Competitors from all over Western Australia paid a visit to Koombana Bay for round ten of the 2018/19 Open Water Swimming Series.
On Saturday, February 9, around 250 competitors took part in a fun day of swimming.
Indigenous elder Troy Bennell provided a Welcome to Country, before City of Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan kicked off each race.
Supported by a strong crowd of spectators, participants in the 5-kilometre, 2.5km, 1.25km, and 500-metre races hit the water.
The 5km swimmers completed four laps of the course, before making it to shore and sprinting across the line.
Peel swimmer, and Open category competitor, Rebekah Weller finished first, ahead of Bradley Smith (Open) in second.
Under 18s’ swimmer Max Coten crossed the line first in his division and placed third overall.
The Bunbury Swimming Club entered participants into all-four divisions.
Bunbury Swimming Club head coach Jason Evans said the event benefited everyone involved.
“We’ve got competitors ranging from our bronze development squad, which is our earliest training group, to our senior development squad,” he said.
“You can be training fit, but you also need to be race fit.
“With the Busselton Jetty Swim as well [February 10], we’re getting in a solid amount of racing and training.”
Saturday’s event was the first Open Water Swimming meet to ever be held at Koombana Bay.
Swimming WA – Open Water Swimming manager David Johnson said Bunbury provided the perfect backdrop.
“This would rate as one of the best beaches in Western Australia,” he said.
“This is first class – Koombana Bay, without a doubt, has the potential to be one of the best locations for open water swimming in the state.
“We’re really proud of the feedback we’re getting, as well. People like swimming with us because they feel safe.”
Round 10 was the last regional event on the 2018/19 Open Water Swimming Series’s calendar.
Swimmers will flock to Cottesloe Beach for round 11 on Saturday, February 16.
Head to openwaterswimming.com.au for all the results from round 10.
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