Swimming WA Open Water Swimming Round 3, proudly presented by the City of Cockburn, unfolded at Coogee Beach on a scorching Saturday, 25 November. The event, which featured the 10km State Championships, witnessed an impressive turnout of over 850 swimmers turned the beach into a sea of colourful caps, preparing to challenge themselves.
From 500m to the 10km marathon, participants of all ages, from the Under 14 category to the Super Legends (50 years and over), dove into the beautiful blue waters. An open water team from Queensland travelled to Western Australia, adding a competitive edge to the event.
The absence of WA’s top open water swimmers added an unexpected twist to the competition. Renowned swimmers Kyle Lee, Jack Wilson and Robbie Bonsall, gearing up for the final leg of the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Portugal next weekend, missed the Coogee event, leaving the door wide open for new stars to emerge.
In the 10km State Championships, visitors Euan Liney (NSW), Samuel Thorpe (QLD) and Callum Boyle (QLD) claimed the top three spots. Max Coten (City of Perth, c: Eoin Carroll) led the local charge, touching the finish line at a blistering 1:59:24.0. Right by his side, Xavier Collins (Westside Christchurch, c: Jon Harrison) brought the race to a razor-thin finish, touching at 1:59:25.1. Westside Christchurch’s Kristian Seidl (c: Jon Harrison) finished in third place.
In the female category, Bianca Monaco (Westside Christchurch, c: Jon Harrison) secured champion once again, clocking in at 2:08:52.4. Not far behind, Rosie Wilson (North Coast, c: Ian Mills) and Sienna Deurloo (QLD) secured the silver and bronze medal, with Rebekah Weller (Rockingham, c: Ryan Spencer) taking out the WA bronze medal.
Beyond individual competition, the event marked the conclusion of the Club Premierships, where Westside Christchurch Aquatic won overall. Their success not only secured the Jeanette Bailey Premiership Cup but also earned them the Kevin Holtom Shield for highest club participation. A special mention to regional clubs Bunbury Swimming Club and Mandurah Swimming Club for coming a close third and fourth position respectively for the highest club participation.
Swimming WA is grateful to the City of Cockburn for their vital support and extends appreciation to partners like Wase Timing, RD Events, HMP and Coogee Surf Lifesaving Club. The dedicated volunteers from Kwinana Swimming Club and the team of Technical Officials, under the leadership of Chief Referee Mark Foster and Brie Runeckles, was crucial to the events success.
Thank you to Ingo Burkhardt, working on behalf of Salt Diaries, for capturing some amazing moments throughout the day.
With Round 4 set to unfold in Rockingham, the OWS Series invites participants aged 9 and above to register and join the ranks of Western Australia's finest open water swimmers. For results and additional information, visit the event's website here.
