Sorrento Beach played host to Round 6 of the Open Water Swimming (OWS) Series, supported by the City of Joondalup. The event saw an impressive turnout of over 700 participants, with athletes gearing up for highlight events including the Australian Open Water Championships and the Rottnest Channel Swim.
Highlights from the day included Flynn Convey's (Breakers) first place finish in the 500m race, ahead of Charlotte Vreeken (Mandurah) finishing as first female swimmer. The morning continued with Calen Seah (South Shore) securing the fastest male position in the 1.25km race, preparing himself as anchor swimmer for the South Shore relay team in the upcoming Championships.
North Coast’s Hayden Headling and Tahlia Croome dominated the 2.5km race, claiming themselves as the top male and female swimmers, respectively. Their racing will be put to the test in various open water events at the Championships.
Callum Greenshields (City of Perth) finished as top swimmer in the 5km race, he will be a key contender in the 10km event and the 4x1500m relay among the best in Australia. Kate Wallington mirrored this success as the first female swimmer to cross the line, setting the stage for her participation in the 5km Multi Class event at the Championships.
The 10km race proved to be a strategic stepping stone for many swimmers, preparing and qualifying swimmers for the upcoming Rottnest Channel Swim next month. 50-year-old Michael Ledger finished as the champion in the 10km race. Ledger shared his race experience with attendees and is gearing up for the Rottnest Channel Swim solo crossing for another year.
The collaborative efforts of Wase Timing, RD Events, HMP, Sorrento Surf Lifesaving Club, and Breakers Swimming Club ensured the success of the event. Mayor Albert Jacob of the City of Joondalup officially opened the proceedings and congratulated participants with well-deserved medals.
As Sorrento concludes, excitement builds for the Ocean Swim Festival starting January 24 in Busselton, promising a week filled with activities, including live music, food trucks, and more. The spotlight shines on the Community Swim for Round 7 of the series, proudly presented by the City of Busselton, scheduled for Friday, 26 January, in collaboration with Swimming Australia.
For those eager to join Australia's largest open water swimming series and learn more about the Community Swim, registration and details can be found at openwaterswimming.com.au.
