A passion for swimming and international business studies led former Kentucky woman Camille Gulick, 31, to Wanaka’s door.

Camille and her British partner Luke Yates have been living and working in Wanaka for a year – Camille as a lifeguard and swim coach and Yates as a “3-i-C” manager at Racers Edge Torpedo 7.

The couple met several years ago in San Francisco, where Camille worked as a full time swim coach. Luke was passing through on a bike tour around the world.

Luke could not get a work visa so the couple decided to travel and work in other countries.

For Camille, it was a no brainer to try and break into New Zealand’s competitive swimming fraternity.

She began working as a lifeguard as a teenager and since 2012 has held various swim coaching, administration and board roles with the 650-member Golden Gate Triathlon Club in San Francisco.

Camille is also a certified US Masters Swimming Coach, has worked on swimming events for Odyssey Open Water Swimming and has participated in a variety of US open water events, including San Francisco’s Bridge to Bridge and Escape from Alcatraz.

Camille Gulick swam the inaugural Ruby 10km race in Wanaka in January 2018. PHOTO: Supplied

“We decided to move to Wanaka. It sounded like an awesome place to live. Luke had been to Wanaka before and chose it. I said “I just trust you. Wanaka sounds great.’’ The first big thing for me was to find a group to swim with. I was worried about not being able to replace my swim families in San Francisco,’’ Camille said.

After arriving in November 2017, she contacted the Wanaka Swim Club and Wanaka coach Val Burke but found their coaching positions were already filled.

While swimming at the old Wanaka pool on Plantation Road, she decided she would put her name down as a lifeguard.

She asked a pool crew member about jobs, found out the supervisors were hiring and dropped in her CV. It did not take long before an offer was made.

In March, Wanaka Swim Club head coach Natasha Flude contacted her to help, initially as an assistant and in October, Camille joined the committee of Wanaka Lake Swimmers Club.

In July, after Wanaka’s new pool opened at Three Parks, Camille took on the role of the Wanaka Swim Club’s acting head coach after Natasha took parental leave.

She juggles her hours with the club alongside full time work for the Queenstown Lakes District Council and training for events such as Taupo’s Epic Epic and Wanaka’s own Ruby Swim (both in January). Challenge Wanaka’s Aquabike event in February is also in her sights.

Although Camille loves giving swimmers a workout and teaching swimming stroke development, she has not spent all her time thrashing around with pool sharks.

She has an International Business Studies degree from Kentucky University and a Masters degree from Hult International Business School in San Francisco.

Her passion for International Business Studies was sparked by school class trips to France and Spain, which in turn whetted her appetite for travel.

She completed undergraduate Study Abroad projects in Australia, France, before travelling to Dubai and Shanghai to complete study modules for her Masters degree.

In Shanghai, she worked on a brand perception marketing plan with Nike China, while in Dubai she focused on women in business through the Middle East.

Camille Gulick, centre, with Wanaka Swim Club development squad members Sakiko Saka, Millie Quick, Hannah Ryrie, Jorja Miles, Liko Edwards, Toby Mills, Ethan Prince, Kyan Prince. PHOTO: Marjorie Cook

But for now, she is focusing on perfecting the technique of about 60 Wanaka Swim Club members, ranging from a development squad, a fitness squad, a competitive squad (the largest group) and a new Masters squad.

Camille and assistant coach Belinda Donaldson already several swimmers hitting qualification targets for the National Age Group Championships in Wellington in April 2019.

Another cohort is focused on qualifying for the Division II championships in Dunedin in March, while another bunch is gaining race experience at local meets around Otago.

The local programme means Camille gets plenty of opportunity to explore the South Island.

In San Francisco, “local’’ meets were geographically very close, whereas in Wanaka, the “local’’ calendar includes Dunedin, more than three hours drive away, plus other Central Otago towns.

Wanaka Swim Club will be hosting its first official swim meet in the new Wanaka pool on May 26, 2019.

“It will be so exciting. I think it will be a lot to put on but we are ready for the challenge. I think it will be exciting for the kids who haven’t stepped up to travel. It will be here, in their home pool and they will be able to get a little taste of what meets are like,’’ Camille said.

So, what does she prefer: bathing in San Francisco’s salty brine or a dip in Wanaka’s cool, fresh water lake?

“As much as I love swimming in the ocean, I love swimming in Lake Wanaka because I love being able to see everything around you. Wanaka compares with Lake Tahoe. I have done the Trans-Tahoe relay and it is one of my favourite events,’’ Camille said.