mmg.com.au

There has been one constant in the Lake Kialla open-water swim the past three years — Hannah Tuohey.

The Bendigo-raised Kew swimmer won her third straight women’s title on Saturday and was fourth overall, just nine seconds behind teenage third placegetter Dean Wilson.

Tuohey’s Surrey Park clubmate Sam Warrick (16 minutes and 42 seconds) claimed overall honours on debut in the 1.5km race.

Warrick, 17, survived a sprint finish against runner-up and defending champion Brad Moore (16:44) to record victory, with Wilson (17:35) and Tuohey (17:44) about a minute further back.

‘‘It was a bit chilly and it was quick. It’s a bit shorter than I’m used to, because 5km and 10km are what I’m used to,’’ Warrick said.

‘‘I was a bit worried about (Moore) because he’s a footy player and he’s good at running and I don’t run that much.

‘‘I race him quite a bit and was just trying to get as much as I could ahead on the swim, so I could sprint home.’’

Box Hill North’s Warrick continued the event’s tradition of producing top-line winners.

The teenager, who has swum competitively since he was 10, won the 16-year-old boys’ national 10km title last year and came second in his age group across the same distance this year.

Warrick’s 14-year-old brother Max, who is also a great prospect, placed sixth in 18:30.

Tuohey, 29, also has a stellar open-water pedigree, having finished top-10 overall in this year’s national open championships.

Natalie Sheffield (22:16) and Molly Thwaites (22:17) rounded out the women’s podium.

‘‘I just couldn’t hold onto Dean, who finished third, at the finish there,’’ Tuohey said.

‘‘I always have a goal of trying to lead them out, which I should stop doing because I hurt too much and they pass me.

‘‘But I was trying to hold onto Dean and he was in my sights, but I couldn’t keep with him.’’

Tuohey, also a talented pool swimmer who was good enough to contest the Australian Short Course Championships in Perth in September, said she loved coming to Shepparton each year.

Category winners among the 78 swimmers were: Georgina Yates (women under-16), Wilson (men under-16), Tuohey (women 16-34), Sam Warrick (men 16-34), Sheffield (women 35-49), Stephen Orr (men 35-49), Jenny Hosking (women 50-plus) and Glen Walker (men 50-plus).