Reviving The Race To Prince’s Bridge

Courtesy of Yarra Swim Co, Melbourne, Australia.

The inaugural 3-mile Race To Prince’s Bridge started in 1913 when 44 swimmers dove into the Yarra River and raced from the Old Twickenham Ferry to the Prince’s Bridge in the heart of Melbourne, Australia.

As early as 1929, more than 100,000 spectators lined the banks of the Yarra where 623 swimmers raced.

R. Woods was the first disabled swimmer to capture a podium position when he finished third in 1946. Woods had lost both his legs as an infant.

But in 1964, pollution in the Yarra led to the cancellation of the race. Dial forward to 2020 when organized by the Yarra Swim Co, a group of marine conservationists from Melbourne who are working towards creating a cleaner, swimmable river.

For more information, visit www.yarraswim.co.

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