The History of My Keppel Trident Challenge (2022–2025)
Words by Gary Robinson
After completing my second Rottnest Channel Crossing in 2021, I felt a pull to go further. Distance swimming had taken root in me, and I began seeking a new horizon.
In 2022, Steve Ferguson from Wicked Swimming attended one of Val’s warm water swim camps. Shortly after, he swam around Great Keppel Island. Watching these achievements inspired me to push my own limits.
I approached my coach, the legendary Barb Pellick, and shared my desire to swim further. The idea was ambitious: a three-year project — the Keppel Trident Challenge, aiming to complete three island swims:
2023: Keppel to Middle and Miall Islands (approx. 30 km)
2024: Keppel and Middle Islands (approx. 25 km)
2025: Around Keppel itself (approx. 20 km)
In November 2022, I contacted Val to share my plans. His reply was clear: while people had swum around Keppel, no one had combined it with the other islands. This confirmed that the challenge was truly unique — and worth pursuing.
On 15 October 2023, before attending Val’s warm water camp, I set out for my two-island swim. Clockwise around Middle Island and then around Great Keppel, the water was a perfect 23°C, and conditions were ideal. After 8 hours, 29 minutes, 32 seconds, I touched shore, completing my second island swim.
Looking ahead to 2024, a health challenge emerged. Towards the end of 2023, my PSA levels doubled, and after consultations and a scan on 14 February, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. A PET scan confirmed it was contained, and surgery was scheduled for 19 April 2024.
The swim had to be postponed. After robotic surgery, I faced two months out of the water — frustrating but necessary. Thankfully, the cancer was fully removed, and I was given a clean bill of health, with PSA checks twice a year for life. This setback reinforced a crucial lesson: swimming isn’t just about distance — it’s about resilience, health, and embracing life fully.
Recovery began with Barb’s guidance and a carefully designed program. By January 2025, I was swimming again, building strength through the Rottnest 20 km and Pub-to-Pub 25 km swims, preparing for the ultimate challenge.
On 9 June 2025, I set out from the Spit in semi-darkness, swimming the Infinity course around Middle and Miall Islands, then returning to tackle Great Keppel counterclockwise. Clashing currents, shifting conditions, and creeping cold tested me, and by Putney Bay, fatigue set in. Flicking the mental switch, I pushed through, battling headwinds to finish in 10 hours, 50 minutes, 32 seconds.
After rest and six more weeks of training, the final swim — 20 km around Keppel — awaited on 2 August 2025. With no handler available, Val asked if I trusted him to skipper and supply my feeds. My answer: “Let’s do it.”
The first part was manageable, but the last 7 km brought brutal headwinds and rolling seas. I went head down, long strokes, relying on sheer determination and the encouragement from Val’s team. Finally, battered, chafed, and exhausted, I touched shore.
Time: 7 hours, 57 minutes, 28 seconds.
The Keppel Trident Challenge was complete.
I owe this achievement to:
Barb Pellick, for her years of coaching and guidance
Brant and Tasman, my handlers for the first two swims
Sandra, my patient and supportive wife, who was by my side through it all
Val Kalmikovs, whose vision and guidance made this dream possible
What began as a goal to join the SAK 75 Club became something bigger — and I am deeply honoured to be the first swimmer to complete the Keppel Trident Challenge.
Sandra’s Part in the Journey
This challenge was never mine alone. Sandra walked every step with me — sometimes by my side, sometimes watching from the shore, always creating the space I needed to keep going.
She saw what I often brushed aside: the effort, commitment, and determination that kept me moving when things got tough. She carried the unseen weight — ensuring food was ready, picking up extra jobs around the house, and holding steady through medical setbacks and recovery periods.
She witnessed the quiet doubts and the hard-won triumphs. When I touched shore at the end of each swim, Sandra wasn’t just cheering — she was part of the reason I made it there.
The Keppel Trident may have been my swim, but it was our journey.
