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How to… How A PLAN SEA SWIM

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OUTDOOR SWIMMER MAGAZINE ○ ISSUE 34 ○ JANUARY 2020 outdoorswimmer.com

WELCOME Editor’s letter Founder & Publisher Simon Griiths [email protected] +44 (0)7958 312607 appy New Year! Editor Marketing While most Jonathan Cowie Yvonne Turner H magazines are [email protected] [email protected] peddling some version Contributing Editor Sales Managers of 'New Year, New You', Ella Foote Sharon Tice once again at Outdoor [email protected] [email protected] Swimmer we are planning +44 (0) 7947 148 422 our 'New Adventures'. Editorial Assistant Forget the diet, pore over Luke Chamberlain Joanne Jones [email protected] [email protected] a map and lick through +44 (0) 7545 387 979 our pages for some 2020 Design swimspiration! Juliet Boucher Production Support hink of wild Stuart Churchill swimming and the mind conjures up remote Scottish lochs and Contributors Cassie Paten, Elaine K Howley, Susanne Masters, Pete Kelly, Alice beautiful secluded bays, Goodridge, Simon Murie, Helen Davis, Kathy Findlay, Keri-anne Payne, yet not all of us are lucky enough to live out in William Thomson, Emma Pusill, Peter Springet, Dawn Springet the wilds. In this issue's urban travel special we explore the outdoor swimmign spots of Berlin Subscriptions and follow a swimmer on her marathon swim Outdoor Swimmer Subscriptions, Warners Subscriptions around New York. West Street, Bourne, Lincs, PE10 9PH his issue we introduce a new feature, Swim +44 (0) 1778 392467 Life, about swimmers who have been inspired [email protected] by water to create products, artworks or to mymagazinesub.co.uk/outdoor-swimmer change their life completely. If this is you, get in touch – we would love to share your story. Outdoor Swimmer Magazine is published by Swim wild and free, ZG Publishing Ltd 6 Maida Vale Business Centre, Mead Road Cheltenham, GL53 7ER Printed in the UK by Pensord Press Ltd on behalf of ZG Publishing Ltd. All paper used in this publication is sourced from well-managed, sustainable forests and is fully recyclable. Please consider the Jonathan Cowie environment and recycle this magazine once you have inished with it. Editor

CBP000891 Distributed by Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street, Get in touch… Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH. 01778 395043 Email me at editor@ ©ZG Publishing Ltd 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be outdoorswimmer.com or connect used or reproduced without the writen permission of the publisher. ZG Publishing Ltd (Company registration no. 3799982) is registered in England and Wales. on social media. It’s good to talk! Registered oice: 6 Maida Vale Business Centre, Mead Road, Cheltenham, GL53 Worldmags.net7ER. All content is provided for information only and, while we take reasonable eforts to ensure its accuracy, we cannot guarantee it. Views expressed are outdoorswimmermagazine not necessarily those of the publisher. ZG Publishing is not an expert provider of medical advice. You are advised to seek professional medical advice before swimming if you have any injuries or medical conditions. Open water swimming does @outdoorswimmer involve a level of risk and you are advised to take appropriate precautions. For more tips on open water safety, please see: outdoorswimmer.com/ @outdoor_swimmer open-water-safety

outdoorswimmer.com outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 3 IN THIS ISSUE CONTENTS Regulars 6 TEAM TALK 8 PHOTO CONTEST 14 OPEN WATER NEWS 18 YOUR LETTERS 20 #SWIMWILDANDFREE 22 VIEW FROM THE WATER 24 SIMON MURIE 26 WILDLIFE AND SWIMMING Caddisly 27 COMPETITION Win a stay at Another Place, The Lake 28 THIS MONTH WE SWAM WITH... The Supermares 46 SWIM LIFE Siân Jenkins 88 TALES FROM UP NORTH The Tarns of Lakeland 90 MY SWIM STORY Whatever the outcome of Brexit and the election, the river is always there Features 30 2020 SWIM GUIDE A guide to this year’s must- do swims 38 FROM BOG TO BEACH Jasmine Tribe and her campaign to reduce single- use plastic 40 MULTI-TALENTED The history of multi-way crossings of the English Channel

4 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN January 2020

72 Excel Explore 50 COACH CASSIE 67 TRAVEL NEWS Our resident Olympian 68 BERLIN Cassie Paten answers Exploring the land of your swimming queries 3,000 lakes 52 SUPERMAN TURNS 72 NEW YORK Keri-anne Payne shows The 20 Bridges swim the most eicient way to turn around a buoy 58 56 HOW TO PLAN A SWIM Events How to plan a sea swim around tides, currents, 76 MARATHON SWIMS wind and swell 78 EVENT LISTINGS 58 PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES A swimmer and scientist Gear perspective on ice swimming 83 TRIED& TESTED: 60 SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING AIDS Winter swimming prep 62 NEW YEAR, NEW HABITS Recipes to kick-start your 40 New Year training plan outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer |JANUARY 2020 5 THE TEAM'S NEW YEAR'S TEAM TALK RESOLUTIONS All the latest news from Outdoor Swimmer Towers! Jonathan Cowie, editor NEW YEAR, NEW ADVENTURES This year I fancy doing some n this issue of Outdoor Swimmer we choose our top swim classic long choices for 2020 – whether you are new to open water and I distance swims looking to enter your irst outdoor – Windermere is swimming event or you want a big deinitely on challenge for the new year. Plus, turn to the back of the magazine for our usual my list. comprehensive event listings – there's no Ella Foote, excuse not to make 2020 your year for swimming adventures! contributing editor Unsung heroes I am focusing Outdoor swimming is all about on tackling my community, so we want to celebrate the swim itness Unsung Heroes who make a diference to in 2020 ater too your outdoor swimming world. Send us many dips and cakes, not nominations for your Outdoor Swimmer enough miles swam. Unsung Heroes and the successful heroes will be featured in the February issue of Simon Griﬃths, Image: Katia Vastiau Outdoor Swimmer magazine. Whether publisher it's a member of your club or group who works tirelessly behind the scenes, a swimmer who inspires Eat well, sleep Who is your you on to greater things (and swims), your group's best baker, a well and train outdoor campaigner, an inspiring coach... nominate whoever you think consistently, deserves recognition for their contribution to outdoor swimming and to do at swimming and the outdoor swimming community. Email editor@ least one new outdoorswimmer.com to tell us who you nominate and why. swimming hero? Jonathan Cowie and swimrun Editor adventure. Joanne Jones, sales executive To faf/complain Challenge of the month! less before Cold water geting in. I always enjoy it tan! so I should just Who has the most get on with it. impressive cold water tan? That lobster pink efect that Luke only swimming in cold water Chamberlain, editorial can give you. Swim wild and assistant freezing and tag your lobster I am looking pics with @outdoorswimmer forward (I think!) on Instagram. to swimming #challengeothemonth my irst open @wardenolove shows off water mile at her lobster tan! the Outdoor Swimmer Henley Swim Festival.

READER PHOTO CONTEST

8 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN

EDITOR’S READER PHOTO CHOICE CONTEST

Whether wild swimming in Scotland, dipping in an urban lido, or exploring warm foreign seas… if you’ve captured a great swimming image enter it in our monthly reader photo contest. We’ll publish the best in Outdoor Swimmer magazine, and the winning image will receive a goody bag from swim travel company SwimQuest. swimquest.uk.com

The winner will be entered for the overall annual prize, a swimming holiday with SwimQuest!

The February theme is COMMUNITY. Please submit entries by 13 January.

Send photos to [email protected]

THEME: COLD

PHOTOGRAPHER Mat Chapman

Swimmer Mat Hawkes

About the photo “I had just completed an approx 900m sea swim. Conditions were 6 degs water, air 8 ish, 35mph south west winds, big waves and 24 mins of emptying the tanks. One word: epic.”

