Australian Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming
The Australian Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming is widely recognised as the ultimate test of endurance and versatility in Australian long-distance swimming, combining three of the continent’s most iconic ultra-marathon crosses across ocean, river and channel environments.
Inaugurated on 1 February 2020, the Triple Crown was established to formalise a national challenge that celebrates achievement in the longest and most demanding open-water swims in the country.
It was created in response to the removal of traditional state and Australian 25 km championships, providing a new framework to recognise marathon swimmers tackling major non-pool distances across Australia’s diverse waterways.
What the Triple Crown Represents
Unlike a single annual competition, the Triple Crown is a career-defining achievement, earned not in one weekend or event, but through the successful completion of three distinct ultra-marathon swims that each present their own unique challenges:
25 km Port to Pub (WA): a channel swim from Leighton Beach, Fremantle to Rottnest Island.
24 km Palm to Shelly (NSW): an ocean swim along Sydney’s Northern Beaches from Palm Beach to Shelly Beach.
34 km Derwent River Big Swim (TAS): a river swim from New Norfolk to Hobart’s Tasman Bridge.
These three swims together test a swimmer’s endurance, navigation skills, adaptability to different water conditions, and psychological resilience in ocean swells, tidal flows, long river channels, and coastal conditions.
Completion of all three swims, whether in official race events or approved solo efforts, earns a swimmer a place on the Australian Triple Crown Honour Roll, an elite list of athletes recognised for extraordinary long-distance swimming achievement.
Port to Pub
Established in 2016, the Mader Port to Pub is a premier open water swimming event held annually in Western Australia.
It comprises two open water swim races over two distances from Leighton Beach to Rottnest Island – a 19.7km direct crossing and a 25km ultramarathon.
Palm to Shelly
The 24km ultra-marathon Palm to Shelly swim is an open water swimming event in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
The swim was set up to cater for the various channel swims around the world. The swim starts from Palm Beach and finishes at Sydney’s stunning Shelly Beach.
Derwent River Big Swim
First completed in 1975, the 34km Derwent River Big Swim is a renowned open water ultramarathon swim in Hobart, Tasmania
Starting in the fresh water of Derwent Valley at New Norfolk, swimming under all four bridges that span the iconic Derwent River and ending at the Tasman Bridge
