2025 SWIMMING AUSTRALIA OPEN WATER CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, January 23rd – Sunday, January 26th
- Busselton Jetty, Western Australia
- Open Water
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview #1/SwimSwam Preview #2
- Start List
- Live Results
The 2025 Swimming Australia Open Water Championships kicked off today with the men’s and women’s 10k race, with the competition serving as a selection meet for the 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Championships slated for Singapore this July.
But that’s not the only benefit being hunted, as the top 8 finishers of the men’s and women’s 10k fields were also seeking their share of the $50,000 AUS (~$31,000 USD) prize purse on offer.
The top 8 finishers of the men’s and women’s 10km earned $8000 for the first, $6000 for second and $1500 for third descending down in value to 8th place.
23-year-old Kyle Lee made the most of his racing opportunity, battling all the way to the touch where he snagged the gold just hundredths of seconds ahead of Noosa’s Thomas Raymond.
Olympian Nick Sloman rounded out the podium about 3 seconds back when all was said and done.
This performance represents Lee’s first-ever title in the national open water championships.
You can see the final moments of the fast and furious fight to the timepad here:
WHAT A FINISH 🔥
Kyle Lee and Tom Raymond battle it out all the way to the finish line with Kyle nabbing the Australian Open Water Men’s 10km title 🏆
🗓️ Jan 23-26 (Community Swim – Jan 25)
📍 Busselton Jetty, WA#AUSOW25 | #OceanSwimFestival25 l #WATheDreamState l Swim WA l… pic.twitter.com/vxjIeZBdhG— Swimming Australia (@SwimmingAUS) January 23, 2025
After his victory, Lee told Swimming Australia, “It feels awesome, it was a pretty tough race. We had Nick (Sloman) and Tommy (Raymond) set a really strong pace, so I didn’t know if I would get it, it came right down to finish and I’m very happy that I was be able to just get the touch in.
“I try not to have too strict of a strategy going in. You don’t know what everyone else is going to do, so usually I try to just develop it as the race goes on. We did have really good conditions and I was very happy today to be able to put my best foot forward and get as many points as possile for selection for Singapore World Champs.
“But Australia is so deep in the open water space and, as great as the win today is, it doesn’t guarantee me a spot. I’ll be hoping to go to Egypt and do the best that I can there.”
As for the women’s 10k, it was 28-year-old Olympian Moesha Johnson who turned in the fastest performance, taking the title by just over 30 seconds.
Chandler’s Chelsea Gubecka was the silver medalist while Olympic bronze medalist Ginerva Taddeucci of Italy rounded out the podium.
Post-race, Johnson said, “I haven’t had a chance to have a crack at the Australian title for a while now, not since 2022. So it was really special to be able to claim that title again. A part of my success today was driven by momentum off the back end of last season … but I was stressed today.”
“Singapore (World Championships) is 100 percent a goal of mine and … I’ve got the momentum to hopefully win gold but Singapore will be a really challenging World Championships should I get selected. The water is extremely hot and it’s a very busy schedule, so much can happen between now and then.
“And with the 5km in a couple of days, that’s another opportunity I have to win an Australian title. The 5km title is one that I would really like.
“It’s the first opportunity we have had to qualify for both a 5km and 10km event and we’ve got such a great field now with Chelsea (Gubecka) who has won several medals at World Champs.
“But it’s just so special to be in Australia. I was like wow, Perth, it feels so far away sometimes but when you get here, every time, it’s just so magical. And to be here for the Australia Day weekend, I just don’t think there’s a more iconic location to be able to celebrate it.”
Additional winners included Daniel Carter taking the boys’ 18-year-old 10k and Conor Hayes claiming the boys’ 19-year-old gold.
Ella Reynolds wrangled up the girls’ 18-year-old 10k victory and Esther Davies took the 19-year-old title.
