Local hopes high for Bondi ocean swim

Expectations are high that local ocean swimmers will perform well in the Beach Road Hotel Bondi Bluewater Challenge at Bondi Beach on Sunday, May 22.

Luane Rowe and Louise Stevenson, both members of the event’s host – Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club – enter the last races of the 2010/11 Olympus Tough Fine Ocean series placed first and second respectively in the overall point score.

Rowe will contest the 20-24 years age category and she has accumulated 2288 points from 23 of the season’s lead-up ocean swims. Stevenson has 1707 points from 18 swims in the 25-29 years group.

Bondi’s Tom Miller will defend the one-kilometre event after swimming the fastest overall time last year. Miller goes into the event in peak condition, having last week competed in the Australian open swimming championships at Homebush.

Nick McCouat, from Mosman, leads the men’s overall point score series with 1704 points from 22 swims in the 25-29 years category. His nearest rival, Bondi lifesaver Lochie Hinds, has accumulated 1648 points from 17 swims in the 16-19 years group.

Stacey Hansford, of Quakers Hill, is expected to defend the women’s one-kilometre event, for which she was overall winner last year in the 16-19 years group.

Dangerous surf conditions last month forced the postponment and rescheduling of the event.

The one-kilometre swim will start at 10 am, followed by the 2.1km swim at 11 am.

Entries can be lodged online until midnight on Friday, May 20 by logging on to www.oceanswims.com or late entries will be accepted on the day.

The event supports Cure Cancer Australia and a percentage of the online entry fees will be donated to the Can Too charity.

For more information, log on to www.bondibluewater.com or call Bondi SBLSC on 9300 9279.