Contact & Current Executive
President: Mark Regan - mobile: 0439 975 229 - email: regan1@iinet.net.au
Vice President: Barry Egan - mobile: 0419 989 223 - email: eganb@iinet.net.au
Treasurer: Atholl Flint - mobile: 0417 945 259 - email: athollflint@bigpond.com
Secretary: Tyler Burrows  - mobile: 0433 371 775 - email: twburrows@outlook.com

HISTORY

Fremantle Shivering Shags was formed on Sunday 30 May 1976 when after weeks of talking about it, 17 guys got out of bed that cold winter’s morning and had their first competition swim at Kevin Duff’s pool, on Canning Highway, Bicton.

Club foundation members came from the Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club, the Fremantle Rugby League Club and the Melville Water Polo Club, all with the general intent of maintaining a basic level of fitness over the winter months, through swimming.

Many of the foundation members were part of the Fremantle Rugby League Club infamous ‘Bottle Top Club’.  The ‘Bottle Top Club’ was based upon members being required to carry a [bottle top] at all times, and if caught not having a bottle top, that unfortunate member was required to buy a drink for all members present at that time.  That underlying social attitude remains within the Club.

The Club’s first meetings were held at the Fremantle Rugby League Club’s grounds at Gibson Park, East Fremantle, where the name and logo of the Club were decided upon.  Club meetings were moved to the old Richmond Theatre, East Fremantle, which was a shared facility with local dance groups, gymnastic and dart clubs.

WHO WE ARE

Our inaugural Club President, Brian Wedgewood, was the first ‘Shag’ to compete at the Australian Winter Swimming Championships, held in Newcastle in September, 1976.

At the end of that first season, there were 61 members.

In 1981 the Club moved to the Melville Water Polo Club, on the river, at Bicton, where we remain. Unfortunately, there was actually no useable pool at MWPC until 1982, so swimming at Duff’s continued. Those initial years at Bicton were ‘awkward’, with the on-going building works, and issues with the pool and water quality, but now we enjoy one of the best vistas for our Sunday morning swims.
We currently have about 45 full members who enjoy a season, usually of about 24 official swims, commencing late April-early May, and ending mid-to-late September.  The first swim commences at 8.00am, with pool-time ending about 9.30am, followed by our ‘Shags’ breakfast, and our weekly meeting to update members on what’s happening.

We generally have 2 away swims each season – at Cottesloe Crabs and at Somerset Sea Snakes – and they return the visit, which adds to the camaraderie within the State Winter Swimming competition.

Visiting swimmers are always welcome.