KA-Ching on Opening Day of Aussie Open Water Championships at Busselton

PARIS Olympic teammates Kyle Lee and Moesha Johnson (pictured) claimed respective 10km Open Water titles at Busselton today with WA local Lee and Olympic silver medallist Johnson making the most of the first major Australian-based swimming event of the year.

For Lee, who is from Bunbury just 50 minutes’ drive north of Busselton, it was his maiden national open water crown and he won it in style, out-touching defending champion Thomas Raymond in a frantic finish under Busselton Jetty.

Making their way through eight laps of the 1.25km course, Lee (1hr:50mins:34.34secs) proved to have the Midas touch yet again to surge on the final stroke and finish over the top of Raymond (1:50.34.39 ) with Olympian Nick Sloman finishing third (1:50.57.39).

Meanwhile in the women’s 10km race, Johnson let the likes of Maddie Gough, Chelsea Gubecka and Italian Paris Olympic bronze medallist Ginevra Taddeucci do the work early to then surge ahead to claim gold in 1:57.34.40.

Dual Olympian Guebecka touched second (1:58.07.20) and Taddeucci third (1:58.10.20). After a lengthy protest and appeal, Carlile’s Tayla Martin (1:59.11.30) touched fourth to be awarded the bronze as the third-placed Australian athlete.

A $50,000 prize purse was on offer for the Top 8 finishers of the men’s and women’s 10km that featured $8000 for the first, $6000 for second and $1500 for third descending down in value to 8^th place.

“It feels awesome, it was a pretty tough race. We had Nick (Sloman) and Tommy (Raymond) set a really strong pace, so I didn’t know if I would get it, it came right down to finish and I’m very happy that I was be able to just get the touch in,” Lee said.

“I try not to have too strict of a strategy going in. You don’t know what everyone else is going to do, so usually I try to just develop it as the race goes on. We did have really good conditions and I was very happy today to be able to put my best foot forward and get as many points as possible for selection for Singapore World Champs.

“But Australia is so deep in the open water space and, as great as the win today is, it doesn’t guarantee me a spot. I’ll be hoping to go to Egypt and do the best that I can there.”

After her win Johnson said: “I haven’t had a chance to have a crack at the Australian title for a while now, not since 2022. So it was really special to be able to claim that title again. A part of my success today was driven by momentum off the back end of last season … but I was stressed today.”

“Singapore (World Championships) is 100 per cent a goal of mine and … I’ve got the momentum to hopefully win gold but Singapore will be a really challenging World Championships should I get selected. The water is extremely hot and it’s a very busy schedule, so much can happen between now and then.

“And with the 5km in a couple of days, that’s another opportunity I have to win an Australian title. The 5km title is one that I would really like.

“It’s the first opportunity we have had to qualify for both a 5km and 10km event and we’ve got such a great field now with Chelsea (Gubecka) who has won several medals at World Champs.

“But it’s just so special to be in Australia. I was like wow, Perth, it feels so far away sometimes but when you get here, every time, it’s just so magical. And to be here for the Australia Day weekend, I just don’t think there’s a more iconic location to be able to celebrate it.”

The four days of swimming until January 26 will see more than 900 swimmers compete, including almost 600 at the OceanSwim Festival on Saturday, but on the line for the elite today was selection for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in July.

The 10km title was the first step for selection,the next stage will be racing in Egypt at a World Cup, and watching from the jetty was newly appointed Australian open water head coach Fernando Possenti.

TOP FOUR RESULTS from Day 1 Australian Open Water Champs
Men 10km Open Water

1. Kyle Lee (North Coast) 1:50:34.34
2. Thomas Raymond (Noosa) 1:50:34.39
3. Nick Sloman (Melbourne Vicentre) 1:50:57.39
4. Dylan Murphy (Noosa) 1:51:05.34

Women 10km Open Water

1. Moesha Johnson (Griffith) 1:57:34.40
2. Chelsea Gubecka (Chandler) 1:58:07.20
3. Ginevra Taddeucci (Italy) 1:58:10.20
4. Tayla Martin (Carlile) 1:59:11.30

 *Davison-McGovern receive bronze as next best placed Australian

Boys 19yrs 10km Open Water

1. Conor Hayes (Surrey Park) 1:59:07.58
2. Max Moylan (Cranbrook) 1:59:15.05
3. Daniel O’Donnell (Aquablitz) 2:00:56.53
4. Kristian Seidl (Westside Christchurch) 2:01:20.41

Girls 19yrs 10km Open Water

1. Esther Davies (Noosa) 2:08:52.50
2. Mackenzie Hunter (MLC Aquatic) 2:09:09.80
3. Sienna Batzloff (Sunshine Coast Grammar) 2:12:43.80
4. Rosy Ryan (Moreton Bay) 2:13:14.20

Boys 18yrs 10km Open Water

1. Daniel Carter (The Hills) 1:56:11.50
2. Thomas Dreverman (Westside) 1:58:29.40
3. Nathan Williams (Campbelltown) 1:59:08.26
4. Samuel Zollner (Westside) 1:59:08.78

Girls 18yrs 10km Open Water

1. Ella Reynolds (Noosa) 2:06:19.30
2. Chloe Brodrick (Cruiz) 2:06:23.20
3. Macy Beuzeville (St Peters Western) 2:06:28.30
4. Bianca Monaco (North Coast) 2:09:03.05

Boys 17yrs 7.5km

1. Aidan Mills (North Coast) 1:29:24.20
2. Luke Higgs (Warringah) 1:29:56.40
3. Nicholas Macher (Revesby Workers) 1:30:12.90
4. Lachlan Evans (Churchie) 1:30:13.50

Girls 17yrs 7.5km

1. Elanor Flowers (North Coast) 1:38.08.70
2. Amelie Smith (Rocky City) 1:38.10.00
3. Rylee Smith (Sunshine Coast Grammar) 1:38.12.20
4. Holly Fleming (Chandler) 1:38.34.00

Boys 16yrs 7.5km

1.  Riley Meares (St Peters Western) 1:28:11.70
2.  Oliver Browne (North Coast) 1:34:17.80
3.  Lachlan Parker (Toowoomba Grammar) 1:34:49.70
4.  Ashton Rodgers (Rocky City) 1:36:34.20

Girls 16yrs 7.5km

1.  Isobel Mulcahy (Carlile) 1:38:17.40
2.  Piper Cameron (Norwood) 1:38:17.60
3.  Ruby Carter (The Hills) 1:38:28.80
4.  Madison Brand (Cheltenham) 1:38:33.60