Sympathetic seas, surf and skies smiled on the 290 swimmers in Sunday’s sixth Hotondo Homes Broulee Bay to Breakers Ocean Swim.
After a week of heavy swell, seas abated enough to provide almost perfect conditions although the frisky shore break at South Broulee did remind swimmers that it was a fair dinkum ocean swim.
From nippers to septuagenarians, there were some wonderful performances. At 79, Alan Cameron was the oldest in the field and came 6th in the over seventies. “I pulled up OK but lost my goggles” Alan said. He has swum in five of the six swims “missed one two years ago because of open heart surgery”, he explained.
Fastest on the day was John Fox (in the over 50s) whose time of 19 min 59 sec just shaded the winner of the open (Jarrod Killey in 20min 3 sec). Nina Thorne was particularly impressive in winning the U12 500m by over 30 seconds.
Expectations for swimmers varied. Andrew Sneddon of Canberra, who was swimming in his fourth ocean swim for the year to get fit, had modest ambitions. He just wanted to finish with a pulse and be standing up which he did.
For others, family bragging rights were to the fore. Charlotte Dunn of Canberra came seventh in the under 14s but because she didn’t swim faster than her dad Vincent (11th in the over 40s) she will have to wash his car.
Gary Pettigrove, the swim coordinator, applauded the number of swimmers who had swum in all six swims and expressed thanks for the terrific support the event has got from local businesses, particularly the major sponsor for the last five years - Hotondo Homes.
The swim raised $9000 which will be split between the Broulee Surfers Surf Life Saving Club and the Broulee Mossy Point Community Association. Wendy Law, secretary of the SLS Club said the money would go towards replacing an all-terrain vehicle that had recently rusted out. Ross Hayward, President of the Community Association indicated that the Association will use the funds to progress a shared walkway at Mossy Point.
Our sponsors of the event included Hotondo Homes, Tomakin Sports and Social Club, Total Eco Adventures & Broulee Surf School, Broulee Beach Big 4 Holiday Park, Coachhouse Marina Resort, Broulee Supermarket and Cellars, Offshore Surf Shop, Beachcombers Broulee, IGA the Moorings Tomakin, The Lodge Broulee, fx Business Centre, Mogo Zoo, Bay Physiotherapy & Pilates, Woolworths Moruya, Kardinia Wines, Bridge Plaza/Village Centre, Vikings Group. To enlarge and read captions Click on the images below (Photographer John Hicks)
