SYDNEYSIDER Lochie Hinds, who is the youngest person to swim the English Channel, won the Head2Head ocean swim double at Black Head.
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Hinds, now 20, was 16 when he negotiated the channel. He regularly contests ocean swims in the Sydney northern beaches area and he took out the 700m and the 1500m events at Black Head.
Hinds clocked 20.24 in winning the 1500m event from Max Milligan in 20.55 with Julian Boag third. This was the first time Hinds has contested the Head2Head. The 700m race saw Hinds (7:38) lead the field across the finish line in the men's overall category ahead of Julian Boag (7:50). Max Milligan (7:57) rounded out the top three.
"It's a great local swim,'' Hinds told officials after the races.
"The weather was perfect and so were the distances for both.''
Hinds indicated he will returned to Black Head.
Port Macquarie's Carolyn Turnham defended the 700m and 1500m titles won last year.
Turnham was pushed in both races, with the 700m swim proving to be a very tightly contested race. Turnham (8 minutes 35 seconds) defeated Taylor Sargeant (8:38) by a narrow three second margin. Anne Kirkwood (9:33) followed them in third place.
Just 20 seconds separated the top three women in the 1500m race. Turnham (22:55) once again edged Sargeant (23.12), who also had to fight off a big challenge from Katarina Kladis (23:15).
Turnham told race director Scott Crawford that it was the best ocean swim she's contested.
The day started with the ski paddle race, a 12km triangular course heading 2km out to sea before turning in toward the northern headland and back to the surf club.
The doubles team Sara Telling and Gary Henderson took first place with Daniel McLachlan finishing first in the single ski.
The Head2Head also attracted another English Channel swimmer. John Koorey was the first Australian male to cross the English Channel when he was 25. Now in the 70+ race category, John participated in the Head2Head for the third time this year.
He has a more relaxed approach to the sport these days.
"The main thing is doing it you don't need to win,'' he said.
"When I was younger my goal was to win. Now my goal is to come last and I'm getting closer."
Major sponsors for the day were LJ Hooker Hallidays Point and Walker Legal of Taree.
