The world’s biggest open water swim helped bring a positive boost to the town of Lorne following recent bushfires that devastated the area, with more than five thousand participants tackling the event.
Sam Sheppard, following a string a victories on the domestic open water swim circuit, stepped into the record books with a sixth victory in the Pier to Pub. In the process, he broke his own course record by a couple of seconds, trimming it down to a swift ten minutes and two seconds. The sub-10 barrier looms as a target for the 2017 event!
Harriet Brown took charge of the women’s field, crossing the line in ten minutes and fifty-one seconds, almost forty seconds clear of Ironwoman Naantali Marshall in second place.
Of particular note, third place getter in the women’s field, Zoe Whitfield, not only achieved a podium in the 1.2km race, but also won the women’s 5km event and placed third overall.
@OceanGroveSLSC's Mark Graham finishes second in his age male group class category @PierToPub in Lorne. #PiertoPub pic.twitter.com/UqPkpGllYo
— OG Sports (@GroveSport) January 9, 2016
Open Results - 1.2km
Sam Sheppard - 10:02
Patrick Cobiac - 10:30
Hamish Chapman - 10:50
Harriet Brown - 10:51
Naantali Marshall - 11:34
Zoe Whitfield - 11:35
Age-group Results - 1.2km
Junior - Dean Wilson - 11:34
Legends - Ted Gallagher - 15:08
Master - Tristan Read - 11:20
Senior - Hayden Rydberg - 12:01
Veteran - Frank Christian - 12:11
Super Veteran - Donald Marsh - 13:16
Junior - Molly Batchelor - 12:32
Legends - Mirjana Prather - 18:26
Master - Helen Whitford - 13:50
Senior - Kelly Stubbins - 12:27
Veteran - Peta Harvey - 14:16
Super Veteran - Leanne Sheean - 14:58
Open Results - 5km
Christopher Deegan - 58:42
Dean Wilson - 1:01:01
John Fox - 1:05:42
Zoe Whitfield - 1:04:12
Kate Murphy - 1:09:03
Georgina Falster - 1:11:43