Thousands of swimmers participating in the Rottnest Channel Swim have been pulled from the water after organisers were forced to abandon the race due to dangerous weather conditions.
Competitors had been in the ocean for around three to four hours when the call was made on Saturday morning.
Competitors at the start line at Cottesloe Beach on Saturday morning.
“Following the advice from the Bureau of Meteorology, Surf Life Saving WA and Marine Rescue Fremantle, the Association made the difficult decision to cancel the event in order to protect the safety of its participants,” organisers said.
“All participants have been asked to exit the water at 10am due to unsafe weather conditions.”
It is believed multiple people had to be rescued from the water as the event began, compromising medical resources.
“The RSCA is devastated for all our participants,” organisers said.
“Unfortunately, the weather is now categorised as an extreme risk.”
Event organisers said this was the second time in its 34-year history that the swim has been cancelled due to poor weather conditions, with the other instance occurring in 2007.
Swimmers typically start arriving at Rottnest Island, 19.7 kilometres from Cottesloe Beach, after around 3½ to 4 hours, however this year, no one finished.
Saturday’s event was a far cry from last year’s competition, when ideal conditions led to new records in four of the swimming categories.
The last time the event was partially abandoned mid-swim was in 2018 when a competitor spotted a large great white shark swimming along the sea floor.
The scare forced organisers to pull all swimmers within a one-kilometre radius of the sighting from the competition.
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