Race to Rotto
The Rottnest Channel Swim is more than just a race – it’s a West Australian rite of passage. For those who enter, it’s a story of teamwork, grit and the thrill of completing one of the most iconic open-water swims.
WORDS Anna Christensen
PHOTOGRAPHY Mauritius Images / Alamy
THE STORYTELLER
Abigail Colman, Sales and Marketing Executive for Rottnest Express, is doing the swim next year for the first time.
As the sun rises over the Norfolk Pines on Cottesloe Beach (Mudurup), thousands of figures in swim caps plunge into the Indian Ocean. They’re about to brave the epic 19.7 kilometre race to Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) – one of Western Australia's most iconic events.
“You just have to say Rotto Swim and everyone knows what you're talking about – it's a major event for West Aussies,” says Abigail Colman, Sales & Marketing Executive for Rottnest Express and a first-time entrant in next year's South32 Rottnest Channel Swim, slated for 22 February.
Since swimmer Gerd von Dincklage first crossed from Fremantle (Walyalup) to Rottnest in 1956, the event has grown into an annual tradition that draws upwards of 2,000 participants per year and even more spectators. It’s so popular that a second event, Port to Pub, was created for those who miss out. But it’s not the kind of event you can enter on a whim. The swim requires rigorous training – soloists prepare by training (on average) between 15–40 kilometres per week, while duos clock around 10–30 kilometres.
Luckily, you don’t need to be a pro swimmer to participate. Colman, for example, has banded with her family as a team of four. “Mum did a duo a few years ago, and I thought, 'I could never do something like that,’” she remembers. “She was aiming to do it as a solo at 62 but got injured, so I said, 'Let's do it as a family.' It's pretty special.”
While swimmers have fundraised at the event since 2010, the introduction of online fundraising service Grassrootz in 2022 saw a massive increase in charitable donations – strengthening that community feel-good factor even more. “You see all sorts of people doing it, whether it's a master swim team in their 60s or 70s, families, friends… It really brings people together,” says Colman.
Regardless of whether you’re swimming solo or cheering from the sidelines, the Rottnest Channel Swim is all about teamwork, with a network of paddlers, skippers and support crew playing a vital part in keeping swimmers safe. While the turquoise waters look idyllic, shark sightings, cyclonic conditions and rough waters have caused evacuations and cancellations in previous years. Hypothermia is another risk participants need to prepare for. But swimmers who complete the crossing will find well-earned rewards. Rottnest Island is a car-free paradise, circled by 63 beaches, each more gorgeous than the next. "You can get what you have in Bali but at a local level," Colman says. Snorkel in secret lagoons, rent a bike to cycle around the salt lakes or check out the wonderful wildlife. Colman suggests refuelling after the swim with a “to-die-for” jam doughnut from the bakery or a frosty beer at Hotel Rottnest. “If you swim on the day, you get priority access to the bar,” Colman says. It goes off into the night with music and entertainment. Nearby, Samphire Rottnest is a beachfront bar and hotel with a barefoot-luxe vibe (quite literally – you can sip cocktails with the sand between your toes as the sun goes down).
But nothing beats the adrenaline once you cross the finish line and emerge onto the sand, the sun warming your back. "I don't think I'd be getting in the cold pool at night if I didn't have something to work towards,” says Colman. “You do it for that feeling when you make it to the island at the end, and you can say, ‘I did it.’”
Gerd von Dincklage becomes the first person to complete a recorded crossing of the Rottnest Channel.
Lesley Meaney becomes the next swimmer – and the first woman – to complete the feat. She swims from Natural Jetty to North Mole.
It’s the first official Rottnest Channel Swim race with 44 entries (16 solo swimmers and seven teams of four), kicking off the tradition.
Rottnest Channel Swim becomes the world’s largest open water swimming event, attracting 1,150 competitors.
2,022 people enter the competition – so many, an event management consultant and Royal Lifesaving WA come on board to manage the event.
People with disabilities are welcome to participate with allocated reserved team places.
The Virtual Rottnest Channel Swim begins. This gives swimmers unable to compete the opportunity to replicate the race in their local pool.
The Swim celebrates its 20th anniversary. For the first time, swimmers can raise funds for a charity of their choice via Everyday Hero.
Multiple records are broken, including Solomon Wright’s male solo record of 3:59:28.
Fundraising platform Grassrootz is introduced, leading to a huge spike in charitable donations and bringing together the community even more.