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Ceinwen makes a splash

Ceinwen makes a splash

Open water swimmer Ceinwen Roberts has completed some pretty amazing feats in her life, and she was making a splash in Albany with the masters swimmers at the weekend.

Roberts, who swam the English channel in 12 hours and 55 minutes in 2011 and this year completed a triple crossing of the Rottnest Channel in 19 hours and 6 minutes, was in Albany as a guest of the Department of Sport and Recreation Great Southern.

Her visit was to promote the benefits of Masters Swimming through coaching clinics at Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre on Saturday and at Middleton Beach on Sunday.

On Saturday, 25 people took part in the ALAC sessions, with swimmers getting valuable tips and stroke correction.

Another 18 swimmers took part in the Sunday beach clinic which included a guided swim.

“I love swimming in the ocean and I just want people to get as much out of open water swimming as I do,” Roberts said.

Her love for swimming and the ocean came from her parents who shared the same interest in the sport.

Roberts said the triple crossing of the Rottnest Channel in March was her biggest achievement.

“This was the hardest swim I have done because no one else had done it before, so there was the unknown,” she said.

“It was the hardest, but also most rewarding.”

Roberts has finished in the top three of the annual 19.7km Rottnest Channel Swim three times, and has also done two double crossings.

In June this year she finished third and was the first woman to complete the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 7 hours and 31 minutes, and in September recorded the fastest time of the season in the Catalina Channel of 8 hours and 4 minutes.

Roberts said she cherished the friendships she had made in the sport, and had used her profile to help give back to the community.

“I have raised money for charities through my swimming for Breast Cancer Care WA and Walk Free, a charity ending slavery,” she said.

Masters Swimming WA executive officer Wendy Holtom said Roberts’ achievements had inspired Albany’s swimmers and coaches.