Twenty-five years ago, a group of swimmers gathered on Bondi Beach for a new ocean swim around Mackenzies Point to neighbouring Bronte.

There were no timing chips, no huge crowds and no way of knowing the Bondi to Bronte would become one of Australia’s most iconic ocean swims.

On November 8, the event celebrates its 25th anniversary and, among the thousands who have taken part since 2001, a very small group can claim to have been there for every single one.

Leonard Gentin, Rozanne Green, Kellie Wheelahan and Tim Ryan have experienced everything from big swells and freezing water to major life moments, family milestones and plenty of changes to the event itself.

But through it all, every year they’ve turned up.

As they prepare to make the journey from Bondi to Bronte for the 25th time, we spoke to the four swimmers about their favourite memories, the challenges along the way and what keeps bringing them back.

Leonard Gentin: 25 years, 25 swims and no plans to stop

Leonard Gentin laughs that completing every Bondi to Bronte Ocean Swim is his ‘claim to fame’.

But after 25 years, rough seas, freezing water, major surgery, a fractured femur and even one particularly wayward swim, we reckon he’s earned the bragging rights.

Leonard was there when it all began in 2001, when Bondi to Bronte was a much smaller and decidedly more low-tech affair.

“It was very disorganised, and there weren’t many people,” said Mr Gentin, remembering his first swim.

“Timing was all manual and very low-tech. I remember it being advertised as one of the first destination swims, which was a magic idea.”

As a member of North Bondi Surf Club, starting at Bondi feels like home ground, but it’s the journey around Mackenzies Point that keeps drawing him back.

“I just love swimming around Mackenzies Point and looking up and seeing that magic view,” said Mr Gentin. he says.

“I mean, how often can you swim around a headland, especially Mackenzies Point?”

“Every year I reach that point in the swim, and I look up and take a deep breath and remind myself how fortunate I am to be doing this swim and have this incredible scenery around me.”

And over 25 editions of Bondi to Bronte, the ocean has given Mr Gentin plenty to remember.

“There was one year when it took me around half an hour just to battle through the surf at Bondi, and another when I was slammed into the rocks coming into Bronte,” said Mr Gentin.

“I came out black and blue and swore I’d never do it again. But here I am 25 years later.”

“There was also another year when the water dropped to 15 degrees, and that was a rough year. I remember finishing but it was freezing, and I’m sure I had a touch of hypothermia.”

But not every adventure has been the ocean’s fault, either.

“One year I swam way out and did 3.5km instead of 2.1km, thanks to my wonderful stroke that only goes in one direction, and it’s not straight!”

“So, that year is one for the memory books and what we laugh about.”

But Mr Gentin’s biggest challenges in maintaining his perfect record have happened away from the water.

In November 2009, he was diagnosed with bowel cancer, with major surgery scheduled just days after that year’s swim. Despite being advised not to race, Leonard was determined to make the start line.

He completed the swim and underwent surgery two days later.

Three more major operations followed over the next year, with the last in August 2010. Yet when Bondi to Bronte came around again, Mr Gentin was once again there on the start line.

That 2010 swim remains one of his most memorable.

“2010 is definitely one of my most memorable swims,” said Mr Gentin.

“I got very nervous during the swim and spoke to one of the lifesavers in a boat, and he said he’d keep a special eye on me, and that got me through.”

A decade later, Mr Gentin’s streak was tested again.

When the 2020 event went virtual, Leonard fractured his femur in a bike accident and underwent major surgery. Still determined to complete the event, he headed to a pool with his daughter and swam the virtual 2.4km.

“It was a long and painful swim, but I did it,” said Mr Gentin.

While Mr Gentin has changed over the past quarter of a century, so too has Bondi to Bronte.

He has watched it grow from a small, manually timed event into a bucket-list swim, complete with bigger crowds, slicker organisation and a post-swim picnic tradition in Bronte Park with family and friends.

And family will make number 25 particularly special.

Mr Gentin’s daughters, son-in-law and friends have supported him throughout his Bondi to Bronte journey, and this November, he’ll once again have his daughters alongside him.

“I just want to finish, and I’m so grateful to be swimming with my daughters,” said Mr Gentin.

