The Ballarat-born 22-year-old broke his own record from last years race, crossing the finish line for the 2000 metre event in 24.33, 16 second faster than his 2018 time.

The conditions were perfect on Sunday morning, with warm weather and clear skies inviting swimmers into the water.

Halliday believes the more favourable conditions in the water helped his performance.

"Out on the water it was much more still than last year," he said.

"Last year was super windy and cold, it wasn't too cold this year and it was pretty flat which made it easier to pop my head up and check where the finish line was."

Ballarat Triathlon Club President Dale Coutts was blown away by Halliway's swim.

"It was a truly dominant swim," he said.

"I think we might have to handicap him next year," he laughed.

Halliday - now living in Melbourne - only entered the inaugural event as it coincided with a scheduled family visit. Now Swim to the Rings has become a can't miss event for him.

Halliday's closest competitor was Ebony Ebenwalder who finished in second place overall and first among women with a time of 27.54.

After finishing second for the women in 2018 behind winner Kelly Stubbins, Ebenwalder was happy to take out the top spot.

"I'm feeling excellent, it was a really lovely swim today and I'm happy to come away with the win," she said.

"The first 1500 metres were pretty smooth - the wind picked up at the end so it did get a bit choppy but overall it was pretty smooth."

Stubbins did not compete on Sunday.

Both Halliday and Ebenwalter said they were excited at the prospect of defending their titles at the 2020 event.

The swim has only gotten bigger in it's second year, tallying 217 swimmers in total, including a familiar face that may not be so familiar in the water.

Distance-running legend Steve Moneghetti braved the cold water and somewhat unfamiliar conditions to take part in the event. The four-time Olympian crossed the finish line in just under an hour, placing 209th overall.

Coutts was ecstatic about how the event ran and believes the it will only grow from here on.

"We're very happy with how everything ran," he said.

"This event is so special because it's accessible for those non-experienced swimmers - that's the uniqueness and beauty of our course. Around 20 per cent of our competitors were first-time distance swimmers and we expect to only see that number grow."

All times and placings of competitor in the Ballarat Triathlon Club's Swim to the Rings at Lake Wendouree on Sunday:

1 (overall position) Thomas HALLIDAY 24:33 18-29 1 (category position) Male 1 (gender position).

2 Ebony EBENWALDNER 27:54 40-49 1 Female 1

3 Darcy WILLIAMS 28:16 12-17 1 Male 2

4 Kenrick MONK 28:22 30-39 1 Male 3

5 Conor HAYES 28:47 12-17 2 Male 4

6 Shaine WEBBER 28:51 18-29 2 Male 5

7 Jayden GLEDHILL 29:13 30-39 2 Male 6

8 Stephane VANDER BRUGGEN 29:15 40-49 1 Male 7

9 Liam GREEN 29:23 18-29 3 Male 8

10 Glen PIPER 29:26 30-39 3 Male 9

11 Angelica ARMELLINI 29:28 18-29 1 Female 2

12 Samuel ROSE 29:49 12-17 3 Male 10

13 Alyssia JENKINS 29:51 12-17 1 Female 3

14 Callum PARKINSON 30:12 12-17 4 Male 11

15 Greg CHAPLIN 30:42 50-59 1 Male 12

16 Lauren FLEETWOOD 30:50 30-39 1 Female 4

17 Jayde COSFORD 30:52 12-17 2 Female 5

18 Louise WOOD 31:30 18-29 2 Female 6

19 Alexandra CATERIANO 31:34 30-39 2 Female 7

20 Elizabeth COBDEN 32:11 18-29 3 Female 8

21 Tracey HASSELL 32:11 50-59 1 Female 9

22 Grant GILBERT 32:14 50-59 2 Male 13

23 John MASSIE 32:20 50-59 3 Male 14

24 Kate BRAMLEY 32:22 30-39 3 Female 10

25 Morrison CHARLOTTE 32:29 18-29 4 Female 11

26 Meg GESCHKE 32:32 30-39 4 Female 12

27 Jillian MUIR 32:46 40-49 2 Female 13

28 Jack GUNN 32:51 18-29 4 Male 15

29 Darren PRYOR 32:52 50-59 4 Male 16

30 James DAVEY 33:03 12-17 5 Male 17

31 Bevan NICHOLSON 33:11 40-49 2 Male 18

32 Neil WRIGHT 33:14 60+ 1 Male 19

33 Michael HARWOOD 33:27 60+ 2 Male 20

34 Taylor MASON 33:29 12-17 3 Female 14

35 Nick GILBERT 33:36 30-39 4 Male 21

36 Neil WALTERS 33:39 50-59 5 Male 22

37 Bill MOLLOY 34:02 30-39 5 Male 23

38 Johnny STEFANOVSKI 34:02 40-49 3 Male 24

39 Chloe MACAGUE 34:10 18-29 5 Female 15

40 Harry LEATHER 34:13 60+ 3 Male 25

41 Michael URBAN 34:18 50-59 6 Male 26

42 Roy SOLTERBECK 34:23 50-59 7 Male 27

43 Andrew MANTON 34:24 40-49 4 Male 28

44 Raoul MULDER 34:25 50-59 8 Male 29

45 Zachary MEAKIN 34:27 12-17 6 Male 30

46 Emma SPINKS 34:35 40-49 3 Female 16

47 Nick WILSON 34:42 50-59 9 Male 31

48 Adam LOWERY 34:52 40-49 5 Male 32

49 Liz PINCHES 34:54 40-49 4 Female 17

50 Eddie EDWARDS 34:57 40-49 6 Male 33

51 Lucy RICHARDSON 34:57 12-17 4 Female 18

52 Matt OWEN 35:09 40-49 7 Male 34

53 Zac TURNER 35:17 18-29 5 Male 35

54 Sandy IULIANO 35:22 50-59 2 Female 19

55 Hamish CAMERON 35:29 40-49 8 Male 36

56 Adam SAUNDERS 35:29 40-49 9 Male 37

57 Lily JORDAN 35:31 12-17 5 Female 20

58 Ben STOTT 35:32 30-39 6 Male 38

59 Anthony FERGUSON 35:33 50-59 10 Male 39

60 Andrew WOOD 35:37 50-59 11 Male 40

61 Peter VERNON 35:43 50-59 12 Male 41

62 Mark DAVEY 35:47 40-49 10 Male 42

63 Brett ONEILL 35:56 50-59 13 Male 43

64 Spencer EDWARDS 35:58 30-39 7 Male 44

65 Darcy WALTERS 36:00 18-29 6 Male 45

66 Phillip COCHRANE 36:35 60+ 4 Male 46

67 Liam KINGSTON 36:45 30-39 8 Male 47

68 Charlie CHANDLER 36:46 12-17 7 Male 48

69 Rod KILBORN 36:48 40-49 11 Male 49

70 Bonnie AYLEN 36:49 18-29 6 Female 21

71 Jonty KENNY 36:52 40-49 12 Male 50

72 Kevin HARRIS 36:52 50-59 14 Male 51

73 Cecilia BENEDICT 36:58 50-59 3 Female 22

74 Stijn DE VRIENDT 37:03 30-39 9 Male 52

75 James ALLAN 37:08 40-49 13 Male 53

76 Andrew MACKAY 37:28 30-39 10 Male 54

