ALDSF 15km race Kingston Beach to Constitution Dock

In 1981 the original "Kingston or Bust" event was conceived by the Kingston Beach Regatta Association with the marathon swim included as the hallmark event of the races. The race to Kingston consisted of running, wheelchair, swim, and even a parachute arrival.

The first swimming event over this course was pioneered and swum by Chris Guesdon on January 17th, 1981. The starting point is the famous Hobart Constitution Dock and finishes at the Southern end of Kingston Beach.

Following the inaugural event significant international races / Australian Championships have been conducted. Many solo unassisted swims and races have been completed over the course using both directions. From Kingston to Hobart and Hobart to Kingston.

The Kingston course was a popular venue for solo swims, with many athletes completing the challenging swim. After the races on this course ceased, solo swims continued to take place, with a significant resurgence in interest in recent years.

In 2015, Dan Curtis from the USA revived the Derwent River Big Swim from New Norfolk to Tasman Bridge, an event that had been dormant for 39 years. This swim generated widespread media attention, including television, radio, and print coverage, which helped to reinvigorate interest in the event.

The introduction of the Australian Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming in 2020, which includes the Derwent swim, has led to a significant expansion of participation in the event. Lynton Mortensen became the first swimmer to achieve the Australian Triple Crown, completing the Big Swim in 2020.

Today, swimmers continue to complete the Hobart to Kingston swim as solo events, rather than races. Some notable swimmers who have completed the Kingston swims in the Derwent River include:

- Chris Guesdon (TAS)

- Graeme Bruce (NSW)

- Dick Campion (TAS)

- Dan Curtis (USA)

- Philip Rush (NZ)

- John Koorey (NSW)

- Helen Watson (TAS)

- Darren Tullberg (VIC)

- Matthew Watton (TAS)

- Richard Jones (NSW)

- Anita Kilmeister (VIC)

- Rod Watkins (TAS)

- Samantha Poulson (TAS)

- Don Hayward (TAS)

- Karen Bisley (NZ)

- Debbie Clark (NZ)

- Sheryl McClay (NZ)

- Paul Simms (VIC)

- Deacon Spicer (TAS)

- Duncan Smith (NSW)

- Stephen Donnelly (QLD)

- Craig Riddington (NSW)

- Guy Leitch (NSW)

- Tim Donkan (NSW)

- Penny Fookes (NSW)

This article was written by Susanne Guesdon, a member of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) and the Australian Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (AMSHOF)