16th Annual Bondi to Bronte Ocean Swim

The first weekend of summer has played host to the Bondi to Bronte Ocean Swim for the past 15 years and the 16^th edition was one for the record books.
 
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was in attendance as the Official Race Starter and the Bondi crowds gathered in their thousands to watch the iconic swim start in front of the Bondi Lifeguards Tower.
 
A record 2104 swimmers lined Bondi Beach to take on the 2.2km journey to Bronte Beach, among them was recent Rio Olympian, Jarrod Poort, was looking for his third Bondi to Bronte crown.  A competitive field was always going to make life tough for the dual Olympian.
 
“It’s one of my favourite races in the world, such a picturesque swim combining arguably two of Australia’s best beaches. Every year it throws up different conditions that really makes it a great challenge” said Poort before race day.


 


There were also some familiar faces on Bondi Beach with Bondi Lifeguards, Deano Gladstone swimming with the Juniors in the 400m course and Andrew ‘Reidy’ Reid on the microphone as MC before swimming he 2.2km course to Bronte himself.
 
The training paid off for Bradley Woodward taking out 1st place in the men’s division with a time of 24:19 followed by Ollie Signorini and Yosuke Aoki in third place.
 
In the Women’s division, Frances Shires led from the front and took the honours in a time of just 26:51. Nicola Keane finished in second place with Sophie Thomas in third.
 
This year the shorter courses moved to Bondi Beach - this included an 800m Bay Swim for all ages and a Junior Ocean Swim for nippers.
 
The Junior Ocean Swim was an opportunity to participate in a ‘fun first and competition second’ atmosphere and local nippers even got to have a ‘selfie’ with Bondi Lifeguard Deano Gladstone and Nutrigrain Ironwomen Lizzy Welborn before they hit the surf.
 
Jaiden Marshall made it to the finish line first in the boys event and Ali Narin took the honours in the girls event.


 


For more information on all events and official results visit http://www.bonditobronte.com.au/
 
Follow the annual event on social media at, Facebook - @bonditobronte and Instagram - @bonditobronteswim