More than 900 swimmers took to the waters off Noosa Main Beach on Sunday morning for Swim Noosa, rounding out a busy two days on the road and in the water.
Those taking part in either the 500m, 1km, 2km or 3.8km ocean swims were a mix of runners backing up from Runaway Noosa or those who are more at home in the water, with a number of Australia’s top swimmers taking part.
One of those who is no stranger to open water swimming is Chelsea Gubecka, who won both the women’s 3.8km and 2km swims and will represent Australia in the 10km marathon swim at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Gubecka finished the 3.8km event in 45:43, with Finella Gibbs-Beal second and Ella Reynolds third, and the 2km in 23:42, with Gibbs-Beal again second and Madisyn Armstrong rounding out the podium.
Gubecka is a regular in the waters off Noosa Main Beach.
“I think I was seven or eight years old and remember having to sign a waiver to do a 2km swim, I’ve been coming back here since then, I’m 25 now, I feel like a bit of a veteran, I absolutely love Noosa and my partner and I will get married here next year, I’m really looking forward to that,” she said.
With the Paris 2024 Olympic Games quickly approaching Gubecka is putting the finishing touches to preparations for her second visit to the biggest event in world sport.
“Things are going really good, I’m in a pretty good place, we’ve got two months to go now so I’m really starting to put in that top end speed work and getting that threshold time down, we’ve made some good shifts aerobically and now we’re just looking to fine tune the last little bits to make it all come together,” she said.
“I think the first round I was a little overwhelmed, I was 17 years old, just a baby and I’m really looking forward to these Games, I’m in a good place and have put some good things on the board in the last 18 months, hit some really good performances and looking forward to putting it all together and hopefully achieve something really special.”
The men’s 3.8km and 2km events also had a repeat winner, with Kilian Carrel first back onto the beach in both races. Carrel won the 3.8km in 44:53, ahead of Nolan Carrel and Cooper Reynolds, and he was victorious in the 2km in 23:33, just three seconds ahead of Bill Thorley, with Nolan Carrel third.
Connor McClellan and Jackie Ellul won the men’s and women’s 1km respectively, with Darcy Higgins winning the men’s 500m and Caitlyn McClellan the women’s 500m.
Many of those taking part in Sunday’s Swim Noosa also took to the streets for Runaway Noosa, with Natalie Thurkettle from Sydney, her husband, and friends among those backing it up the next morning.
Thurkettle ran in the Runaway Noosa 10km, and then competed in Sunday’s 2km swim.
“I loved it, it was really hot yesterday though, but it was perfect conditions today, two good days,” Thurkettle said.
“There was no chop this morning, it was nice and smooth and the temperature was nice. We’re drinking wine, eating lots of food and hanging with our friends and my husband is here as well, no kids just an adult fun weekend. He did the 10km with me yesterday and the 1km swim today.”
