Huitenga up to the challenge
Simon Huitenga hasn't swum in the Swan River since this time last year.
And the champion WA open water swimmer says his return tomorrow could not be more perfect.
The BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series will wind up with the Swim the Swan open water challenge tomorrow near the Barrack Street jetty.
Huitenga, 26, finished second in the 10km elite event last year and is hoping to go one better in 2015.
But he realises the challenge will be tougher than ever, with top-class international competition in town for the event.
Huitenga knows only too well what he's up against, having trained with some of the inter- national raiders in recent weeks.
He's even had two Olympians - 2010 world champion Alex Meyer (US) and German Andreas Waschburger - stay with him in the lead-up to the event.
"Both of them raced in London," Huitenga said.
"Whenever I get the opportunity to host these guys I always take it because they've got so much experience.
"A win would be great to build on last year, but it's going to be tough. With a full international line-up like we've got, it's closer to a World Cup-level race now.
"It couldn't be any better.
"It's absolutely perfect for us. We don't have to travel, we sleep in our own beds."
Huitenga does all his training with Perth City at Beatty Park but most of his racing has been in the ocean.
He admits he's not a big fan of swimming the river but his performance tomorrow has huge implications for his year.
Huitenga needs to be a top-four Australian to qualify for the World Cup in Mexico in May. He must finish top two of the Australian contingent there to take his place at the world championships in Russia.
Waschburger, 28, said he decided to come to Perth because he was seeking out the world's best open-water races in a bid to boost his chances for Olympic qualification for next year.
"I will be racing against other world class, open water swimmers and I have a lot of respect for all of them, but I know that I am strong enough to fight for the podium," he said.
"It is a great feeling to be in Perth, taking part in one of the world's top open water races."
