Some of the swimmers pulled from choppy waters during the Rottnest Channel Swim will have a shot at redemption in a little more than a week when another popular swim from the mainland to Rottnest Island takes place.
1500 swimmers — a record number of entrants — will compete in this year’s Port to Pub race just weeks after the Rottnest Channel Swim was abandoned over concerns about dangerous weather.
The multi-race channel crossing has swimmers tackle either a 19.7km or a 25km ultramarathon race between Leighton Beach and WA’s favourite holiday island.
The flood of registrations has seen the event climb in popularity and hit a new record for solo entrants.
For Bett Craig, the decision to enter the Port to Pub was spurred on by the cancellation of the Rottnest Channel Swim.
At 75 years old, she would have become the oldest person to finish last month’s Rottnest Channel Swim and will also be older than anyone else taking on the channel in the Port to Pub.
“I got about seven and a half, eight kilometres in,” she said of last month’s cancelled race.
“They had to cancel it, it was just too dangerous with the boats.”
Craig’s preparation involves swimming 20 to 25km per week in preparation and she feels she is well overdue and ready for a race.
The seasoned swimmer has completed nine solo crossings and has been swimming since the age of 10.
“I’m getting sick of swimming, I’ll tell you that,” she said.
“I can’t wait to go back swimming only three times a week.”
2023 Port to Pub ultramarathon winner Max Coten told PerthNow he crossed last year’s finish line “absolutely shattered” in a time of 5hr 13min.
“I remember finishing the race which was — which still is — the longest race I’ve ever done,” he said.
“Getting to the finish line and just falling in at the finish line, but then seeing so many people that I love, all my crew and family were there.”
Coten was leading the solo swimmers category of the Rottnest Channel Swim when organisers made the decision to cancel.
He backed the move for safety and said it was a strong field of competitors.
“Safety’s always the top priority, it was the right decision to cancel the event,” he said.
“In saying that, I also strongly believe that it was the right decision to start the event.”
Race director Ceinwen Roberts said Port to Pub organisers were “overwhelmed” by the support and enthusiasm ahead of this year’s race.
The Port to Pub is one of the longest open water swims in Australia and one of three prestigious swims in the Australian Triple Crown of open water swimming.
Swimmers will hit the surf from 6am on March 16, with celebrations to conclude at Hotel Rottnest.