Lani Pallister wins sixth Pier to Pub, Nick Sloman nabs first title in men’s Superfish

Olympic gold medalist Lani Pallister was made to work for her sixth consecutive Pier to Pub title, while two Olympic swimmers went stroke for stroke for much of the men’s race.

Olympians Lani Pallister and Nick Sloman claimed the Pier to Pub Superfish women’s and men’s title for 2025. Picture: Mark Wilson

First-time Pier to Pub winner Nick Sloman has unfinished business.

Not just on the world stage after a disappointing Paris Olympic campaign, but in Lorne too, the 27-year-old hopeful of challenging five-time champion Hayden Cotter in the 2026 edition of the iconic ocean swim.

In Saturday’s men’s Superfish,it was neck-and-neck between Sloman and fellow Olympic swimmer Sam Short for much of the 1.2km race, with reigning champion Cotter missing through illness.

Nick Sloman closes in on the finish line ahead of Sam Short. Picture: Mark Wilson

In the end it was Sloman who emerged first from the water to charge up the beach to victory in 10 minutes and 13 seconds, with Short 10 seconds behind in second as Lorne local Harry Hay rounded out the podium in third.

Aiming to stay with Short, a Commonwealth Games 1500m gold medalist, early, Sloman said he aimed to “do everything right” skill-wise to come in on the inside and hit the beach first for the sprint to the finish.

The 27-year-old’s time fell 11 seconds short of the course record set by seven-time winner Sam Sheppard in 2016.

“I know there was a lot of pressure on my shoulders to get the win today, being number one (seed) entering the race … it’s an incredible achievement for myself,” Sloman said.

“Obviously I would have liked to race Hayden Cotter down here but you can’t fight illness … maybe next year.”

While Sloman tasted gold at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships as part of a relay, individual success has so far eluded him, the Queenslander finishing 11th in the 10km open water final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“After competing at the Olympic Games and not getting the result I wanted, I still feel like I have unfinished business in the sport so I’ll just keep taking one year at a time and achieve the goals I haven’t been able to achieve, like some individual glory,” he said.

A move from Noosa to Melbourne last year has Sloman excited for the next four years leading into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“Being up at Noosa, not having a lot of support, obviously I had one of the greatest coaches of all time with JR (John Rodgers) - being under his tutelage taught me a lot - but coming down here, being a big fish in a small pond with the amount of support the VIS (Victorian Institute of Sport) gives you and the expertise of the coaching staff, I think the next four years is going to be really interesting for me and I think the sky’s the limit really,” he said.

Lorne’s Harry Hay finished third in the men’s Superfish. Picture: Mark Wilson

Perhaps the biggest cheer of the race though was reserved for Lorne local and 20-year-old Harry Hay who snared his first podium finish in the men’s Superfish.

Many successfully predicted Olympians Nick Sloman and Sam Short would fill the top two spots – Sloman eventually besting Short by 15 seconds – though the race for third was wide open.

And it was Hay who won that battle, coming in 10 seconds behind Short, as friends, family and arguably the entire Lorne Surf Club community cheered him across the line.

His time of 10 minutes and 38 seconds put him just ahead of Geelong’s Cam Ricchini in fourth by six seconds.

Swimming this event since he was 13 and in the Superfish category the past three years, Hay said his first podium finish would fuel him to achieve the ultimate – win his hometown race in the future.

“Just being in the race with them (Sloman and Short) and seeing I was close, within a shot, it’s amazing,” Hay said.

“If I could ever win this swim, it’d be a serious dream come true.

“It’d be the peak.”

Pallister joins illustrious company

Olympic gold medalist Lani Pallister entered rare company by winning her sixth-consecutive Pier to Pub title on Saturday.

The 22-year-old became the first swimmer - female or male - to win six consecutive Superfish races dating back to 2018, ahead of men’s swimmers Hayden Cotter and Sam Sheppard who both won five straight.

Lani Pallister emerges from the water first during Saturday’s Pier to Pub women’s Superfish race. Picture: Mark Wilson

Pallister’s win equals Harriet Brown and Naantali Marshall’s six overall female titles, with only Sheppard winning more, with seven crowns outright.

Pallister led from start to finish in the 1.2km female Superfish, though described her 11 minute and 25 second swim as one of her toughest to date, as Geelong swimmer and eighth seed Madison Cooper chased in clear second.

Pallister, won gold in the 4x200 relay in Paris but was forced out of her 1500m individual event because of COVID-19, took confidence from her swim as she looks to build over the next four years towards the 2028 Olympics.

“Adding a sixth (Pier to Pub) is really exciting, it’s nice to come and race early in the season,” Pallister said.

“I had three weeks off in Europe before coming to do this so I definitely knew it wasn’t going to be as easy.

“I think it’s a good reality check that I need to go back to some hard work.”

Entering the race the clear favourite despite her European break, a sixth title was arguably never in doubt in Pallister’s mind.

“I said last year… if you don’t bet on yourself no one else will,” Pallister said

“Nine times out of 10, if I’m going into, especially an ocean race, in my mind I’ll win it, even if I don’t - you have to be confident.

“I probably don’t vocalise that as much as I should, or be as confident as other people think I am.

“I’m definitely someone who needs a lot more reassurance from my coaches when I’m racing.

“But it’s always fun coming back to Lorne… 1200m is the perfect distance for me being an 800m, 1500m swimmer.”

Originally published as Lani Pallister wins sixth Pier to Pub, Nick Sloman nabs first title in men’s Superfish