Australia Day brought perfect conditions for the Champion Bay Open Water Swim challenge

The honours were split between locals and visitors as Geraldton’s Australia Day was kicked off with the annual Champion Bay Challenge Swim in glorious conditions at Geraldton foreshore on Friday.

Run every year by the Champion Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, competitors of all ages tackled the open water swim with distances of 500m, 1km, 3km and 6km.

The races kicked off at 7.30am for those brave enough to take on the 6km distance, with the other challenges following.

The weather provided a perfect playing field for swimmers during the Australia Day competition.

Prizes were on offer for the divisions with male and female categories for open and over 35s, along with juniors in the 500m.

There was a mixed bag of competitors across all divisions with people travelling from Perth to compete but despite the tough field, local swimmer Marnie Bell reigned supreme in the women’s 6km race.

While husband and wife Jason and Nancy Shaw, from the City Beach club, finished second and third in 3km race — with Jason overtaking Nancy in the final seconds, both finished top of their divisions. Jason Shaw’s time was only one second quicker than his wife.

After a runner-up finish last year, local Byron Clarkson won the open 6km race.

Winners:

500m female: Molly Evans - 7 minutes 31 seconds.

500m male: Darcy Tate - 6.47.

1km open male: Owen Wright - 14.20.

1km 35+ male: Luke Neuwert - 14.49.

1km open female: Sahara Coyle - 16.27.

1km 35+ female: Jo Horrex - 17.20.

3km open male: Jason Evans - 38.54.

3km 35+ male: Jason Shaw - 42.27.

3km open female: Lila Tuner - 43.27.

3km 35+ female: Nancy Shaw - 42.28.

6km open male: Byron Clarkson - 1 hour 27 minutes.

6km 35+ male: Simon Teakle - 1:38.

6km open female: Marine Bell - 1:28.

6km 35+ female: Amber Jackson - 1:40.