It went swimmingly: The Rottnest Channel Swim is Australia’s premier open water event.
Seymour father and son duo, Don and Steven Wilson, have completed the largest open water swim in the world: starting at the Cottesloe Life Saving Club, they finished at Rottnest Island, 19.7km, nine hours and 35 minutes later.
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Don and Steven are no strangers to open water swimming, joining the Danger 1000 annual open water swim event in Torquay each year.
They have even done the Gozo to Malta open water swim in the Mediterranean together.
Nonetheless, the Rottnest Channel Swim is still a gruelling test of endurance, with the current of the channel and exposure to the elements in open water.
They entered the swim as a two-person relay team, after training throughout the summer.
Don said the water temperature was about 23ºC, with a south-westerly breeze, known as the ‘Fremantle doctor’, proving a challenge in the open water.
“Conditions were very good actually, the Fremantle doctor hit about lunchtime but as we got closer to Rottnest we were sheltered by the island so it got good again,” Don said.
“Talking to others over there, they were probably the best conditions for some years. Everyone warned us about stingers but we didn’t have any.
“We just decided to do it. It was a great swim, it went well and we thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Some 2500 swimmers completed the swim, but there were nearer 10,000 people either on, or in, the water, due to the escort crews that accompany swimmers.
Teamwork: Don and Steven Wilson after completing the swim in a time of nine hours and 44 minutes.
In the lead-up they completed seven open water swims around Victoria as part of the Victorian Summer Swim series, including in Port Phillip Bay, Echuca and Geelong.
“It was a pity that the outdoor pool wasn’t open here in Seymour because we had to go elsewhere for open water,” Don said.
Each year, Don has completed the Nagambie Club 2 Pub swim; however, this year both were held on February 23, so he packed his bags and headed to Perth.
The two men finished the swim off with a celebratory drink on Rottnest Island, before heading back to the mainland, having completed a swim few will ever attempt.
Don and Steven are not done yet, with plans to return for another year.
