2018 AUSTRALIAN OPEN WATER CHAMPIONSHIPS
- January 26th-January 28th, 2018
- Brighton Beach, Adelaide, Australia
- Meet Site
- Live Results
The third and final day of the 2018 Australian Open Water Championships featured a 5km time trial for both men and women, as well as a 4×1.25km mixed relay.
In the open men’s race, 24-year-old Eric Hedlin prevailed in 52:42.01. In second place — at just 16 years old — was Hayden Cotter in 52:56.01, followed by 24-year-old Mark Papp in 52:58.00.
Cotter’s impressive performance comes just a couple weeks after he bested Mack Horton and Gregorio Paltrinieri in Australia’s annual 1.2km Pier to Pub swim.
Japan’s 17-year-old Runa Kasahara went 57:49.01 to win the women’s trial, followed by Friday’s 10K winner Chelsea Gubecka in 58:16.01. The pair were followed by Ebony Blackstone in 58:52.00.
Kawana Waters Head Coach Michael Sage said of Gubecka’s race: “Chelsea has mastered the skill of open water racing, now we just need to continue to get faster; we are getting closer to taking an international podium but we haven’t got there yet.”
Perth City handily won the mixed relay, going 57:25.01 over The Southport School’s 57:41.00.
Wow, Hayden Cotter was 16 in this race and 20 in the race against Horton and Paltrinieri a couple of weeks ago according to https://staging2.swimswam.com/horton-paltrinieri-finish-in-top3-of-lorne-pier-to-pub-ows/. Never mind this guy’s swimming prowess, his time machine is what really impresses me.