77 Chris CHATHAM 37:30 30-39 11 Male 55

78 Maree MACAGUE 37:39 40-49 5 Female 23

79 Stuart MCINNES 37:49 50-59 15 Male 56

80 Philip SHEEHAN 37:52 50-59 16 Male 57

81 Scott BAXTER 37:52 40-49 14 Male 58

82 Michael LEA 37:55 40-49 15 Male 59

83 Julie KING 37:55 60+ 1 Female 24

84 Caroline CLARKSON 37:55 60+ 2 Female 25

85 Lachlan WARD 37:57 18-29 7 Male 60

86 Russell HAWKES 38:13 50-59 17 Male 61

87 Tom BUCK 38:19 18-29 8 Male 62

88 Troy BAUERLE 38:26 40-49 16 Male 63

89 Linda MASTERSON 38:32 50-59 4 Female 26

90 Amy ISKRA 38:50 18-29 7 Female 27

91 Dean CANDY 38:55 40-49 17 Male 64

92 Oscar WOOTTON 38:59 Swim Aid 1 Male 65

93 Bellinda MIRABELLA 39:15 50-59 5 Female 28

94 Andrew CHADDER 39:20 40-49 18 Male 66

95 Nikki COLE 39:23 30-39 5 Female 29

96 Tara BRICK 39:24 30-39 6 Female 30

97 Patrick HAWKES 39:25 18-29 9 Male 67

98 Tony TORNEY 39:28 50-59 18 Male 68

99 Paul GRAHAM 39:33 30-39 12 Male 69

100 Mike HUGHES 39:36 50-59 19 Male 70

101 Adrian WARMINGTON 39:38 40-49 19 Male 71

102 Mark URQUHART 39:40 40-49 20 Male 72

103 Daniel HARDY 39:44 18-29 10 Male 73

104 Carina LEVISTON 40:04 18-29 8 Female 31

105 Michael EDGAR 40:07 60+ 5 Male 74

106 Nanette BRANDT 40:21 60+ 3 Female 32

107 John GARDNER 40:30 30-39 13 Male 75

108 Jane HUGHES 40:33 30-39 7 Female 33

109 Amelia ELSWORTH 40:34 18-29 9 Female 34

110 Paul TURNER 40:46 40-49 21 Male 76

111 Wendy KINGMA 40:55 50-59 6 Female 35

112 Georgie HASSELL 41:13 18-29 10 Female 36

113 Malcolm BELL 41:25 50-59 20 Male 77

114 Gordon DONALDSON 41:29 60+ 6 Male 78

115 Sarah HAWKES 41:32 18-29 11 Female 37

116 Jared OLSEN 41:36 18-29 11 Male 79

117 Zoran KRSTEVSKI 41:39 50-59 21 Male 80

118 Gert VRIJ 41:43 50-59 7 Female 38

119 Andrew GELJON 41:45 40-49 22 Male 81

120 Daniel DLUGOLENSKI 41:46 30-39 14 Male 82

121 Simon GELJAN 41:46 40-49 23 Male 83

122 Peter EBENWALDNER 42:13 50-59 22 Male 84

123 Micah POOLE 42:15 18-29 12 Male 85

124 Bernie FRADD 42:25 18-29 13 Male 86

125 Brian MCCAIN 42:26 30-39 15 Male 87

126 Dean WATTS 42:27 40-49 24 Male 88

127 Alice RITCHIE 42:29 30-39 8 Female 39

128 Julie KERCKHOF 42:35 30-39 9 Female 40

129 Cameron SNOWDEN 42:37 40-49 25 Male 89

130 Megan HEKKEMA 42:38 18-29 12 Female 41

131 Jason HEKKEMA 42:38 30-39 16 Male 90

132 Danielle BARRY 42:54 18-29 13 Female 42

133 Craig MARSHALL 43:07 60+ 7 Male 91

134 Deanna NEVILLE 43:09 50-59 8 Female 43

135 Alistair FREEMAN 43:15 40-49 26 Male 92

136 Chelsea MACAGUE 43:20 18-29 14 Female 44

137 Jo DAVIS 43:21 50-59 9 Female 45

138 James LEVISTON 43:21 50-59 23 Male 93

139 Brendan SANDERS 43:31 18-29 14 Male 94

140 Trevor LEA 43:46 60+ 8 Male 95

141 Janine DODDS 44:23 50-59 10 Female 46

142 Benjamin MEAKIN 44:24 12-17 8 Male 96

143 Bronwyn MORRIS 44:29 50-59 11 Female 47

144 Denise TAYLOR 44:31 50-59 12 Female 48

145 Paul BURNS 44:47 50-59 24 Male 97

146 Michelle MCCAHON 44:50 50-59 13 Female 49

147 James FORSYTH 44:54 12-17 9 Male 98

148 Troy MCCARTHY 44:56 40-49 27 Male 99

