For the first time in its 34-year history, the Rottnest Channel Swim was abandoned mid-race on Saturday.
Swimmers were forced out of the water just kilometres from the finish line due to extreme weather.
The event was initially given the green light in the morning but conditions quickly deteriorated, sparking a string of emergency rescues.
More than 2000 participants were forced to flea the water as rough conditions rocked the Rottnest Swim.
Conditions making it anything but smooth sailing for emergency services, with several swimmers needing to be rescued by boats – some, semi-conscious.
One woman was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital, while a man was taken Fremantle for treatment.
“It was really choppy and what really happened as a swimmer you couldn’t get a direction so you were really being led by your kayak,” participant Emma Pass told 9News.
“It just felt like getting slammed against a brick wall every stroke,” another participant said.
The iconic event was cancelled just four hours in, with the Rottnest Channel Swim Association sending a message to participants, saying “weather conditions have deteriorated and medical resources are compromised”.
“For the safety of the event every participant who has not reached the 14 kilometre mark must immediately evacuate the water,” the notice read.
Association president Kirsty Bellombra said organisers had been paying close attention to the on-going weather situation.
“We were watching it closely, we know it was going to deteriorate but unfortuantley it deteriorated more than we had hoped,” Bellombra told 9News.
Five people managed to cross the finish line but their efforts were not officially recorded.
It was a devastating blow for many, especially for those travelling from as far as Canada and the UK to take part.
“We were confident to keep going but unfortunately they’d run out of emergency services, so for safety for everybody they had to pull the pin,” participant David Kane told 9News.
Despite being cut short swimmers are still eager to come back.
“It’s not been their year this year but there’s always next year and you can’t change the weather,” Kane said.
