mckeelie Van lye has capped off this incredible season by being the first female in her race in the Sand to surf sea swim at Mt Maunganui Beach.

Mckeelie, who has just turned 14, has achieved a fantastic season, the newly qualified life guard and member of Mount Maunganui surf club as well as Team shore break swimming club member has had a year to remember

Mckeelie was second overall in the Pilot bay swim series held over the summer at pilot bay, she won the Okorora Bay to Waihi beach 2km ocean swim in February and was not only the first women but was first overall.

She then went on to win the Under 16 year old girls Round the Mount Swim, says Shane Lye.

'Mckeelie then competed at the BOP surf lifesaving champs winning three gold medal and two silver in Waihi in February and won overall female points.

'Then off to wellington for the National swim series where she achieved silver medal in the under 15 age group 2.8km ocean swim.”

Last weekend Mckeelie represented her Mount Maunganui surf lifesaving club at the NZ Oceans 16 surf Nationals at Mount Maunganui Beach and won an individual gold medal in the under 14 girls run swim run.

'A long and hard season for a 14-year-old, but the 10-12 training sessions a week and 6 morning getting up at 5am has all been part of the hard work put into achieving these results,” says Shane.

'Only to weekends of racing left, Mckeelie has been asked to represent the Mount seniors at the National surf champs at Whakatane next weekend and then capping her season off in Auckland at the final Ocean series swim and then a well-deserved rest.”

Hannah Ferguson, second in the 1km race.

Jessica Anne Folomu, third in the 1km race.

Keegan Pook, first male in the 1km race.