For Rachel Woods, every Busselton Jetty Swim reflect where she is in life and tells a story about the different seasons of her life
Her Jetty Swim story began in 1996, the day after she moved to Busselton. She hadn’t even unpacked when she found herself on the foreshore cheering on the swimmers in our first-ever event. She vowed to join them the following year, but when the day arrived she was on the sidelines again – this time with a newborn in her arms, cheering on her husband instead.
She finally swam her first Busselton Jetty Swim in 2003, and since then has completed every distance. She’s taken on the 3.6km solo swim 18 times and competed in the duo with both her brother and her son.
After breast cancer surgery in 2022, she completed the 500m swim as she began her journey back to health. She’s also swum the One Mile Swim to Shore twice, supporting other recovering cancer patients along the way and reminding them: “Chemo was harder. We can do this.”
Rachel still believes she has another solo swim in her future and dreams of doing the team swim with her kids, but this year she’ll walk to the end of the jetty and take on the One Mile Swim to Shore.
We’re so glad the Busso Jetty Swim is part of your story, Rachel, and we can’t wait to cheer you across the finish line.