Article from the Post Newspaper March 17th written by David Cohen
A Christ Church Grammar School student will be competing with an Olympian and a world champion at the North Cott Splash n Dash next Saturday. The fundraising event is run by North Cottesloe Primary School.
Harry Hewitt (16) won last year’s inaugural event and on March 24 he will be up against
Olympian Jono Van Hazel, under-19 world aquathlon champion Rahul Jegatheva, women’s open-water swimming star Jaime Bowler, and Port to Pub founder and legendary Rottnest swim participant Ceinwin Roberts. “I got into swimming when I started nippers at North Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club,” Harry said. “I wasn’t a very good swimmer so my dad took me to Rick Turner’s training squad, where Jaime Bowler still trains. “I am definitely a swimmer and not a runner. “I’m training for the interschool championships and the national championships next month.”
Jaime and her husband and children, aged eight and 10, will also take part this year.
Organisers tinkered with the event’s format after last year. The long event (for 14 years and older) involves a 1km swim and 1km run. Ages 10 to 14 do a 150m swim and 500m run while ages six to nine swim 50m and run 250m. This year, entrants are able to do the long event as a relay. “The short event is in shallow water, so parents can accompany kids,” race director Kath Conway said.
Participants can register on the day at North Cottesloe beach between 6.30 and 7.30am. Proceeds go to running next year’s event, North Cottesloe Primary School and Melanoma WA. Last year 350 participants raised $10,000.