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 9 READER PHOTO CONTEST

10 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN

SECOND READER PHOTO PLACE CONTEST

The winner will be entered for the overall annual prize, a swimming holiday with SwimQuest!

The February theme is COMMUNITY. Please submit entries by 13 January.

Send photos to [email protected]

THEME: COLD

PHOTOGRAPHER Johnny Hartnell

Swimmer Kate Botley

About the photo “The Lady of the Lake, Kate Botley, on the glacial rocks at Semerwater in The Yorkshire Dales .”

Worldmags.net

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 11 READER PHOTO CONTEST

12 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN

THIRD PLACE READER PHOTO CONTEST

The winner will be entered for the overall annual prize, a swimming holiday with SwimQuest!

The February theme is COMMUNITY. Please submit entries by 13 January.

Send photos to [email protected]

THEME: COLD

PHOTOGRAPHER Annie Dunford

Swimmers Alice Todd and Sam Mould

About the photo “Alice and Sam swimming on a beach on the Rhu peninsula near Arisaig. The water was about 6 degrees Celsius – a lovely contrast to the warmth of the Alice and Sam’s smiles.”

Worldmags.net

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 13 NEWS OPEN WATER NEWS ROUND-UP

AUSTRALIAN ATTEMPTS FIRST WINTER CROSSING OF ENGLISH CHANNEL

On 4 December, 46-year-old extreme swimmer, Sam Penny, was forced to abandon his Channel crossing attempt as he bid to become the irst person to swim the English Channel in winter. Ater setting of from Dover at 4:39am, Sam was said to have started well and was undeterred by the challenging conditions, with water temperatures sitting around 10.5 degrees and the air temperature around 8 degrees. But despite Sam’s strong start, he was forced to abandon his crossing at 7:57am ater 3 hours The sun rises and 18 minutes in the water. His over the horizon team reported that unfortunately as Sam batles his body “wasn’t feeling it”. through the tough Speaking on Facebook shortly conditions of the ater, Sam wrote: “I always knew Channel in winter that attempting the English Channel in December would be tough. Considering not one Amazing attempt Sam! Many said: “here is a good chance I conditions, Sam swam the channel person had ever attempted it made wouldn’t even step in the water at won’t make it, but someone has in 2018 and this year he completed it a complete unknown for my 10 degrees!” to be the irst to try it. If you ain’t an Ice Mile in 3.9 degree water. team and I. I have been totally Sam was attempting to beat the lead dog, the scenery never He has also spent countless hours exhausted today from it. I was in the current record for the ‘latest changes. sitting in a chest freezer of freezing search of my limit and I found it! Channel crossing’, which is “his may seem crazy, but this water to acclimatise himself to the Well, one of them anyway. Water currently held by Howard James, is just another step up from my chilling waters of the Channel in temp of 10 and air of 6. It was who crossed on 3 November 2016. previous goals. My philosophy December. always going to be epic.” No one has ever attempted a is simple. I aim to be better than It is yet to be announced he Channel Swimming crossing in the winter months in I was yesterday and always have whether Sam will attempt another Association praised Sam’s eforts the history of English Channel a goal to aim for. Just as long as winter crossing. on their Facebook page, stating: swimming, which began your goal is bigger than your last “Unfortunately Sam Penny’s swim ater Captain Matthew Webb one, you will be on your way to Website: sampenny.com has just been aborted. He is ine successfully crossed in 1875. achieving greatness.” Facebook: sampennyinternational but just wasn’t feeling it today. Speaking before the swim, Sam In preparation for these Instagram: @fastargonaut

EUROPE’S NEW The study, which Although hydropower In light of their HYDROELECTRIC DAMS was commissioned by is considered a renewable indings and the research NEWS Plans to introduce four NGOs in order to electricity source and undertaken by the Living a new generation of collate an inventory therefore oten described Planet Index, the NGO hydroelectric dams of hydropower across as ‘green’, it comes with study has recommended IN across Europe would put Europe, found that 8,507 signiicant environmental that new hydropower ‘tremendous pressure’ new plants were planned impacts as they afect projects in the last BRIEF on river ecosystems and over the coming years, the low and biodiversity remaining free-lowing should be ‘reconsidered’, a adding to the existing of rivers the that they’re rivers in Europe should be new study warns. 21,387. built on. prevented.

14 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com KENDAL MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL 2019 Things to do in On Sunday 17 November, ilm that followed his journey. Outdoor Swimmer’s Jonathan Ben Dowman then took to January Cowie and Ella Foote had the the stage, telling us about his privilege of hosting the 2019 new swim-cycle event, the Frog 6 Kendal Mountain Festival Whiton. It starts and inishes Dryrobe Outdoor Swimming in Grasmere, has 9 legs with a Session to a sell-out audience of total distance of 102 miles, 96 SAVE THE DO YOUR BIT! over 300 people. miles of cycling and 6 miles of DATE! Join the beach clean We were thrilled to hear how swimming. movement by doing a 2 much everyone enjoyed the Jonathan and Ella then hosted Come down to the minute clean at your local event and how inspired people the annual Outdoor Swimmer Outdoor Swimmer swim spot. were to get out there and swim Quiz of the Year, rewarding the cold water event - 19th beachclean.net outdoors. One member of the audience with some amazing January 2020 audience was so inspired by prizes for answering correctly For more info visit outdoorswimmer.com BOOK IT! what she heard, that she joined what were some unexpectedly Missing the outdoor us ater for her irst ever wild diicult questions! swimming events during swim in the brisk seven degrees Lindsey Cole then closed DOWNLOAD IT! the quieter winter celcuis waters of Windermere! the session with a wonderfully Read the Outdoor months? Now is a great Fenwick Ridley kicked the heartening talk. She took us Swimmer magazine on time to scout out and session of, charming the through her crazy Dipping Britain the go by downloading book your races and audience with his Geordie adventure and told us some our app from festivals for next year, accent. He talked about what hilarious tales and anecdotes pocketmags in the app including the Outdoor it took to complete his 60-mile as she travelled from the store! Swimmer Henley Festival upstream swim of the North Shetlands, to the Scilly Isles, to on Sunday 12 July 2020. Tyne and showed us all a brilliant Ireland, the Lakes and beyond. SHARE IT! Entries are open now. Who has the most henleyswim. impressive cold water nityentries.com. tan? That lobster pink efect that only swimming CONNECT in cold water can give you. WITH US! Swim wild and freezing Share your swims and and tag your lobster pics stories with us on our with @outdoorswimmer Facebook, Twiter, on Instagram. Instagram and Strava #challengeothemonth Let to right: pages. Fenwick, Lindsay, Ella, Jonny and Ben

COMMONWEALTH Centre at John Charles SWIMATHON 2020 cancer. Marie Curie. FESTIVAL OF Sports Centre in Leeds, Team GB swimming Returning on 27-29 To sign up to LIFESAVING 2020 last month. stars Mark Foster and March for its 33rd year, Swimathon 2020, Worldmags.netFor the irst time in The championship Duncan Goodhew have Swimathon 2020 hopes or for more info, the history of the inished up with one of the urged people to sign to encourage more fundraising ideas and competition, England tightest Medley Relays in up to Swimathon 2020 than 21,000 swimmers training plans, you can beat Australia in the 2020 the National male event and swim for their loved nationwide to sign up visit the Swimathon Commonwealth Festival and a results recount was ones who are living with and raise funds for Foundation website at of Lifesaving, which was required to determine the a terminal illness or who Cancer Research UK and swimathonfoundation. held at the Aquatics inal positions. have been afected by terminal illness charity, org/

