Virtual event keeps Marble Bar residents in the swim

A 20km swim and a 6am start were no deterrents to 21 Marble Bar residents who joined regional swimmers around WA to take on the Virtual Rottnest Channel Swim last month.

In partnership with Swimming WA, the 2016 Virtual Rottnest Channel Swim was held on Saturday February 27 in pools across the state.

Residents of the hottest town in Australia trained for a month leading up to the event and managed to complete the whopping 788 laps required in less than two and half hours.

Among the group were the top three lap swimmers Chris Clarke (136 laps), Lara Pengally (120 laps) and Tim Saunders (100 laps).

Three junior competitors-Layla Clarke, Aimee Crawford and Tegan Crawford-also put in an impressive effort completing 64 laps each.

They weren’t the only junior competitors from the East Pilbara taking on the Virtual Rottnest Channel Swim, with Newman’s Ava McCracken, 6 and Luke Bourke, 9 also giving the six week challenge a crack.

The Newman Primary school students were two of the youngest competitors to take on the Virtual Rottnest Channel Swim this year.

A spokeswoman for the Shire of East Pilbara congratulated all competitors for taking part in the challenge.

To view results for the 2016 Virtual Rottnest Channel Swim, please click here