Sisters compete for Superfish title in ocean swim

GOLD Coast sisters Mikayla and Kara Bird shared the podium in the open women’s Superfish division at the Byron Bay Property Sales Ocean Swim Classic.

Mikayla won the 2.2km swim from Wategos to Main Beach in 26 minutes and 39 seconds.

Alstonville’s Abbie Yourell was less than a minute behind in second, with Kara placing third.

The sisters were late entries and were competing at Byron for the second time, after Mikayla won the 16–19 girls division last year.

Mikayla, 18, represented Australia at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2023, where she won three gold medals.

Kara, 15, is also progressing through the national junior system and looks set to keep her older sister on her toes.

“My sister stayed with me for a while and did really well, I couldn’t let her win, though,” Mikayla said.

“I just wanted to have a bit of fun out there and see how I would go.

“It’s a little challenging with no black line to follow, but it was a lot of fun.

“I’ve just made the Australian team for the world championships in Romania this year, so things are going well.”

Numbers were up this year, with the Winter Whales organising group recording 913 official entries.

Gold Coast swimmer Christiaan Howes won the men’s division in 25 minutes and 35 seconds.

He finished 15 seconds ahead of Lennox Head’s Maalik Moston, with Finn Casper placing third for the second year running.

A string of Alstonville Swimming Club and Byron Bay juniors won medals for their age divisions in the Chocolate Co Dash 800m mini swim.

The weekend swim was the 38th edition of the event, which has raised more than $1.8 million for the community.

“It is an incredible effort and some of the guys have been involved the whole time,” Winter Whales president Phil Jarvis said.

The local scouts and the Byron Bay Surf Lifesaving Club were the main beneficiaries last year.

The event also supports local emergency services including the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service at Lismore.