OW Nats Day 1: Lee and MoJo hold off "pool" party

WORLD championship medallists Kyle Lee and Moesha Johnson went back-to-back to claim respective 10km open water national titles at Bunbury today with hometown hero Lee and multiple world champion Johnson making the most of the first major Australian-based swimming event of the year.

While Lee, who lives 15km from the waters of Koombana Bay, cashed in on the $8000 winner’s cheque with his trademark Midas touch, Johnson enjoyed clean 23.9 degree water from start to finish to make bank.

In a frantic finish, Lee (1:51:41.50) surged with his left hand to out-touch fellow Dolphin Thomas Raymond (1:51:41.60) with pool middle distance star Sam Short, a former 400m world champion, hitting the board in 1:51:43.70.

Meanwhile in the women’s 10km race, no one could keep pace with Johnson (1:54:59.30) – except for a couple of dolphins – over the eight lap 1.25km course. Tayla Martin (1:55:21.20) touched second with Japan’s Sachika Kajimoto third (1:59:56.80).

But in her first open water effort and under the watchful eye of head open water coach Fernando Possenti, Dolphin pool swimmer Tiana Kritzinger – a Rackley clubmate of Short – was third Australian home in 2:00:02.20.

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.

The four days of swimming until January 25 will see more than 800 swimmers compete, including almost 500 at the OceanSwim Festival on Saturday, but on the line for the elite today was funding for qualification races in Spain and Italy for the Pan Pacific Championships to be held in California in August.

Junior athletes competing in the 18-19 years 10km and 16-17 years 7.5km events today also put themselves in front of selectors for the Junior World Championships in Argentina with Daniel Carter, Lachlan Evans, Ryley Meares, William Thorpe, Eleanor Flowers and Bianca Monaco all putting themselves in contention.

RESULTS: Day 1

Women’s 10km

1.Moesha Johnson, 1:54:59.30 (Miami); 2.Tayla Martin, 1:55:21.20 (Carlile); 3.Sachika Kajimoto, 1:59:56.80 (V); 3.Tiana Kritzinger, 2:00:02.20 (Rackley)

Girls 18 years 10km

1.Eleanor Flowers, 2:01:52.40 (North Coast); 2.Rylee Smith, 2:01:52.50 (Sunshine Coast); 3.Amelie Smith, 2:05:32.00 (Rocky City)

Girls 19 years 10km

1.Bianca Monaco, 2:01:52.20 (North Coast); 2.Macy Beuzeville, 2:01:52.60 (St Peters Western); 3.Sophie Jansen, 2:06:08.30 (Noosa)

Men’s 10km

1.Kyle Lee, 1:51:41.50 (North Coast); 2.Thomas Raymond, 1:51:41.60 (Kawana Waters); 3.Samuel Short, 1:51:43.70 (Rackley)

Boys 18 years 10km

1.Lachlan Evans, 1:58:00.80 (St Peters Western); 2.Aidan Mills, 2:01:38.20 (North Coast); 3.Cooper Reynolds, 2:03:31.40 (Kawana Waters)

Boys 19 years 10km

1.Daniel Carter, 1:54:27.30 (The Hills); 2.Thomas Dreverman, 1:58:06.30 (Westside Christ Church); 3.Samuel Zollner, 2:02:29.00 (Westside Christ Church)

Boys 16 years 7.5km
1. William Thorpe, 1:30:26.70 (St Peters Western); 2. Mackenzie Crocker, 1:30.26.80 (A B Patterson); 3. Jordan Tucker 1:32:08.80 (Marion); 4. Thomas Valassis, 1:32:22.70 (Revesby Workers)

Girls 16 years 7.5km 
1. Olivia Galea, 1:34:25.30 (Chandler); 2. Lara Green, 1:40:31.00 (North Coast); 3. Saffron Favios, 1:40:41.40 (Albany Creek); 4. Lua Wilson, 1:42:20.90 (Westside Christ Church)

Boys 17 years 7.5km
1. Riley Meares, 1:28:25.90 (St Peters Western); 2.Ashton Rodgers, 1:33:44.10 (Rocky City); 3. Bodi Bone 1:33:48.10 (Gosford Stingrays); 4. Flynn Convey 1:34.00.90 (North Coast)

