Bianca Monaco Conquers the Rottnest Channel Swim
We love celebrating the determination and achievements of our students, and Bianca Monaco (Class of 2024) has certainly given us something to cheer about! Competing in the Rottnest Channel Swim, one of Western Australia’s toughest open-water challenges, Bianca put on a powerhouse performance, swimming 19.7km solo in an incredible 4 hours, 18 minutes, and 57 seconds, earning her the title of First Female Solo Swimmer over the line.
The Rottnest Channel Swim is about grit, endurance, and an unbreakable mindset. Battling unpredictable ocean currents, fatigue, and the sheer mental challenge of such a long swim, Bianca pushed through with the strength and resilience.
This wasn’t her only success in the water. Bianca also made a splash at the Busselton Jetty Swim, where she was the first female to finish and placed 4th overall in the 3.6km solo event. Two outstanding performances, back to back.
How did it feel to cross the finish line first first at Rottnest?
It was a surreal moment, honestly. I felt both excited and tired when I crossed the finish line. It wasn’t just about the race itself, but all the hard work and support that went into it. I had some fierce competition, which really pushed me to be my best on the day, and I was just happy to put together a good race.
How do the Rottnest and Busselton Jetty Swims compare in terms of difficulty and preparation?
Both races had their own challenges. The Rotto Swim was obviously a lot longer, which really tested my endurance, and the conditions were quite rough, which made it quite challenging for everyone on the day. The Busselton Jetty Swim was also tough but had different conditions and required a bit more speed, so the preparation required a slightly different focus.
How long have you been swimming for and what inspires you?
I’ve been swimming competitively since I was 10 years old and it’s something I’ve always loved. I didn’t start open water swimming until I was 13 years old. My inspiration comes from mostly my teammates as they are incredible athletes who are such hard workers and are always pushing me to be my best.
Since graduating last year, what have you been doing and what are your future plans?
Since leaving SMC, I’ve been focused on balancing training and life outside of swimming. Due to being very busy over the past few years with balancing school and training, I have been mostly enjoying some free time and continuing training. I am extremely grateful that I had such supportive teachers and staff at the school, which enabled me to continue training and competing as I completed Year 12. I have started my commerce degree at the University of Western Australia which I am very excited to continue doing for the next few years. For swimming, I plan to continue focusing on some events coming up later in the year. In the long term, I hope to keep learning and improving and just see where that takes me.
If you could give any advice to our Students about Open-Water Competitions, what would it be?
To any student who does open-water swimming or is interested in starting, the most important thing is to enjoy yourself and try as many open-water swims as you can. We are lucky to have so many events here in WA as a part of the open water series with a range of distances from 500m to 10km as well as other races at some of the most beautiful beaches in WA. With every swim, try and learn something new and be better prepared for the next one. No matter your skill level, enjoying the race helps you perform better.Â
We are incredibly proud of Bianca and cannot wait to see where her hard work and dedication take her next. Congratulations, Bianca – you’ve inspired us all!
- alumni, Athlete, BiancaMonaco, BuesseltonJettySwim, Classof2024, Featured, OpenWaterSwimming, RottnestChannelSwim
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
From the President – March 2025
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