Race in Australia over the Holidays!

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The Global Swim Series action just keeps on rolling in Australia.  While most of the Northern Hemisphere has been experiencing the snow and cold heading into the holidays, down under hundreds will head to the beach for some open water swimming.  Here at GSS we can’t think of a better way to spend the holidays!

Last weekend featured two world class races, the Williamstown Open Water (WOW) Challenge and the Wollongong Basin2Beach Swim.  Both swims benefited from the great weather over the weekend and the Wollongong Basin2Beach swim even featured 2016 Rio OW Olympian Jarrod Poort who took the 2km event.  Results and rankings from both swims have now been posted.  Now next up on the schedule starting on boxing day (December 26th) is the Point Leo Swim Classic followed up on the 28th by the Rock2Ramp Ocean Swim.

Point Leo Swim Classic

The race is held annually on Boxing Day over a distance of 1200 metres and this year organizers are donating funds to help construct an all abilities access track to the main beach. This initiative is being undertaken in conjunction with the Disabled Surfers Association (DSA) and the Point Leo Foreshore Committee.  In addition to the 1.2km Classic there is also a 2.5km Challenge swim for the more adventurous which will consist of 2 laps of the classic race.  There is also a 400m “Novice & Nipper” swim to encourage younger swimmers and those not yet confident enough to tackle the 1.2km to get a taste of an open water race.

Rock2Ramp Ocean Swim

The Rock2Ramp Ocean Swim is hosted by the Anglesea Surf Lifesaving Club and will take place on December 28th.  The race is capped at 1000 entrants and often sells out.  The event offers a 1.2km swim and a 2.5km swim, with the option for swimmers to also enter in the double!  The 2.5km swim starts in heats of 250 divided by male and female, makes for an exciting start.

The swim itself is an ocean swim in a protected bay which usually limits the currents and swells though being open water swimming the conditions do vary.  Both the 1.2km and the 2.5km start at the same spot on the beach with the 1.2km distances being a rectangular course that runs parallel to the shore.  The 2.5km swimmers will have an leg of an out and back added on to the rectangle before they make their first turn.  Both races finish at the same spot just down the beach from the start on the beautiful sand beach where there is a great awards area and cheering spectators waiting.

The Rock2Ramp Swim is also a proud supporter of Australian Prostate Cancer Research, with organizers and racers fundraising for this great cause.

So if you’re looking for some fun and excitement over the holidays be sure to check out these two great open water swims!

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