braving the open water down under

Arbutus Rays Swim Team Masters dipped down to a lower latitude, put on a brave attitude, and took on the daunting challenge of the 19.7 kilometre Rottnest Channel Swim in Western Australia.

The Rottnest Channel Swim is one of the most popular marathon swims in the world and has been held annually in February since 1991. The swim is a 19.7km journey from Cottesloe Beach, located in the city of Perth, to Rottnest Island off the shores of Western Australia in the Indian Ocean.

Departing before sunrise and heading out into ocean water that is well-known for containing formidable marine life isn’t everyone’s cup of tea; however, the Rottnest Channel Swim remains a highly regarded event in the Australian ocean swimming calendar and one of Perth’s premier events. The swim attracts participants from around the globe and the 2023 event welcomed more than 3,000 swimmers.

In its 33rd year, the swim is open for solo swimmers and teams of two or four. Every competitor and team is required to organize their own support boat and it is highly recommended to have a paddler to assist with navigation and feeding. In recent years the organizers have added waves for Champions of the Channel (a race within the main race open to elite solo swimmers), teams and tandem solo (two solo swimmers of similar ability with one boat). Organisers require solo swimmers to complete a 10km qualifying swim in the three months prior to the swim.

For this year's event, Arbutus Rays Swim Team Masters took part, represented by 3 brave swimmers: Deanne Schweitzer, Genieve Burley, and Summer Wilson. We had the pleasure of interviewing the trio before and after their journey down under.