The 2K Noosa Winter Festival Blue Water Swim always has a notoriously tough field, capped at 700 swimmers.

Third-place Codie Trent who was barely outsprinted at the end, said, “It was quite a tough field today going what felt like an incredibly fast pace.”

But that did not stop world 5K champion Melissa Gorman from taking her fifth title. Over the last year, Melissa has won a world title in Italy, a world ocean racing title in South Africa, a cold-water battle in San Francisco, warm-water swims in Fiji and dominated swims in Australia. Noosa was another notch in her career as she gears up for the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Championships in Canada.

On the men’s side, former 25K world champion and English Channel aspirant Brendan Capell proved his versatility by earning a close victory over defending champion Trent Grimsey in the Noosa Blue Water 2km Swim classic this morning.

“I’m happy with [the victory]. I didn’t want to stop and look around. I didn’t know whether the girls were right on my feet or further back. I kept building throughout the race, when I finished I thought I could have gone easier but happy with a hard hit out. I’m pretty much in a training phase at the moment, using these swims to get some racing practice.”

Second-place Danielle Defrancesco summed up what many other women have found out around the world, “Mel was just too good today, I tried to go with her but couldn’t hang on.”.

Sandwiched between the Grimsey brothers around the last turn buoy, Brendan won by using his long legs in the final sprint up the beach. “The Grimsey boys are swimming well, I knew they were the benchmark, they were who I needed to catch. I’ve had a few good weeks of training now, I swam well at Bryon so I knew I would be fitter today and up there.”

Second-place Trent said, “Codie took it out really hard and Brendan and I were just behind. It just came down to who stood up first and had the fastest run.”

For Brendan, this race was fun, but his goals are now aimed at the Everest of the open water world, “I’m building my fitness up for an attempt at the English Channel world record. Ky Hurst and I will base ourselves in Europe for three months; get a good training block in. I’m totally focused on the English Channel and doing a good job of that.”

Top 5 results:
1. Brendan Capell, Keperra, 22.55
2. Trent Grimsey, Cashmere, 22.56
3. Codie Grimsey, Cashmere, 22.57
4. George O’Brien, Brookfield, 23.06
5. Nicholas D’Arcy, Buddina Beach, 23.12

1. Melissa Gorman, Boondall, 24.01
2. Danielle Defrancesco, Burleigh Waters, 25.19
3. Bonnie Macdonald, Sorrento, 25.21
4. Sarah Kime, Peregian Springs, 25.23
5. Stacey Hansford, Quakers Hill, 25.35

Copyright © 2010 by Open Water Source