“What a blessing it is to have my daughters there by my side and my family supporting me for every swim over the past 25 years.”

Twenty-five years after discovering a little destination swim from his home beach, Mr Gentin still has no plans to stop.

“I’ll keep coming back as long as I’m able,” said Mr Gentin.

“I’m hoping to swim it one day with my grandchildren, who are five, four and two.”

After 25 years, that might just be the perfect next chapter for Mr Gentin.

Rozanne Green: From breaststroker to 25-year Bondi to Bronte veteran

When Rozanne Green lined up for the very first Bondi to Bronte in 2001, she wasn’t really an ocean swimmer at all.

She was a runner who had grown up in Johannesburg, South Africa, far from the ocean. But when the opportunity came to tackle a new destination swim along her local coastline, she decided to give it a go.

So she jumped in at Bondi, pointed herself towards Bronte and swam breaststroke the whole way.

“Back in 2001 I was a runner, not a swimmer,” said Ms Green.

“But I did the Bondi to Bronte anyway, and I breaststroked all the way!”

“Everyone else seemed to be swimming freestyle, but I was determined to get to the end doing breaststroke.”

There was also a deeply personal reason for being there. Ms Green completed that first swim in memory of a friend and triathlete who had died in a bicycle accident at Bronte the previous year and who, Rozanne says, would have been there swimming too.

Little did she know that the first journey from Bondi to Bronte would be the beginning of a 25-year tradition, and an entirely new chapter of her life.

After a waterskiing accident eventually brought her marathon running days to an end, Ms Green took up swimming at 40. Under the guidance, and occasional yelling, of Bondi legend Spot Anderson, she learnt freestyle well enough to join his ocean swimming squad.

Swimming soon became much more than a replacement for running.

Ms Green went on to compete in countless ocean swims and Masters events, win Australian national breaststroke medals, become a member of Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club and, after leaving a career in IT, begin a new one teaching swimming.

“The ocean has become my therapy,” said Ms Green.

And through it all, Bondi to Bronte has remained the non-negotiable date in her calendar year after year.

There have certainly been some memorable editions of Bondi to Bronte in her book.

The 2006 swim stands out as one of the toughest, with wild conditions and numerous rescues throughout the event.

“We older swimmers went last and copped the worst of it,” said Ms Green.

“It was tough, exhilarating and unforgettable. It could have been easy to throw in the towel, but it’s that unpredictability of ocean swimming that really appeals and challenges me.”

“I love being in the ocean, seeing the coastline from a different perspective and enjoying the sea life along the way. Every swim is a little different, which is what keeps me coming back.”

But some of Rozanne’s favourite memories have less to do with conditions and more to do with the people alongside her.

In 2014, her son completed his first Bondi to Bronte, although she jokes there was little chance of them actually swimming together because “he’s way too fast”.

Then came a particularly special experience in 2024, when Rozanne guided Jess, a swimmer who is vision-impaired and deaf, through the 1km event before turning around and completing the 2.2km herself.

For Rozanne, the support of the water safety team that day represented everything she loves about the event: inclusion, community and people helping each other experience the ocean.

Keeping her perfect record intact has also required some commitment.

In 2025, Rozanne attended a family wedding in Forster the night before the swim. At 3 am the next morning, she was up and on the road, navigating bushfire-affected areas to make it back to Bondi in time to hit the ocean for her favourite swim of the year.

“Nothing was going to stop me from making the swim and keeping my 25-year streak alive,” said Ms Green.

“No wedding, bushfires or late nights could stop me from getting to the Bondi to Bronte each year.”

That determination probably shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Ms Green says she has never viewed doing the Bondi to Bronte as a sacrifice. Instead, the date goes straight into the diary each year and becomes non-negotiable.

Over those years, she has watched the event grow, with more swimmers and an increasing focus on safety, while the camaraderie that drew her in has remained.

She has also made lasting friendships with age-group competitors, including swimmers who travel interstate and reunite at Bronte each year.

“It’s such a lovely, supportive community,” said Ms Green.

“Every year it’s like a big catch-up for the ocean swimming community because you get to see everyone from around Sydney but also those who travel interstate and we only see them once a year.”

