Episode #6 - The Australian Triple Crown

Here's What you Missed !

This week on After Swim, we covered a wide cross-section of the global open water swimming community — from high-altitude swims and remote expeditions to major Australian events and meaningful milestones.

We also set out to dive into one of our biggest topics yet… but like many swims, things don’t always go to plan. The conversation took us where it needed to go, and we’ll be carrying part of it into next week.

🌊 This Week In the Water

We took a global look at what is happening across the open water world,

including:

• Dina Levacic’s 30th birthday swim in Lake Titicaca
• Momentum continues around circumnavigating St Helena, with Angus McPherson completing the challenge
• Miu Tanaka becoming the first woman to swim the 26km length of Lake Yingina
• Val Kalmikov’s Wild West Series and the remote Tasmanian challenges
• Port to Pub continuing to grow
• The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships at North Kirra, and potential inclusion in the 2032 Olympic Games
• World Water Day highlighting global water sustainability and access

🏊 in The Main Set: The Australian Triple Crown

This week we explored the Australian Triple Crown and some of the most iconic marathon swims in Australia, unpacking not just what these swims are, but what they represent.

We spoke about:

The origins of the Australian Triple Crown and its role in recognising achievement across three of Australia’s most demanding swims.
The evolving landscape of marathon swimming in Australia and the role of Marathon Swimming Australia

Port to Pub
What the event is and how it has grown since 2016
The scale of participation today, from solo swimmers to large teams
How it compares to Rottnest and what makes it a unique experience

Derwent River Big Swim
Its history, including Des Renford’s 1975 swim
The revival of the event and its inclusion in the Triple Crown
The defining features of the course, including the four bridges
Personal reflections on cold water and night swimming

Palm to Shelly
What the event involves and why it stands out
The atmosphere and accessibility of the swim
The broader ecosystem created by Another Level Performance

💙 Weekley Wisdom: How to Choose Your Next Swim

This week’s intended focus was on post-event recovery, something many swimmers overlook once the swim is done.

Because we spent a little more time than anticipated in the Main Set, rather than rushing it, we’ve chosen to carry this conversation into next week, where we will explore greater depth

Live Q&A with Andy & Jay

We answered a great question from the community:

Why is the hardest part often just getting to the pool and getting in?

This opened up a broader conversation around mental resistance, consistency, and the internal barriers that show up before the swim even begins.

Words of the Week

“Excuses make today easy, but they make tomorrow hard. Discipline makes today hard, but it makes tomorrow easy.” – Michael Oher

A final thought we left with:
What you do in the days after the effort, determines how long the effort stays with you.

If you missed it live, the full replay is now available;

Click here

Thank you to everyone who joined us live and contributed to the discussion.