WA To Become The Home Of Australian Open Water Swimming In A Major $2.55 Million Coup For The State

WA To Become The Home Of Australian Open Water Swimming In A Major $2.55 Million Coup For The State

The waters of Western Australia are shortly turning into the most recent residence of Australian open water swimming with right this moment’s announcement that the Australian Open Water Championships will return to Bunbury in 2027 and 2028 co-inciding with the information that WA has secured the nation’s first endurance swimming hub – because of a $2.55 Million injection of funds from the WA Government.

The Australian Open Water Championships and Ocean Swim Festival are again in Bunbury’s picturesque Koombana Bay from January 21 to 24, following a profitable 2026 occasion that attracted greater than 1000 swimmers, and in extra of 900 athletes from outdoors the South West area that generated greater than $2.8 million in financial influence.

Currently one among Australia’s strongest areas for open water swimming, the return retains the Championship and mass participation occasion in WA’s South West area for a fifth 12 months, with Bunbury already introduced because the 2028 venue.

WA has all the time been an open water mecca with the Rottnest Island Classic an annual go to for open water swimmers from round Australia and the primary World Aquatics Open Water Championship swum within the Swan River in 1991 and received by the State’s legendary marathon swimmer Shelley-Taylor Smith.

Koombana Bay, Bunbury, web site of the 2027 Australian OW Champs Photo Courtesy Adam Crane (Swimming Australia).

Now it’s synonymous with Paris Olympian and World Relay champion, native hero Kyle Lee – himself a Rottnest Island Channel winner – and a Bunbury native who together with Paris silver medallist and World Champion Moesha Johnson dominated this 12 months’s Australian Championships.

Lee received the 5km and 10km double and spearheaded his North Shore, WA workforce to gold within the 4x1500m relay whereas Johnson (Miami, QLD) – now extensively recognised because the world’s No 1 feminine open water swimmer will probably be out to defend her 5km and 10m titles in addition to the 3km knockout.

Swimming Australia CEO Rob Woodhouse welcomed its return saying: “We are also pleased to return to Bunbury after the success of the 2026 event, and we hope the dolphins that joined our swimmers last time will welcome us back again in 2027 and 2028.”

While City of Bunbury Mayor, Jaysen Miguel mentioned Bunbury was thrilled to as soon as once more welcome the nation’s finest open water swimmers to Koombana Bay.

“The 2026 event was an incredible success, drawing more than 1000 swimmers and delivering a significant boost to our local economy. Events like this shine a spotlight on Bunbury and the wider South West as a premier destination – not just for sport, but for our beautiful waterways, our hospitality and our community spirit,” mentioned Mayor Miguel.

NUMBER ONE: The world’s No 1 open water swimmer Moesha Johnson will probably be again in. Bunbury in 2027.  Photo Courtesy Adam Crane (Swimming Australia)

Koombana Bay’s sheltered waters, our vibrant waterfront and the pure fantastic thing about the South West make Bunbury the right stage for this occasion, and if the swimmers are fortunate, our resident dolphins may simply be a part of them within the water once more.

“With Bunbury also confirmed as the 2028 host, we’re proud to be cementing our reputation as the home of open water swimming in Western Australia, and we can’t wait to welcome swimmers, their families and visitors back to our shores.”

Australia’s first and solely endurance swimming hub to be established in Perth

While Dolphins head open water coach Fernando Possenti has additionally welcomed the  $2.55 million funding from the WA Government to ascertain Australia’s first endurance hub to be primarily based on the Western Australian Institute of Sport in partnership between WAIS, Swimming Australia and Swimming WA.

Certainly an important and well timed injection to take care of Australia’s capability to develop world-class athletes corresponding to WA’s open water Olympian and World Championships medallist Kyle Lee.

DYNAMIC DUO: Fernando Possenti and Moesha Johnson Photo Courtesy Swimming Australia (Delly Carr).

Strengthening Australia’s capability to develop world class athletes, the hub additionally persevering with to  present high-performance alternatives for para swimmers competing throughout different swimming disciplines.

“The timing of this has come at a vital time for our sport. Open water is one of the sports identified as potentially not being part of 2032. Open water swimming is part of Australia’s national identity and it is a sport we have been very successful in,” Possenti mentioned.

“Right now there is a younger generation dreaming of wearing the green and gold in open water for 2032 and today’s announcement helps us to keep this dream alive.”

Perth To Host 2027 Short Course Pool Nationals.

And in one other main coup right this moment for WA, the 2027 Australian Short Course Pool Championships will probably be staged on the Perth High Performance Centre (Perth HPC), marking Western Australia’s first National pool occasion since 2012, with round 500 swimmers anticipated to compete throughout three days in 2027 from September 29 to October 1.

“We are delighted to bring a national pool event back to Perth for the first time in more than a decade,” Woodhouse mentioned.“Perth has a proud historical past of internet hosting Swimming Australia occasions, and we sit up for working with Venues West and Swimming WA to ship subsequent 12 months’s Australian Short Course Championships on the Perth HPC.

The occasions are supported by the Western Australian Government by Tourism Western Australia, with further help from the City of Bunbury for the Australian Open Water Championships.

CEO of Swimming WA, Emily Randall WA mentioned: “Bunbury is the perfect place to host the Australian Open Water Championships and Ocean Festival, bringing open water athletes from across the country together to swim in the beautiful waters in the South West region of WA.”

“It is very exciting to be hosting the Australian Short Course Championships in 2027 at the Perth High Performance Centre. One year out of LA 2028, WA athletes have the opportunity to compete against Australia’s best swimmers on home turf without the usual requirements to travel interstate.”

Western Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, Minister for Tourism, Trade and Investment, The Hon. Samantha Rowe MLC, mentioned securing each the Australian Open Water Championships and Ocean Swim Festival in January 2027, in addition to the Australian Short Course Championships later within the 12 months, highlights WA’s power as a premier vacation spot for world-class sporting occasions.

“These events not only bring elite competition to Western Australia, but also attract thousands of visitors, spectators and support staff which deliver huge economic benefits to our tourism and hospitality sectors,” mentioned Rowe.

“(We) are committed to building a diverse, year-round events calendar that prioritises supporting local jobs and businesses, drives visitation to our regional areas, and highlights the best of Western Australia to the world.”