Pittwater Life December 2023 Issue

five local lifesaving clubs Newport,
Bilgola, Mona Vale, Whale
Beach and Avalon Beach. The
swims serve as a major annual
fundraiser for each of the
clubs.
“Don’t call the Big Swim a
race,” says long-serving race
public relations man Rob
Berry, who also took part in
that inaugural Big Swim. “We
have photos of people hugging
when they get to Whale Beach,
just glad they have achieved
their personal best.”
One of the pioneer swimmers
from 1974, 69-year-old local
builder Brian Lamrock, and
his son Jack – the Whale Beach
Club’s current captain – will be
in the swim in January. They
will all start at Palm Beach
according to their age categories.
At the finish, swimmers
will all get free fruit – donated
by ‘Fresh Produce Co’ from
Flemington Markets – with
nectarines and peaches by the
punnet.
Some Olympians take part
in the swim and are more competitive
between themselves.
However, race ‘records’ – something
that doesn’t weigh heavily
in the competitors’ motivations
according to Rob – hover
around the 29-minute mark,
depending on the conditions.
Then again, some winners have
needed almost an hour to get
to Whale Beach.
Olympians Jon Konrads,
Graeme Brewer, Mark Morgan,
Daniel Kowalski, Hayley Lewis
and Shane Gould are some of
the elite swimmers who have
taken the plunge, with Gould
recording a win in her age
category.
Avalon local Chris Shaw
has a remarkable record in
the Big Swim, having adjusted
the goggles a record 44 times
since 1973; he’ll be on the start
line for the 50th swim. Also,
there is an extensive list of
those who have done the swim
at least 10 times.
The course is usually 2.8
kilometres, depending on conditions
which vary from year
to year. “It has always been
‘a journey swim’,” Rob points
out. Most swims in Australia –
and on the Northern Beaches
– are beach swims, where entrants
swim around a number
of buoys but are essentially
confined between headlands.
For those not-so-competent
swimmers, there is also the
Big Little Swim around a 1km
course at Palm Beach.
Prominent in each Big Swim
are those wearing ‘Can Too’
cossies; a number are women
who are cancer survivors
while others are doing the
swim to raise money for cancer
research.
At 81, Richard Stewart has
been the Big Swim director
since 1981. He took part in the
first one but won’t be swimming
in the 50th anniversary
event: “It’s hard to be in the
Continued on page 46
Life Stories
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Excited Can Too swimmers;
multiple participants Bill Westerly, David Campbell, Steve Hill
and Chris Shaw in 1998; elation at the finish; it’s a swim for
everyone; Helen Dauncey, the 50+ age group winner in 2009;
winner of the inaugural Big Swim in 1974, Paul Hughes; the
all-male starting line-up in 1974; former MPs Rob Stokes and
Alex McTaggart have supported the cause.
The Local Voice Since 1991
DECEMBER 2023 45