Barbara Pellick, after one of her 23 solo crossings
a whopping 23, including a double crossing in 1994. “Without [the current and the long distance] the challenge wouldn't be there.” And so, Holtom’s hard work paid off. Two years after founding the RCSA, he stood on that chilly beach and watched his vision come to fruition. The fi rst race was a hit, and 12 out of the 16 solo swimmers, plus all seven groups, fi nished the swim in fair conditions. Peter Galvin won the solo event in a time of 4:30:03, and Holtom’s association quickly agreed to make it a regular event.
NEVER MIND THE SHARKS Twenty years later and the competition is still going strong, being held every year since the fi rst (except when it was cancelled in 2007 for bad weather). Participation has grown exponentially, especially since a wave system was introduced, so starts could be staggered in groups of 100 people. Last year’s event attracted 2,300 competitors and a similar number are expected to congregate on Cottesloe on 26 February for this year’s event. In total 16,500 people have swum the ‘Cott to Rott’ in the last
20 years, and the event has inspired the birth of other long- distance events in Australia and around the world.
"And they're off!" Competitors leave Cottosloe Beach
“The lure of doing the Rottnest Channel Swim has always been that it captures people’s imagination, challenges their swimming ability and encourages a higher level of swimming fi tness,” says Kevin Holtom. But what about the dangers? “It’s not an easy swim,” admits Deane Pieters, who won last year’s event with a time of 4:41:35. Entrants have to qualify with a 10km swim – the 'Rotto Rehearsal' – before they’re even allowed in the water, and then must keep to a strict race plan. All entrants must have a support boat to help keep them safe. The distance alone proves too much for some people, and there are drop-outs every year. And, as with any ocean swim, there are other dangers. Swimming blogger Carroll Wannell writes (on her ‘farbeyondtheblackline’ blog) of getting stung in the face by the inevitable jellyfi sh during her eighth Rottnest crossing in 2009. Barbara Pellick has been run over by a boat during the race, and torn a shoulder ligament (which still affects her fi ve years later). She also spent much of one early race being shadowed by a shark.
IF YOU CAN IGNORE THE SHARKS IT'S NOT AN IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGE
“He was swimming directly under me. I could see him so clearly and curiously I wasn't the least bit scared of him being there. I guess we used to think that since we were swimming in the ocean there would be a chance we would see a shark sometime.” So, if you can ignore the sharks, it’s not an impossible challenge. In fact, Rottnest is one of the easiest swims of this distance, with few strong winds and currents. “It’s relatively short for a marathon swim in warm, crystal clear water with very few hazards so it becomes achievable for just about anyone with a strong swimming background,” says Pellick. For these reasons, many people – herself included – attempt it as a classic prelude to swimming the English Channel.
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Photos © RCSA/Barbara Pellick
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