The 22-year-old freestyle swimmer has taken the plunge at East Beach in the past three editions of the Port Fairy Moyneyana Open Water Swim, winning the 1.2-kilometre ocean swim in 2016-17 and finishing runner-up in 2018. 

In 2018 Horton, who won gold in the 400 metres at 2016 Rio Olympics, was pipped for his third consecutive victory by close friend Jorden Merrilees.

Event organising committee member Paul Buchanan said the World Championship and Commonwealth Games medallist had previously been a late registration for the annual summer event.

“He often spends his summer holidays down this way and we never know until the morning of the race as to whether he will enter,” he said.

“But he has done it in previous years so we will have to wait and see.”

But what Buchanan was able to confirm was the first leg of the series, which moves to Warrnambool on January 19 before finishing in Port Campbell on February 3, had attracted a record number of entrants. 

“We have had the most registrations ever and we are heading towards a big record number of people swimming,” he said.

“We already have around 170 to 180 people signed up and more are expected to sign up on the day.

“We think it has built up a name for itself for being a low-key series and we now have people coming back wanting to do it each year and others signing up to do it for the first time.”

The annual three-leg series offers a 1.2-kilometre swim for eager punters and a shorter 500-metre course for participants who are eager for a quick taste of ocean swimming. 

The weather is predicted to be partially cloudy with a max of 21 degrees, which Buchanan said could attract more swimmers.

Registrations close at 9.30am with the racing set to kick off at 11am at East Beach on Saturday.