Back in 2014, Rozanne discovered just how exclusive another little Bondi-to-Bronte community had become when the 12 remaining swimmers who had completed every edition were recognised with a commemorative tea towel.

More than a decade later, she is still among that shrinking group.

So what does number 25 mean to Ms Green?

“It’s pretty special to be part of such an exclusive group,” said Ms Green.

“It’s 25 years of ocean, memories, friendships and turning up, and I have no plans to stop anytime soon.”

“I hope to keep going for as long as I can. I’m incredibly grateful to be able to do what I do and never take it for granted.”

Her message for anyone contemplating their own first Bondi to Bronte is fittingly simple.

“My motto is ‘Yes, I can!’ And my message to others is ‘Yes, you can!’”

After all, 25 years ago Ms Green was a runner standing on Bondi Beach preparing to breaststroke her first ocean swim.

Look where saying yes took her.

Kellie Wheelahan: From a last-minute entry to a family tradition

When Kellie Wheelahan entered the first Bondi to Bronte in 2001, there was no grand plan to begin a 25-year streak.

In fact, there wasn’t much planning at all.

“I remember being pretty relaxed; my husband Shaun and I just decided at the last minute to enter,” said Ms Wheelahan.

“I had no idea what I was getting myself into, let alone knowing I was starting a 25-year tradition!”

Ms Wheelahan had started ocean swimming in her 20s and had enjoyed tackling some of the local Northern Beaches swims the previous summer. With a free weekend and another ocean swim on offer, she figured: why not?

She certainly didn’t imagine that 25 years later she would still be turning up every year.

Back then, Bondi to Bronte was a very different event.

“It was much smaller and less publicised,” said Ms Wheelahan.

“No major sponsors; it had much more of a local swim feel then it does today.”

As the event grew, so did Ms Wheelahan’s connection to it.

Her husband Shaun has completed every Bondi to Bronte alongside her, and what began as something they did together has since become a family affair.

“A really special thing is that now my three children have all swum the Bondi to Bronte, and we have done it as a family a couple of times now,” said Ms Wheelahan.

“That is absolutely amazing to me, and I love it’s a family affair now.”

There have also been years when maintaining that perfect record required a little more determination.

The 2006 event is one Kellie won’t forget any time soon.

“The skies were black, the waves were huge, everyone was getting pummelled coming into Bronte,” said Ms Wheelahan.

“It was absolutely horrendous conditions, and most people just wanted to make it to the end of the swim.”

But perhaps Ms Wheelahan’s most significant swim came the following year.

In 2007, Ms Wheelahan lined up just six weeks after giving birth to her son.

“It was pretty scary to get into the water so soon after having my son,” said Ms Wheelahan.

“I do not think I would have done it, had my record not been unbroken at that stage.”

That streak has only become more powerful motivation as the years have rolled on.

Around the 15-year mark, the Bondi to Bronte organisers contacted the small group who had completed every edition. Suddenly, Ms Wheelahan realised she was part of something pretty rare.

“Knowing I’m part of such a small group of people who have done the swim every year has no doubt motivated me to keep up the record.”

These days, race morning comes with a simple routine: a banana and a strong skim latte, before Ms Wheelahan heads down to the start line once again.

She admits ocean swimming feels a little different now than it did in her 20s.

“When I was young, I was far less daunted, and definitely not as slow as I am now!”

But the enjoyment hasn’t disappeared. If anything, the years have added another layer to what the event means.

What started as a spontaneous entry has become 25 years of swims with her husband Shaun, memorable conditions, an unbroken streak and, most importantly, the chance to share the event with their children.

As Ms Wheelahan prepares for number 25, Kellie says she feels “absolutely amazed, and really proud”.

And there’s no suggestion this milestone will be the last.

“I have no plans to stop this swim, and am actually looking forward to moving up the age groups to the more senior years,” she jokes.

“My current age group is a nightmare as the women who are in this group are so fit and fast! Hopefully in another 20 years, I might be able to move up the leaderboard a bit!”

Twenty-five years after that last-minute decision to give Bondi to Bronte a go, it looks like Ms Wheelahan has plenty more swims left in her yet.

