MORE than 2700 people took to the water on Saturday 21 January, all in the name of raising funds for the Portsea Surf Lifesaving Club and their life saving programs and resources.
The day began at 1.20pm with the 2.5km Gold swim, followed by the 500m categories, with the signature 1.5km Portsea Swim Classic rounding out the annual event from 3pm.
The youngest swimmer competing in the Portsea Swim Classic was 12 years old, and the oldest one taking to the waves was Pat Galvin, 89.
The Portsea Swim Classic, one of the Mornington Peninsula’s key summer events, draws a crowd of industry leaders, well-known sporting stars and personalities, as well as Victoria’s leading ocean and pool swimmers.
The 37th event was won by Robbie Dilisson, 23, who stormed home to win the 1.5km Portsea Swim Classic men’s division. Dilisson, from Altona North, won in a time of 13:16.9, finishing ahead of former Australian Dolphins team member, Jordan Merrilees (13:29.8) and Harry Atkins (14:06.0).
Portsea surf life saver Dom Hart was first female home in 1.5km Classic, backing up after finishing third in the 2.5km event an hour earlier. Hart had a comfortable sprint up the beach to win in 14:17.40.
“The conditions were great out there, the tide really helped to push me along,” Hart said after her win. “It’s a such great event to take part in every year.”
Exchange student Imara-Bella Thorpe, from Kenya, claimed second (14:37.8) with Steph Hunter third (14:50.2).
In the junior 1.5km Classic, defending champ Mackie Hunter won for the second consecutive year, and added to her haul, after winning the 2.5km Gold event earlier in the day. Harvey Larke was first male home in the Junior 1.5km.
The Portsea Swim Classic is one of Victoria’s biggest open water swimming events.
The exciting point-to-point course, which started at The Cutting near Portsea Pier, saw competitors swim in the pristine waters of Weeroona Bay before heading west around Police Point, along the stunning foreshore of Point Nepean, to finish at Jarman Oval at the historic Quarantine Station in Point Nepean National Park.
In the 2.5km Gold event which opened the day, 17-year-old Tommy Lane from Brighton was first over the line in 22:36.30. Portsea surf life saver Mackie Hunter, 16, was the first female home in 23:55.1
Sophie Jacka (24:50) and defending champion, Dom Hart (24:52) were second and third placegetters in the women’s 2.5km Gold. Logan Brandi (22:39.9) and Charlie Cornwell (24:23) were the minor placegetters in the men’s event.
The Portsea Swim Classic rounds out the Portsea Classic weekend (January 20-21) which opened on Friday 20 January with the Portsea Bay to Surf – two twilight adventure runs and a walk, through picturesque Point Nepean National Park.
Stephen Dinneen, 43, of Thornbury, won the 9km event with national distance runner, Sarah Billings, 24, from Hawthorn, the first female over the line.
In the under 18 age group, Matilda Cronin, 14, claimed victory and Noah Brown, 16, was first male home.
The event, which was staged in Point Nepean National Park and finished at the Portsea SLSC, saw Sarah Morgan, 52, win the shorter 4.5km event, with Joshua Rendall, 19, first male. 11-year-old Sophie Hall claimed victory in the junior division, with her younger brother James Hall, 9, first male.
Both events, which are volunteer-led by members of the Portsea Surf Life Saving Club, are major fundraisers.
All proceeds go directly into supporting the club’s volunteer capabilities for training, lifesaver development and vital equipment.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 31 January 2023