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 15 NEWS OPEN WATER NEWS ROUND-UP

Shoalstone Pool – Brixham

As 2019 puts on its coat it’s natural for us all to begin to look ahead to the adventures that next year will bring. The dark winter evenings and the luxury of a litle time of over the festive period, will see a lot of us siting down with sharpened pencils to draw up our swimming wish-list for 2020. But just hold your horses for a moment, because 2019 isn’t quite over. There’s still some adventure to be had if you look in the right place. At this liminal time of year, there’s no beter way to ind that adventure than in salt-water. Puting yourself between the sea and the ART OF sky, drawing into yourself as the cold bites and feeling your skin ablaze with the salt and the fury of it puts many things into perspective. SWIMMING New Year’s Eve is the perfect day to indulge in that kind of More the Merrier by Dan Robinson Miller perspective taking, and there is no iner place to do it than Shoalstone seawater pool in Brixham. Open from 11am on the 31st Dec, for the last Dan is a keen kayaker and overall swim of the year, you can give your senses free rein, amongst the blue lover of water. He loves the freedom and white palete of the pool and buildings, to wallow in the past and of geting out in his kayak and he look to the future. has used this visual metaphor in And if there’s enough demand on the day, they’ll open proceedings his collection of swimmer-teacup with some informal racing – under 18s, over 50s and an open event. illustrations. More the Merrier Following that is general swimming. Truly something for everyone. expresses the freedom of landing Take your lasks, take some Christmas cake, make use of the in the water and the feareless and charming poolside changing cubicles and get mind and body ready for dynamic nature of the swimmers. OVERHEARD whatever 2020 holds. in the water Website: lostintimecreative. Facebook: @shoalstone myportfolio.com Twiter: @shoalstonepool Instaram: @mrdandraws A 20 minute Website: www.shoalstonepool.com conversaiton he Lido Guide Do you have a news story, about gas is published by Unbound some artwork you’d like to and available from Amazon and all good be featured, or overheard ﬁres... bookshops priced £14.99 something silly in the water? Then get in touch with us… [email protected]

16 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com THE TRISLE OF WIGHT CHALLENGE Sam Blanchard plans to take on The TRIsle of Wight, a unique and extreme triathlon that has never before been atempted

Why have you chosen about having a training program to take on this made of bamboo. It needed to be particular challenge? strong and robust to achieve my I wanted to do something goals, but also lexible enough to that symbolised my dad’s it into my day-to-day life. determination and stubbornness Typically, I’m doing four gym and that incorporated our home sessions a week, three swims and on the Isle of Wight. I am going some familiarisation runs and or pushed them back for about 4 What’s your swimming to be taking on a unique triathlon bike sessions that, at this stage, hours. So mentally I’m preparing background? (one that I just made up), to are unstructured. he swimming for that, but it’s very daunting. My I grew up on an island, so I’ve raise awareness of my dad’s life- takes priority, I need to make sister, Ashleigh, is a keen sailor and always been able to swim a lot. limiting condition, progressive sure I keep my bones and joints lives on the island, so she has taken But I’ve never competed, never supranuclear palsy (PSP). I’m strong enough to take the impact the role of head of logistics and had coaching. I would spend my going to be aiming to swim 96km of marathon training in the New will be mapping the tidal gates that summers on the beach and in the around the Isle of Wight (a feat Year. we need to meet at certain times. sea but never really swimming completed by just 5 people to In my head when I’m training, I more than 100m. In the last 5-6 date), then cycle around it (93km) What do you anticipate picture the landscape around the years I’ve not swam at all. So I’m and then run across it (42km – to be the most Needles and the south west coast, starting this from a really novice distance of a marathon). challenging aspect of probably the most iconic scenery start point. this triathlon? on the island, but i doubt the sea I recently went to spend time What does your I’ve spoken to Anna Wardley and will be as calm as the postcards with Stu Hacker at the Swimcube training programme Scott Dawson, who have both make out. in Northampton, to look at my look like? swum around the island. he swim he geography of the island is technique. Needless to say, it I’m very lucky to have some great is never the same, but at diferent similar to the South Downs, so needed work! So that’s my focus support coaches. Mike James (my points both of them hit a tide the run and bike setions of the now, lots of drills through the endurance physio) talked to me that either kept them stationary challenge will be undulating. winter

ROBBEN ISLAND Mountain National Park. The island’s new status To swim at Robben DECLARED A MARINE Robben Island, which as a MPA means that Island, swimmers must NEWS PROTECTED AREA is famous in the swim there is now a strictly now seek permission Aspiring Robben Island world for its cold Atlantic enforced one mile through the Cape Long swimmers will now need waters and abundance security radius around Distance Swimming IN to seek permission from of wildlife, including the island, meaning that Association’s (CLDSA) the Island to swim there whales, was one of 20 no-one will be allowed to designated Robben BRIEF ater it was declared new protected marine enter the area without Island liaison manager, a Marine Protected sites announced in South being granted permission Derrick Frazer and/ or Area (MPA) by the Table Africa in June this year. irst. Mervyn Bremner. outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 17 YOUR LETTERS

LOVE, ARDNAMURCHAN It’s 5am and I’m awake. Wide awake. Write in... The curse of the middle-aged woman. But…I can hear the sea.

The Sound of Mull, just over the ield. I slip out of bed, Have your say careful not to wake him.

The sheep look up from their silent munching. Quizzically looking at the oddly clad insomniac.

My silhouete startles a dog Oter. He slides into the water, leaving me a ring of bright water and a raised eyebrow thrown over his shoulder.

The sea is silky smooth and cool. It has a nip that heralds the winter.

Head up breast stroke. Huing and puing. Head in, front crawl. Trying not to break the silence of the STAR ✸ morning. Should we be LETTER a top-shelf Once round the bay! magazine? Leaving my own rings of bright water. Do we need to The cold is working its magic, warm glow on skin and in heart; calm censor our covers? mind.

I loat. Grey sky above, rust coloured kelp I just had to email you and tell you up in and really think I would have below. what happened when I was reading preferred going in my swim costume!! Its fronds embrace me, the December issue on a train. Whilst What a funny bunch we are and long massaging my muscles and caressing I was quite happy licking through may it continue. So revel in your new my skin. my favourite read, my fellow train found porn star status Jonathan and I travellers thought I was reading a look forward to geting more strange Once more round the bay! porn magazine! At irst I was like what comments on the train. The cold is deep inside me now. are you saying and then I looked again Lisa Aqua Nut Slowing my arms, clawing my hands. at your lovely photo on the front cover Too soon, it is time to get out. and thought yes they have a point. Ed: What do other readers Just goes to show how us outdoor think? I think it is true to say Bobbly hat and star jumps. swimmers just don’t bat an eyelid that I deinitely feel more Dry robe and mint tea. at people stood there in just a tiny comfortable in my trunks than Jogging back across the ield, cozzie. I am way more at home with a suit! sending ripples of sheep ahead of me. my Facebook page being litered with me in hat goggles and cozzie than I The house is warm and quiet. am dolled up in a tight dress and high I slip into bed making him squeak at the heels such as my recent appearance cold I have brought with me. at the Jersey Long Distance [email protected] ‘you smell of the sea’ he mumbles, swimming club annual dinner. I felt so Twiter: @outdoor_swimmer and embraces me in his warmth. uncomfortable siting there in proper facebook.com/ Kristina Peat clothes and shoes I could hardly stand OutdoorSwimmerMagazine

