“As boring as it sounds, it’s just going towards paying the bills. I love swimming and it’s just amazing that I can earn a living from it,” said two-time Olympian Melissa Gorman after receiving $20,000 for winning the 2012-2013 State New Zealand Ocean Series Series.

Melissa Gorman earned the biggest cash prize in New Zealand swimming history after a comfortable victory in the State King of the Bays ocean swim race on Auckland’s North Shore today.

The Queensland heroine proved too strong for New Zealanders Cara Baker and Charlotte Webby, winning by 23 seconds over Baker and 49 seconds over Webby.

As she does every year in the RCP Tiburon Mile in San Francisco, Gorman’s eye was on the men as she swam with many of the elite men the entire way. Motivated by the prospect by beating as many as she could, she finished an incredible 11 seconds behind Hurst.

“The boys don’t like being beaten by the girls. I’m not sure who it was who sprinted past me at the finish, and I was trying so hard to run, but I’m not really that great on the land.” But she is certainly good enough in the water.

2013 State King of the Bays Results:

1. Melissa Gorman (Queensland) 32:32
2. Cara Baker (Auckland) 34:55
3. Charlotte Webby (New Plymouth) 35:21
4. Emma Robinson (Wellington) 35:45
5. Kirsty Wannan (Auckland) 37:31

2012-2013 State New Zealand Ocean Swim Series overall series standings

1. Melissa Gorman (Queensland) 400.00
2. Cara Baker (Auckland) 389.34
3. Charlotte Webby (New Plymouth) 388.40
4. Kirsty Wannan (Auckland) 372.60
5. Natalie Woodgate (Auckland) 357.57

For more information, visit www.oceanswim.co.nz.

Photo by Simon Watts from BW Photography.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming