Jeanette Brits proves that age is no barrier to competing in the annual swimming event at Whale Beach
The Big Swim is back at Whale Beach this January for its 51st year, and so too is last year’s fastest female swimmer, Jeanette Brits. At 63, she completed the 2.8km ocean event from Palm Beach to Whale Beach with a time of 40.25 minutes – the fastest time in the 60 to 64 age category. In fact, her time was quicker than the fastest female competitor in the much younger elite group.
“I felt pretty good in the race and I trained very hard,” Jeanette says of last years’ swim. “I’m not the tallest, the fastest or the most talented, so I have to work very hard to get any result.”
Jeanette swam in pools as a teenager and was a surf lifesaver, but took a long break from swimming over the years as she focused on work and family. She went back to the sport only four years ago, and now trains ‘more or less every day,’ swapping between the ocean and the pool.
Jeanette Brits
Prior to first entering the Big Swim, she hadn’t done any of the ocean races. “So it was a really new and super experience for me to find much later in life,” she says.
“It’s really quite daunting and the nerves still creep up, especially at the start. But then once you get out and into the ocean, everything settles and you can enjoy the experience,” the Balgowlah Heights local explains. “Ocean swimming’s definitely a big challenge in terms of conditions and navigation.”
This year’s event will be held on Sunday 26 January. It has been organised by Whale Beach Surf Life Saving Club, who ensure there are rescue boards, jet skis and inflatable rescue boats on hand to monitor the race, conditions and participants. There will also be marine rescue craft in the water on the day.
For those not confident to take on the 2.8km swim, there’s an alternative, the Big Little Swim. It’s a 1km beginner’s event around ‘kiddies corner’ at Palm Beach.
The Big Swim is part of the Ocean Swim Series, which features five events across various Northern Beaches over January and February. Competitors who complete at least three of the five Beaches swims are eligible to go in the competition to win a Swim the Whitsundays tour.
Jeanette is ready to take on this year’s swim. “I’ll be quite happy to lose or not have the fastest time, but I’ll still give it a go for sure,” she says.
OCEAN SWIM SERIES oceanswims.com
5 January: Newport Pool to Peak Newport SLSC Events: 400m/800m/2km
12 January: Blackmores Billy Swim Bilgola SLSC Events: 500m/1.5km
19 January: Warriewood to Mona Vale Swim Mona Vale SLSC Events: 1km/2.2km
The Macquarie Bank Big Swim McGrath Pittwater Little Big Swim thebigswim.org.au
26 January: Whale Beach SLSC Events: 1km/2.8km