18 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN

SWIMMING PARKRUN MY HAPPY PLACE I took up open water swimming in 2017 Just a wee note to let you know following a long term running injury. For how much I love this magazine and me this has been an enormous source community. Living where I do in of pleasure and has helped me cope Canada, I’ve struggled to ind folks with not being able to run properly to swim with, though just love the anymore. I have enjoyed lots of events water. Whether dips, longer swims, over the last three summers but really neoprined or not, it’s my happy miss the lack of swimming events place. Reading the magazine cover in the winter. I recently enjoyed my to cover, I feel like I’m a part of irst ‘marathon swims’ event but now something magical, especially the there is nothing to train for until the recent highlights of swimmers in the swimathon at the end of March. most recent edition. It’s inspired me It would be amazing if there was a to head out on my own (with calls on ‘parkrun’ equivalent in swimming. Each Facebook for buddies) and today I pool could give special watches out swam over a minute in the icy cold to swimmers to record their fastest with just gloves/booties, and wow. 1.5km time for each week and a set of It’s wonderful. I feel a part of this results could be produced with age wonderful family. gradings. I think more people would SWIMMING IN THE RAIN! Kristy William get into swimming if there were Last swim of November celebration more incentives like this or simply dance, in the pouring rain! Ater Ed: Welcome to the Swim more events on. In running there are completing ‘Swim Every Day in Wild and Free family – or countless events but so few from November’, 15 miles swam, in the worst should that be Swim Wild and October to April in swimming. November weather thrown at the Isles Freezing?! Yours faithfully of Scilly. Penny McCrabbe Ruth Nicholls

SWIM TO SAVE WHALES THEIR FUTURE IS YOUR FUTURE!

It’s not up to the next generation to save the planet – we all need to take action NOW! No swimmer wants to swim amongst plastic rubbish and other debris, and neither do whales. It can kill them. Keep your training up-to-speed in your pool this winter by taking part in WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s BIG Splash Swim – choose a Dolphin, Whale or Pod Challenge and help us to create safe, clean homes for whales and plastic-free swimming for you. Contact Sharon at [email protected]

Image © WDC/Scott Portelli Image © or visit whales.org/support/events-and-challenges

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 19 DIVE IN In association with Zoggs SWIMWILDANDFREE #Send your swim snaps to [email protected]

My wife Helen at Ballyholme Bay, Bangor Co.Down on Belfast Lough. Colin Martin

Just had to get into the surf on a cold

wintry and sunny day while on a The irst time I really swam in the sea family walk! Karen Crawford at Oceanman 2km in Thailand two At Gartan lake in Co. Donegal during a beautiful sunrise swim. Amanda Witherow weeks ago. Vanya Boonme

20 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN

Kelcey Bates in Bellingham, FREE Washington, USA

My cousin Rocco swimming in the sea in Jamaica.My new ish eye lens worked brilliantly! Jamie Crumpron

The chances of seeing a merman in the Lake District is growing! James Kirby

Challenging conditions at Cove Bay near Aberdeen. Photo taken by Aylwin Pillai. We are both members of Swim Free Aberdeen. George Jamieson Zoggs Supporting learners, lane swimmers and open water adventurers since 1992, Zoggs makes goggles, swimsuits, learning aids and training accessories that make every swim beter. @ZoggsUK Zoggs.com

Use a swimsuit? Make your own rules! Fun on a Friday swim at Sandbanks in Poole with my Image from @Tri.Surfer.Fit for Zoggs fellow swimmers from Beyond the Blue! Emma Gennard

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 21 DIVE IN VIEW FROM THE WATER 2019 was another good year for outdoor swimming, maybe even beter than 2018, says Simon Griﬃths

t the end of December 2018, I wrote an article Afor our website, “2018: A good year for swimming outside.” he year just gone may have been even better. Look back to 2018 and recall that Ross Edgley spent 157 days swimming around the coast of Britain while Lewis Pugh swam the length of the English Channel. Lindsey Cole did a length of the non-tidal hames, in November, dressed as a mermaid, and Cameron Bellamy completed the irst circumnavigation of Barbados. On top of that, and perhaps more importantly, was the recognition, backed up by research, that swimming ADULTS WHO outdoors in cool water can be SWIM ARE, ON good for your mental as well AVERAGE, 4.3% the coast of Sarah Thomas’s £357m per year because of the physical as physical well- HAPPIER THAN Denmark! And epic four-way and mental health beneits of the being. How could don’t forget “Sink English Channel activity. Particularly heartening was the we top that? THOSE WHO or Swim”, the swim inding that adults who swim are, on DON’T Channel 4 television average, 4.3% happier than those who MARATHON series, that introduced don’t, and that this igure more than SWIMMING ON TV open water swimming to doubles for those who swim outdoors. In brief: Sarah homas’s millions of viewers. But you probably knew that already. epic four-way English Channel swim, which we covered in depth RISE IN OUTDOOR SWIMMING WELCOME & THANKS in our October issue. Sarah brought However, one thing we’re clear about Here at Outdoor Swimmer we saw a marathon swimming to television at Outdoor Swimmer is that outdoor 20% increase in our print subscribers screens and newspapers around swimming is not just about swimming in 2019. If you’re one of those who the world and demonstrated that a further, faster or in colder water. We’re joined us in 2019, welcome and cancer diagnosis, and the debilitating a community magazine that celebrates thank you for your support. And a treatment it oten requires, need any and all swimming outside. We’ve big thank you too for those of you not be the end of ambition and argued for years that interest in who’ve been with us for longer, some incredible achievement. dipping and swimming in natural of you since our very irst issue. We he only thing with Sarah’s swim waters is undergoing a resurgence. love being part of such a fun, vibrant was that it overshadowed almost It was therefore gratifying to see this and caring community. Please do everything else. At the same time as belief backed up by new evidence from keep sharing your stories, pictures, Sarah was in the English Channel, Sport England’s Active Lives Survey, letters and funny things you overhear Cameron Bellamy (again) completed a that was published in May 2019, which in the water with us. And also, please scarcely believable 151km swim from reported an 84% rise in open water support our advertisers. Many of these Barbados to St Lucia, which took more swimming between 2017 and 2018. are independent, owner-managed than 56 hours. hen there was a story Later in the year, Swim England businesses like ourselves, with a we almost missed at the time: on 15 published their Value of Swimming passion, like you, for swimming September, Lars Simonsen completed report, which estimated that outdoors. Here’s to a successful 2020 a 1370km swimming journey around swimming saved the health service with lots of swimming wild and free

Simon Griiths is the founder and publisher of Outdoor Swimmer • Email Simon at: [email protected]

22 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com GET READY FOR THE 2020 SEASON WITH A NEW TRAINING KIT

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DECATHLON – SPORT INNOVATORS SINCE 1976 www.decathlon.co.uk DIVE IN VOLCANO SWIMMING Never one to shirk a challenge, SwimTrek founder Simon Murie swims across a volcanic lake

