He has collected two podium finishes in the 2010 Shipwreck Coast Swim Series, narrowly missing out on the top gong.

“I’m the sucker who leads every race to the finish and always misses out on winning,” Russell, 40, said.

“A lot of it has to do with catching waves. If you catch the wrong one it can put you at a disadvantage.

“I’m always hopeful and hopefully there will be a wave with my name on it on Sunday.”

Russell, coach of swimming club B2R, will contest the Tony Ryan Memorial Bay Swim tomorrow, the last of the three-race Shipwreck Coast series.

He finished third in the first race at Port Fairy last month, eight seconds behind overall winner Ryan Jennings. Russell was runner-up to Jennings in the second swim at Port Campbell, with nine seconds separating the two.

He said he didn’t mind Jennings, a former B2R swimmer, beating him.

“Ryan trains with me when he can. I don’t mind the younger fellas beating me. They work pretty hard and being 40 I keep them honest.

“It’s a lot of fun. It’s hard, but always fun.”

Jennings will be looking to snare a hat-trick in this year’s Shipwreck Coast Series. He won the Port Fairy and Port Campbell legs of the series last year, but was pipped at the post by Warrnambool triathlete Kristian McCartney in the Lady Bay leg.

Jennings will not be the only one hoping to take out the series overall. Warrnambool teenager Tarsha Umbers is well placed to clinch the women’s championship.

The 15-year-old was the first female swimmer to cross the finish at Port Fairy and Port Campbell this year.

The 1.4-kilometre race will start at 11am.