Dawesville-based swimmer Rebekah Weller secured her third consecutive Open Water Swim Series win in front of a home crowd when she finished first in the round 10 event at Mandurah’s Town Beach on Monday.
I was really happy with the win – to get it in Mandurah is pretty special for me
- Rebekah Weller
The distance-swimming superstar topped the open female category in the five kilometre dash for the eighth time in as many swims this season, moving her to an insurmountable advantage on the 2017/18 season leaderboard despite still having a round left in the series.
Weller will go into that final round at Perth’s Swan River with a 70-point lead, enough to secure her an early win with first place only being rewarded 40 points in each swim.
The three-time champion said she was ecstatic to have bagged the win in front of a home crowd, which produced a record 371 swimmers.
“I was really happy with the win – to get it in Mandurah is pretty special for me,” she said.
“The conditions were pretty tough with the wind and the swell trying to pull you off course, but thankfully I was able to finish strong.
“To get the win not just for the round but the whole series at my home beach definitely made it more exciting.”
Making the swim even more memorable for the Weller was fellow Mandurah swimmer and good friend Jennifer Rollin-Busby coming in second, an effort that moved her to fifth on the overall leaderboard.
“Jen coming in second was great, she’s put in so much hard work and it’s good to see her getting the rewards,” Weller said.
Peel Aquatic Club swimmers Jorja Lymn (female under 18s) and Ben Hollow (male under 15s) took out wins in the 2.5km swim, along with Mandurah Swimming Club’s Ben Roots, who topped the field in the male under 18s division.
Weller will now turn her focus to the 25km Port to Pub ultra-marathon, as she looks for her second win in three years after taking out first place in 2016.
The local star said she has intensely increased her training load ahead of what is Australia’s longest open water swim.
“I’ll be in the water so much more – I’m basically in the water training every day now,” she said.
“It’s the most challenging swim there is and it’d be great to get another win, so I’ve got to get the preparation right.”
The Port to Pub will see swimmers crossing from Leighton Beach to Rottnest Island on Saturday, March 17.
For more information visit porttopub.com.au
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