he great thing about living in TBali, is how much closer to nature you feel. Wild monkeys are prevalent on your drive into school as are the two volcanoes of Mt Agung and Mt Batur which dominate the eastern Bali skyline, north of Ubud. Both are currently active with emissions and activity as recent as this year. Balinese people believe that these mountains are a replica of the central axis of the universe and hence should be revered. he most important Hindu temple on Bali is situated on the slopes of Mt Agung. IT WAS LAVA FIELDS MY FIRST A month ago, I climbed with EXPERIENCE OF my son and two members SWIMMING WITHIN of the SwimTrek A CALDERA AND head oice, Ben and Ricky, to the HOPEFULLY NOT for bathing. hey Simon climbs breakdowns, we managed to depart summit of Mt Batur MY LAST were also not aware with his son in front of a stunning temple built to witness the sunrise of anyone else having and SwimTrek to worship the water goddess, Dewi over the neighbouring swum the length of the lake colleagues Ben Danu, one of the supreme deities in island of Lombok. We started the before. So, as I’m never one to shirk and Ricky Balinese Hinduism. We took this as a climb to its summit at 1,700m at 3am, a challenge, I opted to just listen to good auspice for our upcoming swim! walking through lava ields where the former opinions and planned for he peak of Mt Batur was constantly dense vegetation grew. When standing a crossing of the lake’s length in a few with us to our right-hand side. Halfway on the summit, as well as a cracking weeks’ time. through the swim we felt the water sunrise, what also caught my attention temperature rise which coincided was a crescent shaped body of water VOLCANIC ACTIVITY with the hot springs which we knew below me which lay within the massive he villages surrounding the eastern to predominate in this small part of caldera (a cauldron like hollow created shore of Lake Batur are some of the the lake, showing that the volcanic ater a volcanic eruption). his was most remote communities in Bali as activity was indeed in full low. Due Lake Batur and right then I decided the only way to access them is by boat. to the engine problems, we ended up that I wanted to swim it! I had no idea In November, mid-day temperatures swimming the last third of the crossing of its length but on investigation found on this Indonesian island can get at night and were guided in by the that it was around 7.5km long. On close to 40°C, so I thought we would lights of the cars of the local ishermen, making my way down to the lake and opt for a late aternoon swim to avoid which was a wonderful way to end. taking a dip in it, I found the water to the strongest of the sun’s rays. In the It was my irst experience of be clear and surprisingly good tasting. time building up to the swim, I had swimming within a caldera and he local people that lived by the lake managed to rustle up three other keen hopefully not my last. With Indonesia had two very diferent perspectives local swimmers to share this unique being situated on the Ring of Fire, I am of the water quality. Some said it was adventure with me and we arrived at sure that there will be no shortage of ine and that the prevalence of ish the southern end of the lake where other opportunities farms around the lake demonstrated the only harbour on the lake was its biodiversity. Others however situated. With moderate northerly If you like the idea of highlighted the high sulphur levels winds bufeting the shore, we decided pioneering adventure brought about by volcanic activity to start at the far end of the lake irst. swimming holidays, check which made the water unpalatable Ater several delays due to engine out swimtrek.com

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NEW .com .co.uk FOR 2020 WILDLIFE CADDISFLY #vanlife as an insect. By Susanne Masters

uilding their own portable case rivers and streams where Bto inhabit while roaming means they live. But now they caddisly have been living the also use microplastics. mobile lifestyle since well before the Small plastic spheres idea that ‘life on the road is a life well used as exfoliating lived’ had any social media currency. agents in cosmetics have For caddisly, their mobile home phase been found glued into of life is a time of growth within shelter, Lepidostoma basale cases. before they take to air as winged adults. With the recent ban on using plastic in these PORTABLE SHELTERS products that may reduce Of about 200 species of caddisly over time. However, living in Ireland and Britain, all but most of the plastic one spend the larval stage of their life found in their cases is submerged in water - the exception secondary ibres, ilms, lives on forest loors. About half of and fragments created these species are cased caddis – making when larger pieces of portable shelters. Uncased caddisly plastic degrade. A high make ixed shelters or nets to surround proportion of this is themselves, or roam as voracious polypropylene, the kind predators unrestricted by casing. of plastic used in single Identifying cased caddisly larvae is use plastics. As these speeded up by looking at what they insects build their cases use to make their case – each species is with materials around quite discerning and only uses speciic them, they work as a kinds of material. bioindicator of pollution and indicate that we MICROPLASTICS need to #take3forthesea Lepidostoma basale use sediment upstream from beaches. grains to build their cases by sticking them together with a silk lining they FISH FOOD spit out as silk thread from glands by Living in a sturdy case their mouths. Not only does their silk provides caddisly manage the feat of acting as a glue with protection from underwater, it creates structures that predators. Lepidostoma can withstand force by being able basale eats some to expand and contract. hey used insects, wood debris, to build just using their silk thread and bioilms, ie. micro- combined with sand and tiny pieces of organisms that are stuck

Illustration by Alice Goodridge by Illustration gravel - sediment naturally found in together. Eventually they grow big enough to pupate and turn into winged insects. To WHERE TO SEE CADDISFLY reach the air they bite their way out of In clear running streams and rivers, take their case and loat up to the surface. advantage of the magnifying efect of Between case and air is a vulnerable goggles and water to look at the streambed or moment and many become ish riverbotom. Watch out for insect eyes peeking food at this point. Once they are out of a litle tube of sand and gravel. airborne, they join the host of winged insects found around River Feishie, Highland waterways. It is in their Kielderburn, Northumberland juvenile form inside their River Len, Kent cases when they are most West Beck, Yorkshire Wildlife & distinctive River Clwyd, Denbighshire

Swimming outdoorswimmer.com WIN! PROMOTION A TWO-NIGHT SWIM BREAK AT ANOTHER PLACE, THE LAKE

Prize: Two nights for two people, inclusive of bed, breakfast and swim coaching on both days from our swim expert, Colin Hill.

How big is the pool at Another Place, A relaxed hotel on the The Lake? shores of Ullswater in the Lake District. Another 1) 15 metres Place, The Lake is about 2) 20 metres the good things in life; 3) 25 metres having fun, eating well, 4) 30 metres letting go. Swimming is part of our DNA at the hotel, and luckily Enter now at Ullswater has excellent water quality. There’s outdoorswimmer. plenty of it too. Islands com/win and beaches pepper seven miles of lake, satisfying even the biggest appetites for exploration.

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Terms and conditions: Book within 12 months - Subject to availability and not in school holidays - 18 years and over - No cash alternative. Outdoor Swimmer competition terms and conditions: Competitions are open to readers of Outdoor Swimmer Magazine. Employees, sub-contractors or contributors are not allowed to enter. Entries must be received by 31 January 2020. Outdoor Swimmer magazine cannot take responsibility for lost or delayed entries. Only one entry per person (multiple entries will be disqualiied). A list of winners will be available on request. There is no cash alternative. The judges’ decision is inal. Submission of entry will be taken as acceptance of these rules. THIS MONTH WE SWIM WITH… The Supermare Sea Swimmers

reach the sea at low tide, which is why minutes either side of high tide, so The tide I have arrived in the dark to make the it is always changing, challenged by most of high tide with the Supermares. shorter days during the winter months. is high but Anna formed the group earlier this Ella Foote is HIGH TIDE year in June, last year she embarked It is almost 7am when I arrive on a challenge to swim 40 gonna have into Weston under a outdoor swims to mark cloak of darkness. her 40th birthday a number he Grand Pier is I HAVE and now outdoor glowing and the swimming has one swim light relections ARRIVED IN THE become a regular dance in the activity. Before water below. he DARK TO MAKE the Supermares t sounds like the sea, it looks like sea Supermares meet THE MOST OF HIGH Anna would and there is a slight seaside scent, behind the Beach travel to Ibut Weston-super-Mare, or Weston- Café adjacent to TIDE WITH THE Clevedon to swim super-Mud as some joke, is where the pier, I can see SUPERMARES in the Marine Pool the Bristol Channel begins and Sand bobble hat shadows or with the Clevedon Point, north of the town, marks the and hear gentle natter. Pier swimmers but lower limit of the Severn Estuary. he he water is lat and living and working in beach is sandy, famous for its donkey calmly lapping up against the Weston it seemed only a rides, but due to the large tidal range decking of the café, the new moon has matter of time before Anna explored in the Bristol Channel low tide is about brought us a higher tide than usual. the water there. I had seen some of a mile from the town promenade and Founder Anna Southwell explains Anna’s photos of the Supermares

Main Photo: Sally Low uncovers thick mud. It isn’t advised to how they usually meet and swim 30 swimming, enjoying the beach ater

28 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com

Quick Q&A with Founding Member Anna Southwell

How did you get into outdoor swimming? In 2016, a friend and I started swimming at Clevedon Marine Lake throughout the autumn and winter months. Then I read an article in The Guardian about ‘The Joy of Outdoor Founder Anna Southwell Swimming’ by Ella Foote and invited her to come to Weston to give us a talk, and it inspired my own challenge to swim 40 swims to mark my 40th birthday. Eleven swims in, my partner Josh was and it always surprised me to see how The Grand Pier glows diagnosed with Leukaemia and we weren’t sure beautiful it looked. in the backdrop as the if I could carry on. While Josh was undergoing Like many estuaries, Weston sufers Supermares take to the chemotherapy, he was only ever allowed to be from poor water quality. he water water in an hour’s radius of the hospital. This meant doesn’t look appealing, a murky brown, our plans to go of all around the place for wild but this is due to the silt stirred up from and wonderful swim locations changed, and we the tidal movements. Like any outdoor had to swim more locally. Which in turn led to swim, knowing the risks means you can me trying out some swims in Weston-super- prepare for them and avoid any issues. Mare, where previously we had been warned of Anna is well informed of the currents swimming here due to the tides and historical and nature of the water at Weston and bad water quality ratings. Swimming throughout while the group swims at their own risk, these diicult times had kept me strong and encourages all swimmers to abide by realised I wanted swimming outdoors to become basic swim safety. Despite the forecast part of my everyday life, which it has. for rain we have been blessed with a window of dry weather. As irst light comes around the group peel of their What inspired the group layers, noise levels rise with chatter and to start? yelps from the cool air. hese swimmers I met Alan, who had been swimming in Weston don’t faf about, they are of wading into The for a couple of years. He had lots of local the water before I have got my socks of. Supermares knowledge of the tides and explained the Facts direction of the tides, timings and heights. A SUNRISE SWIM Fav after swim couple of friends and I started trying more he sand beneath my feet is a welcome regular swims in Weston but would still drive sensation and although the water is snack a beach over to Clevedon every week. But we didn’t want brown, its sot to swim through and has curry, we all bring to be geting in our cars and driving if we didn’t familiar salty, soil scent. We swim out diferent bits and have to. Once we had been dipping in Weston alongside the pier, I can feel a gentle have a sharing for several months, we started seeing the town pull beneath my feet back towards the feast. diferently. By connecting beter with our beach beach, the tide on the turn, but it is Join them and sea we started hearing the birds diferently, really pleasant. Looking back towards chimes of the boats and fell back in love with the town we are treated with a slither By the Grand Pier our home town. We had reached a point where of golden sky as the sunrises before in winter and we could conidently invite others to come disappearing behind a think blanket Royal Sands in swimming with us, so we set up the group. cloud. Some swim out into their solo summer. space, turn onto their backs and loat Find them What are the group ambitions and others swim together chatting. Anna has created a really lovely vibe on Instagram & for the next year? here, inclusive and relaxed. I can see the Facebook: The We have a group trip planned to Hampstead appeal of a regular swim at Weston, it Supermares Heath in February, and we’ve been talking to has a charm and its own beauty other swim groups about paying a visit. outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | AUGUST 2019 29 NEW YEAR, NEW ADVENTURES 2020 SWIM GUIDE

Beginner swims Whether you are a Great Swim Series Where many people’s open water journey If you like the sound of beginner or marathon starts, the Great Swim Series is for swimmers of all abilities. Around half of the people that, why not try… swimmer, here are this taking part will not have swum in the outdoors before, so you won’t be alone! here are two BLDSA Bala A 1km novice event in Lake Bala, north Wales. year's must-do swims events around the country to choose from: Plus 6-mile swim and new 3km circuit event. Great North Swim in Windermere and Great Lake Bala, 11 July East Swim in Alton Water, Sufolk. Distances bldsa.org.uk for beginners include 250m (great for kids and families), the half mile and the classic one mile swim. For more experienced swimmers, there Swim Serpentine are 2-mile, 5k and 10k options – as well as A once-a-year opportunity to swim a full swimrun races. circuit of Hyde Park’s famous man-made lake. Great North Swim, Lake District, 5-7 June Half-mile, one mile and two-mile events. Great East Swim, Sufolk, 20 June London, 26 September greatrun.org/great-swim swimserpentine.co.uk

30 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com NEW YEAR, NEW ADVENTURES Image: Coral Evans SALTIMAGES www.saltimages.uk SALTIMAGES Coral Evans Image:

Swim experiences Big challenges Sea swims SwimQuest, Arisaig Vidösternsimmet The Brighton Triple A Christmas adventure! A weekend of winter One of the longest open water races for Crown swimming, fabulous food, drink, laughter and recreational swimmers, at 21+ km. Guess Why do one race when you can do three? Christmas carols. Staying in beautiful Traigh what the “+” stands for? No-one is quite 1.5, 2.5 and (or) 3.8km swims followed House with a view of white sandy beaches, sure, it is just a little bit extra to swim! Billed by a day at the seaside at Brighton! Triple spend your weekend dipping in the sea and as Sweden’s longest and toughest open water Crown swimmers join swimmers doing one lochs then warming up around the log ire. race, it is an end-to-end swim of a lovely or two of the swims and are included in the Saturday evening is a homemade Christmas lake in the southern central part of the rankings, but were not eligible for prizes in dinner (with all the trimmings) followed by country. A challenging but achievable long the individual swims. Water temperature: games and carols. Arisaig is nestled on the distance swim. Given the distance, logistical 16 to 18 degrees. Wetsuits: optional with edge of Loch nan Ceall on the west coast of the support, the organisation and free hot meal separate results and prizes. Scottish Highlands. at the inish, it’s good value for money. Brighton, 6 July Book early as sells out quickly. Water temperature: usually 16 to 20 degrees. paddleroundthepier.com 27-30 November Wetsuit policy: compulsory (non-wetsuit 4-7 December allowed by prior agreement and proof swimquest.uk.com of competence). If you like the sound Lake Vidöstern, Sweden, 8 August vidosternsimmet.com of that, why not try… If you like the sound of Seahorse Swim that, why not try… If you like the sound One (for 2km) or two (for 3.8km) laps of a diamond shape course at gorgeous Knoll The Swimmer of that, why not try… Beach in Studland Bay. A half-marathon run interspersed with four Studland Bay, date tbc cold dips in London's pools and ponds. BLDSA Champion of Champions eastdorsetowsc.org London, various dates A brutal, soul-destroying but ultimately theswimmer.org upliting swimming challenge: you swim 5 Brownsea Island miles, then 3 miles and then a mile, all on 6.5km around Brownsea Island in Poole Dip Advisor the same day, with strictly enforced cut-of Harbour. Notoriously hard to get into, so Swim experiences in wild, beautiful and open times. here are two versions: CofC South sign up quick! water locations with Ella Foote. and CofC Wales. Poole, date tbc thedipadvisor.co.uk CofC South, 20 June rlss-poole.org.uk CofC Wales, 1 August Swim the Lakes bldsa.org.uk Blackpool Pier to Pier Swim Adventure and wild swimming in the 1.6 mile swim between all three Blackpool Lake District. SCAR Swim piers from North to South Pier. swimthelakes.co.uk Four lakes in Arizona over four days, this Blackpool, 15 August 40-mile challenge is one of the toughest in entrycentral.com/Blackpool-Pier-To-Pier- Suzanna Swims open water swimming. Swim Guided wild swims and swim hikes in the April 29 - May 2 Lake District. scarswim.com suzannaswims.co.uk outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 31 NEW YEAR, NEW ADVENTURES

River swims Lake swims Swim festivals

Jubilee River Swim BLDSA Ullswater Outdoor Swimmer A 10k swim down a man-made river created he second longest lake in the Lake District, Henley Swim Festival in 2002, the year of the Queen’s golden jubilee, at 7 miles long Ullswater is one of the he ultimate swim festival incorporating the the Jubilee River Swim is an event lots of most beautiful. he lake nestles within Henley Mile, Half Mile and 200m Splash. Set swimmers return to annually, and it is obvious the foothills of Helvellyn and High Street, in one of the most beautiful and prestigious why. Although it is a man-made channel, the leading to chillier temperatures and bumpier stretches of the hames and open to Jubilee looks and feels in many ways like a waters as the wind channels down the valley. competitors of all ages (8+) and levels. Live natural river, but being man made ensures Ullswater can be considered one of the music, food and bar, camping by the river, the river is safe for swimming. he course has toughest Lake District swims, with stunning competition waves, club packages, children’s three weirs on it where you have to get out and views along the entire length of the course.. entertainment, endless pool for technique walk around, which breaks up the swim into 15 August advice and product testing, experiential manageable chunks. here is food and water at bldsa.org.uk retailers and special ofers. each of the weirs and the logistics for the day Henley-on-Thames, 12 July are superbly organised. henleyswimfestival.com Windsor, 7 June If you like the sound mysportingtimes.com of that, why not try… If you like the sound If you like the sound of Big Welsh Swim of that, why not try… Start your swim with a narrow gauge train that, why not try… ride! 1.3km, 3km, 6km and 9km. Keswick Mountain Festival Llyn Padarn, 11 July 750m, 1.5km and 3.6km swims in Wild Wye Swim loveswimrun.co.uk Derwentwater – with festival attached! 10.5km, 7km and 1km distances in the RTiver Keswick, 15 to 17 May Wye in Herefordshire. Exmoor Open Water Swim keswickmountainfestival.co.uk Symonds Yat, 20 September Swim in an incredible lake in the heart of wildwyeswim.org.uk Exmoor. 2km, 4km and 6km distances. Polkerris Swim Festival Wimbleball Lake, 27 September A mass-participation open water sea Bantham Boomerang exmoorswim.co.uk swimming event with a choice of a 1km, How far can you swim before the tide turns? A 2km or 3km distances. Or do all three! 7-10km swim on the Avon Estuary in Devon. Inchmurrin Island Swim 7k Polkerris, 29 August Devon, 3 July Inchmurrin is the largest island on Loch madhatersportsevents.co.uk outdoorswimmingsociety.com Lomond and the largest inland island on a lake in Europe. Bag the largest ‘Inch’! Kendal Mountain Festival Dublin City Lifey Swim Loch Lomond, various dates Join thousands of outdoor enthusiasts and Historic 2.2km downstream under the bridges inchbaggers.com share and celebrate the best stories from the of Dublin City. world of adventure – including a session on Dublin, September Go Swim Loch Lomond outdoor swimming. leinsteropensea.ie 250m, 750m, 1.5km, 3km, 5km and 10km in Kendal, 19-22 November Loch Lomond, a truly spectacular location kendalmountainfestival.com in the shadow of the mighty Ben Lomond. Loch Lomond, 29 August go-swim.uk

32 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com

NEW YEAR, NEW ADVENTURES Image: Afşin Çelik Afşin Image: Image: Katia Vastiau Katia Image:

Marathon swims Swimrun races Holiday swims Thames Marathon Ötillö Swimrun Scilly Hellespont and he hames Marathon, now in its tenth year, is hree race distances in one of the most Dardanelles a 14km long-distance swim from Henley-on- beautiful locations in the UK. he World he Hellespont and Dardanelles crossing hames to Marlow. It covers a beautiful stretch Series race total distance is 37,275m – 28,925m is a signiicant open water swim of 4½ km of the hames and has become one of open of trail running and 8,350m of swimming, between Europe and Asia. he world's oldest water swimming’s most prestigious marathon with the longest swim being 2.5km. his swim combines history, prestige, romance swims. Although 4km longer than the classic course is perfect for strong open water and bragging rights into the legendary 10k marathon distance, the low of the river swimmers, with eight sea swims in water of crossing of the Dardanelles strait, one of means it is pretty much the equivalent of 10k. around 14 degrees with big ocean swells. the busiest shipping lanes in the world. he Swimmers are required to exit the water at he sprint race is 15,635m in total – river is closed for the annual ‘Victory Day’ three locks (Hambledon at 4km, Hurley at 12,550m of trail running and 3,085m of race. he Hellespont is celebrated in ancient 10km and Temple at 11.8km), where food and swimming. If you are new to swimrun try Greek myth as the straight which Leander drink are available – as well as the chance to the 7,850m Experience race (6,900m of swims across to reach his lover Hero. It chat with your fellow swimmers. running, 950m of swimming). was oicially swum for the irst time by the Henley-on-Thames, 16 August Scilly Islands, 13-14 June famous poet, Lord Byron, in 1810. henleyswim.com otilloswimrun.com Turkey, 30 August swimtrek.com If you like the sound of If you like the sound that, why not try… of that, why not try… If you like the sound of that, why not try… Dock2Dock Great Swim SwimRuns 10k in the unique and historic waters of the Of-road, open-water adventures in and BEST Fest East End. 5k and 1.5k distances also available. around Windermere or Alton Water Choose from up to eight swims and add in London, 12 September reservoir near Ipswich, Sufolk – short, some coaching sessions at the BEST Centre. dock2dock.co.uk middle and endurance distances. Mallorca, 23 - 30 May Brockhole on Windermere, 6 June bestopenwater.com Swim Oxford Lock to Lock 10k Ipswich, 20 June Follow the meandering River hames. greatrun.org/great-swim Oceanman Lake Orta Oxford, 19 July 1.3km, 4.5km and 14km distances in swimoxford.co.uk Breca Gower picturesque Lake Orta in northern Italy. Part Race against the tide before exploring clifs, of the Oceanman series of races. Colwyn Bay Oceanswim woodlands, beaches and secret bays. Full Italy, 20-21 June 2km, 3km, 5km or Triple Whammy – all three course and sprint options. oceanman-openwater.com combined, a total of 10km. Swansea, 13-14 June Colwyn Bay, 7 June brecaswimrun.com Barbados Open Water Festival uswimopenwater.com Social swims and and four races (1.5K, 3.3K, Love SwimRun Llanberis 5K and 10K) over ive days in beautiful Swim in Llyn Padarn and run beneath the The Dovey 13km Barbados. he longest estuary swim in the UK. summit of Mount Snowdon. Barbados, 4-8 November Aberdovey, 20 September Llyn Padarn, 20 June swimbarbadosvacations.com aberdoveyswim.co.uk loveswimrun.co.uk

34 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com

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GREAT #comeSWIMwithUS SWIMMING ADVENTURES

never thought I would end up talking about periods so much,” says Jasmine Tribe, City to Sea Campaigns FROM BOG “ICoordinator. “But I love it, because I am interested in so many areas of environmental and social issues. Periods are a good way to join those together, you have the environmental TO BEACH impact of period products, period poverty and female empowerment – lots of factors at play.” Jasmine and I are in Bristol, home A new campaign to reduce single-plastic of City to Sea, a community interest use is focussing on what we ﬂush down company campaigning to prevent plastic pollution at source. It was our toilets. By Ella Foote founded in 2015 by Natalie Fee, author of a new book, How to Save the World for Free. City to Sea are the company behind the Switch the Stick campaign,

