BODY SCIENCE GREAT AUSTRALIAN SWIM SERIES MAKES WAVES IN SYDNEY HARBOUR THIS AUSTRALIA DAY

Posted Jan 28, 2011

 As Australia Day dawned on Sydney’s iconic Opera House, hundreds of swimmers were limbering up to take a dip in the country’s most famous Harbour for the very first Body Science Great Australian Swim Series finale.

The event, organised by sporting personalities Ky Hurst and Brendan Capell, drew a crowd of over 700 competitors, including two famous faces – champion swimmer Geoff Huegill was the official ambassador for the swimming contest, hitting the water for the Cudo 2.5km swim alongside masses of intermediate swimmers. Leader of the Opposition and budding swimmer Tony Abbott also joined the 2.5km swim, which saw competitors racing from the Man O War steps next to Sydney Opera House out to Mrs Macquaries Chair and back again, with Mr Abbott finishing in just under an hour.

Geoff Huegill enjoyed his energetic start to the day, telling reporters: “It was quite exciting, it was the first time I've ever had an opportunity to swim in the harbour and what a better day to pick than Australia Day."

Other events in the Swim Series included a Kids 300m swim, the first race of the day with Ky Hurst and Brendan Capell joining the little ones in the water for moral support. The final race of the day was the 2.5km Elite Swim, which saw NSW Kristina Keneally firing the starting gun and wishing swimmers the best of luck as they dived in to the refreshingly cold Harbour waters.

Swimmers were tackling the waves for a worthwhile cause; The Black Dog Institute’s ‘Exercise Your Mood’ campaign was the major benefactor of the Series, with $1 from every entry donated to the program.

Ky Hurst said: “We are blown away with the amazing turn out at this event. The Body Science Great Australian Swim Series has been a vision in the making for Brendan and I for the last two years, and to finally see so many everyday swimmers taking part in the sport which has been so good to us is truly inspiring. Today would also not have been possible without our generous partners and supporters, and our hard-working team of volunteers.”

Today’s event was the grand finale in the Body Science Great Australian Swim Series, with events already held in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. As one of the first Australia Day activities in central Sydney, it was a feature event on the NSW Events Calendar developed by Events NSW on behalf of the NSW Government. Australia’s leading sports nutrition and training apparel brand Body Science is headline sponsor of the event, group buying site Cudo sponsored the 2.5km swim, and the Series was also supported by Blue Seventy, Aqua Shop, Newton Running and oddhistory.com.

Greg Young, Director of Body Science, said: “It’s been an incredible experience to be involved in the first Body Science Great Australian Swim Series. Ky Hurst has been an ambassador for Body Science for a number of years, and we jumped at the chance to support him and the team in this great swimming event – we’re already looking forward to next year!”

Over 700 swimmers raced in Sydney’s Body Science Great Australian Swim Series. Full race results will be published online athttp://www.bodysciencegreataustralianswimseries.com.au/