Perth to Host 2012 Australian Open Water Championships
Western Australia will host the 2012 Australian Open Water Championships in the lead up to next year’s London Olympic Games following a successful bid for the event by Swimming WA.
Swimming Australia announced today that the Champion Lakes Regatta Centre in Armadale, Perth will host the championship event in February (17-19), which will see Australia’s top open water swimmers compete in the lead up to London.
Western Australian Institute of Sport swimmer and 2010 Australian Open Water Champion Rhys Mainstone said he was relishing the opportunity to swim in front of a home crowd.
“After missing out on gold at this year’s event, it will be great to have a home crowd spurring me on as I have a crack at reclaiming my title,” Mainstone said.
“This is a great outcome for our sport in WA, especially for our open water swimmers.”
Swimming WA Executive Director Simon Taylor said the announcement was further evidence of the strong support for open water swimming in WA and would compliment Swimming WA’s 2011-2012 Open Water Series.
“Last month we welcomed the announcement that Perth will host the 2012 Australian Short Course Championships – now WA gets to boast hosting two National events in one year,” Taylor said.
“The sport of swimming in Western Australia is going from strength to strength, and we welcome the opportunity to host these pinnacle events in our home state.”
Swimming Australia Open Water Head Coach Greg Towle says the facilities in Perth should produce some quality racing in what will be an important Australian Championships at both the senior and junior level.
“From a senior perspective, the 2012 Australian Open Water Championships will be an important part of the build up for the Olympic Games later in the year, providing athletes with quality competition ahead of the 10km Open Water Swim to be held in Hyde Park,” said Towle.
“At a junior level, now is when we also start looking towards Rio and identifying talent to develop over the next four years, which means there will be plenty of opportunities for some new names to make their mark in Australian open water swimming.”
The 2011 Australian Open Water Championships held in Sydney in March attracted 332 of Australia’s top swimmers from 116 clubs.
The 2012 event will run from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 February 2012.
-Swimming WA