Bondi beach HYPOTHERMIA attack shuts down famous race

Sydney’s famous Bondi to Bronte summer swim has left dozens of racegoers requiring medical attention after suffering hypothermia.

Entrants had to be plucked from the water, with at least 25 people treated for the condition and three rushed to hospital, 7 News reports.

While temperatures soared to nearly 30C on Sunday, in the water it was a different story with the mercury tipping just 15C.

This year marked the 17th edition of the annual swim, which kicked off around 9.30am at Bondi Beach.

Event organisers expecting cold water conditions warned swimmers to brace themselves, even allowing them to wear wetsuits for the first time in the event’s history.

With the water temperature seven degrees lower than December’s average, the course was also shaved from the usual 2.1km to just 1.8km.

Some swimmers had to be pulled from the water by jetski, with 13 people treated by NSW paramedics who set up a triage centre on the sand.

While the mercury tipped nearly 30C on Sunday, entrants faced water temperatures of just 15C as they began (pictured), with 13 people later treated by NSW paramedics and three rushed to hospital

Surf Life Saver Chris Lorang told Seven News that ‘the further out you get the colder the water is’ and that some of the competitors had to be plucked from the waves by jetskis

Plenty of swimmers could be seen shivering as they left the water, with some wrapping blankets around them as they tried to warm up.

‘It’s a big swim and the further out you get the colder the water is,’ Surf Life Saver Chris Lorang told Seven. 

‘It depends on how used to the water you are (and) how much body mass you’ve got, those can be factors in getting hypothermia.’ 

Some soldiered through the cold to claim victory however, with Ollie Signorini taking out the men’s title with a time of 19 minutes and 27 seconds.

While Kareena Lee was crowned the champion o the women’s leg, recording a time of 20 minutes and 49 seconds.