Tim Ryan: More than just a swim

For Tim Ryan, the Bondi to Bronte has never been just about getting from one beach to the other.

Over 25 years, it has become intertwined with family, friendships, volunteering and the Eastern Suburbs swimming community he grew up in.

Born and bred in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, Tim learnt to swim at Bondi Icebergs and spent the late 1990s joining mates from Bondi Surf Life Saving Club for casual swims around Bondi Bay.

So when a new ocean swim from Bondi to Bronte appeared on the calendar in 2001, entering seemed like the natural thing to do.

“We thought we would enter the first-ever Bondi to Bronte,” said Mr Ryan.

“This was my very first ‘formal’ ocean swim.”

He hasn’t missed one since.

That first Bondi to Bronte also opened the door to a much bigger love of ocean swimming. Tim became a regular at events across NSW, from Coogee to Palm to Whale and the South Head Roughwater.

“I love ocean swimming!” said Mr Ryan.

“I am proud of my 100 per cent participation in all Bondi to Bronte swims since the first one all the way back in 2001.”

Mr Ryan remembers those early Bondi to Bronte events as a world away from the slick operation swimmers experience today.

“In the very early years, when you crossed the line, your time was written down on a Post-it note and handed to you,” said Mr Ryan.

“You would then take the Post-it note up to the club where it was recorded on a master list.”

There have also been plenty of reminders over the years that no matter how organised an event becomes, the ocean still calls the shots.

One of Tim’s toughest memories came in the early 2000s when a large Bronte swell made reaching the finish particularly challenging. Many swimmers were pulled from the water behind the breakers rather than attempting to negotiate the surf zone.

Tim decided to make his own way in.

“My route into the beach was interesting and challenging,” said Mr Ryan.

“I came in on the surf sets over the bogey hole and it definitely made for an adventurous swim in.”

Another particularly cold edition provided a very different memory.

Mr Ryan had helped train his eldest daughter Emily’s Nipper group, who had recently earned their Surf Rescue Certificates. As cold swimmers poured out of the water, the young lifesavers suddenly found themselves very busy helping guide them towards the hot showers.

“They were delighted to be the ‘centre of attention’ treating swimmers affected by the cold,” recalls Mr Ryan.

His daughters, Emily and Georgy, would go on to become part of Mr Ryan’s Bondi to Bronte story themselves.

Both my daughters competed in the junior swims before eventually stepping up to the main event. Mr Ryan particularly remembers watching a group of around six to eight young SRC girls, including Georgy, tackle the full Bondi to Bronte as teenagers.

“It was a proud moment,” said Mr Ryan.

“They were very competent ocean swimmers. The girls went hard and were independent. It was tough stuff!”

And they’re not the only members of the Ryan family to become part of race day.

Tim’s wife Louise has spent around 15 years volunteering on the merchandise stall, after being recruited by then club treasurer Roly Tyrell, who apparently told her he could “trust her with handling the cash”.

Mr Ryan himself has also volunteered at the first aid stations at both Bondi before the swim and Bronte afterwards.

“It’s a great way to contribute to the volunteers while still getting to enjoy the swim myself, the best of both worlds,” said Mr Ryan.

For Mr Ryan, helping provide a safe environment for other swimmers has become just as important as maintaining his own streak.

At the 15th anniversary, his perfect participation record was recognised when the club presented him with a commemorative tea towel, a ‘retro classic’ that Tim proudly still has.

A decade later, that streak has reached 25.

But perhaps more important than the number are the people Tim has collected along the way.

“There are many close bonds with the Bronte swimming community I have made over the years, from club members, other swimmers and people I have patrolled with,” said Mr Ryan.

“They are wonderful contributors to Bronte and the broader ocean swimming community.”

After a quarter of a century swimming, volunteering and watching his family become part of the event, Mr Ryan doesn’t hesitate when ranking Bondi to Bronte among the many ocean swims he has completed.

“The B2B is the best event on the ocean swim calendar.”

Twenty-five years, four remarkable streaks and countless memories between Bondi and Bronte. And if these four have anything to do with it, number 25 certainly won’t be their last.

Make your own Bondi to Bronte memories, enter now and join the 25th anniversary celebrations.