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2km Ocean Swim – Bondi Beach
(click your team name to view your results)
The flagship event on the Sydney calendar certainly crept up on us. It seems like October was just yesterday. With all the entries collated and delivered, our group awaited the day to arrive. What a day it proved to be as well. Bondi was glistening with perfect conditions for swimming. Sorry Mealey, no excuses this year.
The group started to pour in as the hype of the event grew. By the time the elites crossed the start line, we were a significant group,
all sharing past stories and aiding in alleviating the collective stress starting to build.
The Cole Classic seems very different than other ocean swims we take part in. I’ve been trying to pinpoint that difference, however, without much success. Is it the
number of swimmers?, the location?, the fact that HG is on the mike? maybe because Sal Job flies in from Brisbane? Whatever the reason, this 2km swim seems to mean more to our collective community than the dozens of other swims on the calendar.
So here we all stand, facing the multitude of multi coloured caps standing awaiting their fate… “How will your Cole Classic rate this year?” The added sentiment of the event draws interesting difference in reaction. Some thrive on the competition of the day and come out firing with all they have to give. Others tend to shy away from the enormity of it all and take leisurely wide turns around the
'p shaped course'.
As I am relatively new to the amazing phenomenon of ocean swimming and the community that comes with it, I like to stand back and try to take something in that each event provides. I find that the Cole provides a very unique experience. I find the experience to be less nature based and more social based; much less of what the natural environment provides on the day and more of what the mass of individuals might provide. Everyone knows Bondi. As this is true, the Cole Classic seems to be a focus more on the ‘external encounter’ than the ‘internal
experience’.
With this in mind, I set out to challenge this trend by focusing my own experience on the ‘community’ of the swim instead of its
‘competition’. Wasn’t I lucky to be surrounded by the cast of characters that I was for this undertaking. Watching the thoughts tick by behind the focus in everybody’s eyes was a treat
for me. Our group, as well as the multitude, tended to wear their concerns on their facial expressions.
The Cole Classic is a special event because it brings SOMETHING new out in almost everybody. I consider myself fortunate for the ability to share
these ‘somethings’ among such a wonderful group of friends.
My individual ‘something’ was to experience true swimming talent through determination while swimming alongside James Pittar. His courage and enthusiasm never ceases to impress. Thanks, James.
Congratulations to our whole group for having the courage to have a go on the
day and to open to an experience that requires a certain resolve just to take part.
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