Teenagers take out Pier to Pub titles

JUNIOR talent triumphed at this year’s Pier to Pub, with two Queensland teenagers leaving Olympic rivals and defending champions in their wake.

Hayden Cotter and Lani Pallister proved too good for the world-class swimming field in this year’s staging of the event.

Olympic superstar Mack Horton was relegated to another silver medal in the men’s open race, denied by the 16-year-old from the Lawnton Swim Club.

Defending champion and seven-time Pier to Pub winner Sam Sheppard finished sixth, 20 seconds off the pace.

Cotter is ranked second in his age group in the country for open water swimming and won by five seconds in a time of 10 minutes and 54 seconds, outside Sheppard’s race record of 10.02.

Pallister is the 15-year-old national age champion for the 200/400/800 freestyle and won six golds at the Australian Surf Championships in 2017, recording a time of 11.45 in the women’s open race.

The Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club swimmer had never been to Victoria before, and took the title in her first attempt at the Lorne event.

Defending champion Harriet Brown was second, with US lifeguard Kelsey Cummings rounding out the top three.

The 38th edition of the famous swim saw 5,000 competitors tackle the 1.2-kilometre course from the Lorne Pier to the foreshore.

Jackson Thurlow won bragging rights for the Geelong Football club, beating home some of his team-mates to be the fastest Cat in the water with 18 minutes and 23 seconds.