Race brings out the best

Alkimos resident Bradley Smith won the 25km solo category, which lays claim to being the longest open water race in Australia.

Smith completed the swim in 5 hours 34 minutes and 33 seconds, having trained 70km a week in the lead-up to the race.

Joondalup’s Kieran Lawrenson was the first man across the line in the 20km contest, but was outdone by winner Sian Williams who dominated her male opponents by 18 minutes.

Lawrenson completed the race in 5:15:51 behind Williams’ 4:57:51.

The new event, which offers entrants an alternative to the Rottnest Channel Swim, attracted about 700 competitors.

This included a six-man team of former Olympic swimmers, including Eamon Sullivan and Jim Piper.

Sullivan admitted the workload tested the Olympians.

“We had no plan, we just thought we would see how it goes,” he said.

“We started with two-minute changeovers that reduced quickly and we finished on 40-second changeovers.

“We’re not as fit as we used to be.”

Swimming legend Shelley Taylor-Smith was buoyed to see a woman win the 20km race. “It shows you women can match men in endurance events,” she said. “Racing against men brings the best out in women.”