In the first race of the season, Bryn Murphy (34:54) and Charlotte Webby (38:15) won by comfortable margins in the 2.8K Harbour Crossing Auckland.
Simon Millar of Los Angeles who flew across the Pacific to specifically do the race said, “Because it was so choppy, it was difficult to stay in a pack or even draft. I haven’t done a race in California this choppy to be honest. During the race, a press chopper was flying above following the race which created noise and a choppy sea, but then the sun started to shine. It was an incredibly well-organized event. This series is hugely popular in New Zealand and draws Australians and several Olympians, including Moss Bermester who finished second in this race and fourth in the 200 butterfly at the 2008 Olympics.”
In the second race of the season, Bryn Murphy won the 3.3K race comfortably again (39:51) with world championship medalist Kate Brookes-Peterson winning the women’s race (43:34) with an impressive eight-place finish overall in the Russell to Paihia Bay of Islands. In the 0.75K race, Ashlee Crane won overall in 7:02 with 8 women taking the top 11 spots. Bryn said, “I’m still new to ocean swiming and learning all the time. I knew that the finish was important and so was concious of saving some legs for that.”
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.