For Immediate Release
One of Australia’s great open water swims, the Ausbil Palm to Shelly Beach 26 km ultra-marathon swimis on again this weekend.

This year’s event will take place on Saturday, 11 March 2023 and is Australia’s longest marathon swimming event at 26km, starting at the iconic Palm Beach on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, and finishing at Shelly Beach in Manly’s stunning Fairy Bower.

Ausbil CEO Ross Youngman, said: “Ausbil Investment Management is honoured to participate in this iconic long distance swimming challenge. We are pleased to be able to support and sponsor this great event for the third year.”

Initially established as preparation for swimming the English Channel, it’s become a great opportunity for marathon swimmers to participate in this challenging stretch down Sydney’s Northern Beaches. But it’s certainly not an easy one. Solo swimmers get to test their mettle over an extreme distance, practice feeding strategies and experience the mental challenges of a long-distance, endurance ocean swim.

“The swim is genuinely challenging and arguably one of the toughest events on the Australian swimming calendar” says event organiser and marathon swimmer, Tim Garrett.

At the same time, it’s also perfect for swimmers who want to step up from the shorter ocean swims or compete as a team in a relay.

The Ausbil Palm to Shelly Beach ultra-marathon swim is one of the three Australian Triple Crown swims, alongside the Port to Pub Rottnest 25km channel swim in Western Australia, and the Derwent River 34km river swim in Tasmania.

The swim typically takes athletes six to nine hours to complete and the swimmers are often pummelled by large, deep-ocean swells, along a route that is shared with humpback and southern right whales that migrate up and down Sydney’s coastline.

Competing in this year’s swim will be some exceptional international and local swimmers, including four who hold the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming (English Channel, Around Manhattan and Catalina Channel), Abigail Fairman from the US; Melanie Holland from the UK; and Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame legend, Bob Tarr.

Additionally, Ned Wieland is also competing in this year’s swim. Ned is the youngest ever to achieve the World Triple Crown at 16 and the youngest Australian male to swim the English Channel. He also holds the record for the most laps of Bondi Beach, swimming 62 laps or 48kms to raise funds and awareness for R U OK.

Proceeds from the swim will be donated to the Australian Marine Conservation Society.