Girls 17 years 7.5km
1. Isobel Mulcahy, 1:34:28.50 (Carlile); 2. Allegra Anderson, 1:37:10.90 (Griffith University); 3. Piper Cameron, 1:38:34.20 (Nunawading); 4. Denise Grabe, 1:40:22.80 (St Peters Western)

Flash Quotes

Moesha Johnson – Women’s 10km champion
“The water temp was absolutely beautiful … the wind was a little bit choppy but it died during the middle of the race and we had some cloud cover, which is nice for the glare. Overall, just a really nice location,” she said.

“Tactic for this race was (just) … swim. And that’s just what I did. I had my own line at the start and just kind of focused on keeping an even rhythm, building through the race and practicing a few things to me, personally, for the season ahead.

“A few things enticed me to come back. We’ve got a great initiative with some prize money, it’s a great season opener for me to start and set myself up for the World Cups and Pan Pacs, ultimately. It’s a new race location and I love exploring my own country, I was really excited to come race somewhere new.

“I brought my coach (Bernd Berkhahn) out (to Australia) which is something I haven’t done. I’ve done a lot of individual racing without him, so I thought this was a great opportunity in January to have him come and assess jet lag and a few things, especially in the preparation for LA.”

Tayla Martin – Women’s 10km silver medallist
“The first six laps were pretty flat and then the chop came up towards the last two (laps),” she said.

“My goal for today was to be on Moe’s feet for most of the race … I lost it towards the end but I’m really happy with that race.

“That race gave me great confidence going into those World Cups and Pan Pacs later on this year. (To be) top 10 in the world would be amazing, so that’s the goal.”

Kyle Lee – Men’s 10km champion
“It feels just as special knowing that there was such a quality field coming over. We had the usual names like Tom Raymond and Bailey Armstrong and someone like Sam Short to join the ranks makes the race very exciting,” he said.

“It was extremely close to that finish, there was about four or five of us boys that were all close and not know who was going to get it I guess keeps it really exciting and I was able to just get the touch on Tom (Raymond) which I’m pretty happy with.

When asked about competing at home:

“It’s been nice to stay home and sleep in my own bed. To come down here and see so many familiar faces and friends and family that I’ve grown up with is very special.

When asked about noted pool swimmers (Sam Short/Tiana Kritzinger) transitioning to open water:

“It’s awesome, we’ve seen around the world some of the best pool swimmers turn into the best open water swimmers. I’m extremely glad that Tiana (Kritzinger) and Sam (Short) are giving it a go and it only increases the depth in Australia and that helps us grow as a nation.

“This is great it gives us the opportunity to go compete at World Cups to try and make that Australian team that will compete at the Pan Pacific Championships, so this is a great start and it was great to watch my teammates race before me and seeing them get a great result.

“I think everyone has different strategies in the race and I try to take the inside line and that works best for me.”

Sam Short – Men’s 10km bronze medallist
“It was good fun but it was very hard probably more mentally than physically to be honest.”

“Those guys are so experienced and I could tell they were using their experience against me throughout the whole race so I was kind of trying to stay with them but I was right there in the end.

“I’ve got the 5km and the 3km (knockout sprint) still to come, so I think shorter distances may be a bit better for me.

When asked why he decided to race in the Open Water Nationals:

“It’s probably the fittest I’ve ever been in January … it’s really good training, a lot of kilometres – 18 kilometres of racing across four days – so I think it’s going to set me up well … and I’d rather do a 10km race than 10km in the pool for training.

“I’d love to be part of the 4x1500m or the 3km knockout at a world championship if it’s available and fits into my timeline. I’ve got to prove myself at nationals to be able to throw my hat in the right to be available for that. Fernado (Possenti, Australian Open Water Head Coach) knows what he’s doing, he’s coached some legends before.

When asked how open water technique compares to pool swimming:

“When they started surging, I could tell I had to get my stroke rate up, I probably should have been a bit smarter … and I didn’t feed enough. I didn’t know whether to feed and then try work hard to catch back up or to try and stay in my rhythm … I probably should have fed at least one more time but that comes with a bit of practice.”