Ebony Ebenwaldner, Jude De Silva-Smith crowned overall Shipwreck Coast Swim Series winners

The Ballarat-based open water swimming gun won the fourth and final leg of the iconic swim series on Sunday at Port Campbell in the Jon McLeod 12 Apostles Plunge. It followed wins at Warrnambool, Portland and Port Fairy this summer in a dream month.

Susan Atherton and Macey Kane finished second and third overall in the total series aggregate.

It was the second time Ebenwaldner has won the series overall and said she was delighted to take it out again.

"I'm very happy, as a masters swimmer it's great to be competitive against the younger athletes and also the men as well," she said.

"I'm appreciating the fact that getting older doesn't mean you become less competitive or slower, and particularly if you're female."

Ebenwaldner said conditions were at times challenging on the open water.

"This one was different again. There was quite a big swell from halfway and difficult to see the boys so we went a bit off track," she said.

"There was some big waves so it sort of pushed us in very quickly, so it was a bit rough going at the start but the second half was a lot of fun."

Talented Warrnambool teenager Jude De Silva-Smith, meanwhile, was crowned as the overall male winner of the series following his second win on Sunday. De Silva-Smith also won the Portland leg of the series.

"I'm pretty stoked considering it's one of my first ever series I've been in," he said of being crowned overall winner.

"It's pretty special knowing I have the ability to do that."

With fellow Warrnambool swimmer Sebastian Christie-Crane hot on his heels, the 14-year-old clinched the win and series to cap off an impressive summer of open water racing.

Christie-Crane, who won the Warrnambool leg of the series, finished second overall in the series with the super consistent Thomas Spafford finishing third.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.