Lake Barrine Open Water Swim Summary
Masters Swimming Queensland hosted their annual Lake Barrine Open Water Swim on Sunday 28 November 2021. Swims offered were 10k, 5k, 2.5k and a 4 x 2.5k relay and the swim was open to swimmers 14 years plus. The swim was sanctioned by the Rottnest Channel Swim association for their 2022 Rottnest Channel swim. There were 111 swimmers from throughout Queensland with 15 swimmers in the 10k, 34 swimmers in the 5k, 48 swimmers in the 2.5k and 14 relay swimmers as one team was a duo. The oldest swimmer was Belgravia Masters member Marsha Reddiex @ 78 years with the youngest swimmer Alistair Hickey @ 15 years.
The weather was perfect for an open water swim with the water temperature 27 degrees, very little breeze and like a mill pond. After a safety and course briefing the 10k swimmers started at 0810. The relay swimmers started at 0820 with the 5k at 0900, and the 2.5k at 1000. As per the Rottnest Channel Swim Association rules the 10k swim had to be completed within 4 ¼ hours.
There are always people to thank as these events would not be possible without the assistance of many people and our thanks to all the following: Surf Life Saving for being our lifeguards ensuring that safety on the water was covered and to the paddlers who assisted out on the water, this is appreciated. To Cairns Mudcrabs IRB crew and for setting and dismantling the course – a big job and much appreciated. Our lap counters and feeder people thank you all for assisting with these important positions – I know the swimmers appreciated it. Our local masters’ clubs Malanda for looking after the registrations on the day and Bunna-Burra for organising the great raffle prizes. John Barrett for the briefings, starter and official plus MSQ VP North Ted Bunt for all his assistance in organising the local clubs and on the Saturday setting up and working on the Sunday. Our photographer Richard Sanderson for his wonderful photos – these make wonderful memories for our swimmers.
A special thank you to Steve Curry and his family from the Lake Barrine Café for all his support prior to and on the day. Steve kindly lent us his cruise boat as our feeder boat, even though it did decide to do a few turns on the day, plus his small runabout to ferry people to and from the boat.
The swim will be held again next year on Sunday 27 November 2022, and we look forward to seeing many of you then. It is a terrific location for an open water swim and the Lake Barrine café has wonderful food and drinks.
For more photos, check out the MSQ Nth Qld Facebook Page.