149 Susan ESMONDE 45:02 40-49 6 Female 50

150 Philip MCDOUGALL 45:10 60+ 9 Male 100

151 John HUNT 45:18 60+ 10 Male 101

152 Natalie PETERSEN 45:20 30-39 10 Female 51

153 Siebren VAN DER HARST 45:26 18-29 15 Male 102

154 Stan AYLEN 45:30 60+ 11 Male 103

155 Jennie LEITH 45:43 60+ 4 Female 52

156 Theo KANE 45:49 12-17 10 Male 104

157 Chris JONES 45:50 40-49 28 Male 105

158 Belinda VAN ZELST 45:50 40-49 7 Female 53

159 Matthew DICKINSON 45:56 50-59 25 Male 106

160 Wayne JORDAN 46:07 50-59 26 Male 107

161 Tom URQUHART 46:13 12-17 11 Male 108

162 Danielle KANE 46:13 Swim Aid 1 Female 54

163 Ross GAY 46:14 50-59 27 Male 109

164 Rebecca FLEMING 46:29 40-49 8 Female 55

165 Madeline DODDS 46:36 12-17 6 Female 56

166 Belinda MCNAMARA 46:38 50-59 14 Female 57

167 Bill JEFFREY 46:40 60+ 12 Male 110

168 Lucia HILL 46:47 12-17 7 Female 58

169 Joseph FITZGERALD 46:50 30-39 17 Male 111

170 Alister WARD 46:57 50-59 28 Male 112

171 Lisa GRENNELL 47:01 50-59 15 Female 59

172 Travis MITCHELL 47:23 30-39 18 Male 113

173 Justin POOLE 47:24 40-49 29 Male 114

174 Tanya MONEGHETTI 47:37 50-59 16 Female 60

175 Sharni HUTCHINSON 47:44 40-49 9 Female 61

176 Michael HEINZ 47:50 60+ 13 Male 115

177 Pat GLEESON 47:54 60+ 14 Male 116

178 Michelle WOOD 47:57 40-49 10 Female 62

179 Fluff TONKIN 48:08 Swim Aid 2 Female 63

180 Bridget CLARKE 48:26 40-49 11 Female 64

181 Gin O'BRIEN 48:50 50-59 17 Female 65

182 Louise COOKE 48:52 50-59 18 Female 66

183 Donna BURTON 49:02 30-39 11 Female 67

184 David MAC PHAIL 49:04 60+ 15 Male 117

185 Meredith CARTER 49:06 18-29 15 Female 68

186 Greg HARDING 49:14 50-59 29 Male 118

187 Kirk CINI 49:15 30-39 19 Male 119

188 Sharon PEDERSEN 49:38 40-49 12 Female 69

189 Bill POLSON 50:45 60+ 16 Male 120

190 Caz MCMICKAN 50:53 50-59 19 Female 70

191 Demi CANDY 51:23 12-17 8 Female 71

192 Cam LYNCH 51:28 18-29 16 Male 121

193 Ian JANSON 51:36 40-49 30 Male 122

194 David FORD 51:48 30-39 20 Male 123

195 Jitka DOTZAUER 51:51 50-59 20 Female 72

196 Emma KENT 52:10 30-39 12 Female 73

197 Jocelyn JENKINS 52:30 40-49 13 Female 74

198 Sharon DUNDAS 52:32 Swim Aid 3 Female 75

199 Ian KERR 52:37 60+ 17 Male 124

200 Shashwat MITTAL 52:55 12-17 12 Male 125

201 Michael BUENEN 53:34 50-59 30 Male 126

202 Fraser MURRAY 53:54 40-49 31 Male 127

203 Lexie YOUNG 54:56 12-17 9 Female 76

204 Madeline PLACE 56:00 18-29 16 Female 77

205 John MACDONALD 56:15 60+ 18 Male 128

206 Colin MACDONALD 56:15 60+ 19 Male 129

207 Merv THOMAS 57:44 60+ 20 Male 130

208 Denis CHURKOVICH 58:44 60+ 21 Male 131

209 Steve MONEGHETTI 58:52 50-59 31 Male 132

210 Thomas VELLA 59:59 18-29 17 Male 133

211 Felicity HICKINGBOTHAM 1:01:24 30-39 13 Female 78

212 Alan HANDS 1:01:37 60+ 22 Male 134

213 Allan SPENCER-STEWART 1:02:21 50-59 32 Male 135

214 Justine MALONE 1:02:24 40-49 14 Female 79

215 Neelima REDDY 1:03:10 40-49 15 Female 80

216 Zoe WATHEN 1:05:30 30-39 14 Female 81

217 Warrick STAPLETON 1:21:31 40-49 32 Male 136