38 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com SWIMTERVIEW

which resulted in in bins, it goes down the toilet, because for schools, Rethink Periods.” he all UK retailers then it disappears.” programme is free and nationwide, switching from plastic updating period education in primary stem cotton buds UNFLUSHABLES and secondary schools. It ofers to biodegradable When City to Sea launched their unbiased and informative information paper stem buds, Unlushables campaign, they on all products available and the stopping over 478 discovered that people think that social and environmental contexts tonnes of single-use, anything that goes down a toilet goes of menstruation. “here are so many Period products are the non-recyclable plastic to a water treatment place and sited products on the market now,” says 5th most common item being produced each out. “With period products, wet wipes Jasmine. “Some of the reusable options found polluting European year. hey are also the and oils from cooking can get into a are expensive initially, but you can beaches team behind Reill, ball creating fatbergs and block pipes,” save a lot in the long run. here is also an award-winning says Jasmine. “his means when there a boom in organic disposable brands, campaign making it is a lot of rain or a big enough blockage it would be so good if we can get kids easy to reill reusable it comes out of the sewage drains, onto to be given these when they start their water bottles instead of buying plastic our streets and into our waterways. period, especially reusable products ones. he aim is to have a reill station Once people learn what happens, it is which means we can tackle period on every high street and making it the something everyone can get behind. poverty too.” norm to carry a reusable bottle. hey It is a simple change.” City to Sea are are now turning their attention to tackling two areas with the Plastic Free GET INVOLVED toilets, connecting our actions to our Period campaign: educating women So what can you do? “We can oceans, from bog to beach! about lushing menstrual products underestimate the impact of what and raising awareness of reusable we are doing in our own life,” says START SIMPLE, START AT HOME and organic disposable products. “As Jasmine. “Our actions have ripples and Here in the UK, millions of people are well as tackling the public, we are can send a message to our friends, their lushing single-use plastic down the also working with retailers, putting families and then their friends. Doing toilet in the form of wipes, menstrual pressure on government and talking something with your swim group or products and other bathroom products to the NHS trusts,” says Jasmine. “We club would be a great start.” What will like cotton buds and tooth-loss. A have also developed a programme your eco-resolution be for 2020? depressing 8.5% of all the plastic found on our beaches is coming directly from our toilets. “Plastics and the environment can be complex, and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed with how much there is to do,” says Jasmine. “Start simple, start at home. Don’t lush Jasmine anything down your toilet other than campaigns paper, pee and poo and recycle what for Plastic you can.” Free periods In the UK 4.3 billion disposable menstrual products are used every year; one pack of pads can contain up to ive plastic bags worth of plastic. Menstrual products are the ith most common item found on Europe’s beaches, more widespread than single-use cofee cups, cutlery or straws. Although no period products should go down the loo, it’s estimated that every single day in the UK about 700,000 panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million pads are lushed down the toilet – many of IN THE UK 4.3 BILLION DISPOSABLE which block our sewer systems and escape into our rivers and seas. “here MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS ARE USED EVERY is a big problem with wet wipes being YEAR; ONE PACK OF PADS CAN CONTAIN UP labelled lushable and big brands of menstrual products telling people they TO FIVE PLASTIC BAGS WORTH OF PLASTIC. can lush them away,” says Jasmine. “here is also still a link to periods MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS ARE THE FIFTH being taboo and stigma. Women don’t MOST COMMON ITEM FOUND want people to know they are on their period, so rather than leaving things ON EUROPE’S BEACHES outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 39 SWIMMING HISTORY

Antonio Abertondo Ted Erickson Kevin Murphy and Alison Streeter

Multi- Talented

The history of multi-way crossings of the English Channel. By Elaine K Howley

Philip Rush Cindy Nicholas Chloë McCardel

40 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com SWIMMING HISTORY

Jon Erickson uriously, there is a interviews, conducted on the beach certain breed of human in Dover upon inishing the swim, being which lutters Chadwick told a United Press reporter, compulsively to the “I feel ine and am quite prepared to “Clame of challenge as a moth to an swim back!” ordinary candle-lame. So it is not hough it’s unclear whether she unnatural that one of the most urgent was the irst swimmer to publicly and constant topics amongst top-class contemplate making the round trip swimmers is that of a there-and-back journey, her words would one day Channel swim.” Commander Gerald reverberate multiple times across the Forsberg, Modern Long Distance channel. Swimming, 1963. In August 1950, when Florence DOUBLE, DOUBLE, TOIL Chadwick swam the 21-mile wide AND TROUBLE English Channel in 13 hours, 23 he history of successful cross-English minutes, breaking Gertrude Ederle’s Channel swims reaches back to 1875 24-year-old record, she instantly when Captain Matthew Webb irst became headline news around the made his way from England to France world. In one of those very irst in a grueling 21 hours, 45 minutes. But in 1961, Antonio Abertondo, a swimmer from Argentina, became the irst to breach the boundaries of human potential by swimming over-and-back. Sarah Thomas he world’s irst double-crossing of the English Channel took a punishing 43 hours, 5 minutes. In his 1974 book, Wind Waves and Sunburn: A Brief History of Marathon Swimming, marathon swimming historian Conrad Wennergerg describes Abertondo as “a short, stocky brute who packed 225 pounds on a ive-foot- four-inch frame.” Abertondo apparently was “never known for grace either in or out of the water,” but he could go the distance, even if it took a very long time. In fact, Abertondo had notched two swims across the La Plata River from Uruguay to Argentina that were in excess of 50 miles and took more than 30 hours. hough he wasn’t fast, he seemed the right man for the job when it came to a double-crossing of the English Channel. ➜

I WAS FRUSTRATED BY BEING THE ‘SECOND BEST MARATHON’ SWIMMER! KNOWING ABERTONDO’S TIME OF 43 HOURS IN 1961, I WAS CONFIDENT ON BEATING HIS TIME FOR A DOUBLE CHANNEL,” TED ERIKSON outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 41 SWIMMING HISTORY

➜ He teamed up with British Channel the swim came from wanting to be the three minutes of the record and put swimmer and newspaper man, Sam best in the world. women on the map of multi-way Rockett, to create a publicity blitz “I was frustrated by being the ‘second crossings when she completed the feat around his double crossing, which best marathon swimmer’! Knowing in an astoundingly fast 19 hours, 55 launched at 8:35am on 20 September Abertondo’s time of 43 hours in 1961, I minutes. Nicholas did not rest on her 1961. His swim would span seven was conident on beating his time for a laurels, however. In 1982, she returned tide changes and three dates on the double channel,” he says. to the Channel and completed two, calendar. he swim ended under the Over the next 10 years, only one two-way crossings within a two-week cover of night as Abertondo drited in other swimmer—Kevin Murphy— period. he irst took place on 28-29 and out of consciousness. completed a double crossing. Murphy’s August in 18:55 and the second was “hose last few hundred yards were irst double crossing took 35 hours, on 13-14 August in 20:05. In all, she sheer agony,” Wennerberg writes. 10 minutes in 1970, and his second completed ive doubles and crossed the “Inch by inch they fell away as the came in 1975 and took about an hour Channel a total of 19 times. indomitable Argentine stroked away. longer, and occurred in pursuit of an In his 1963 book, Modern Long At last Tony sounded at the base of a unsuccessful triple-crossing attempt. Distance Swimming, Commander three-hundred-foot clif. he beaten, (In 1987, he completed a third double Gerald Forsberg wrote: “Admittedly, a exhausted shell of a man who dragged in 32 hours 42 minutes.) two-way swim does not exactly double himself the last few feet over the rocks Also in 1975, Erikson’s son, Jon the mental and physical toil required was a sight never to be forgotten by Erikson, added his name to the short for a one-way passage. It does however, those who witnessed it.” list of double crossers. he younger need courage, determination, patience, Erikson’s two-way swim took place on and physical powers high above the MAKE MINE A DOUBLE 13-15 August 1975. He inished just ordinary.” Four years later, lightning struck three minutes faster than his old man, Chloë McCardel, herself a veteran again when Chicago-based marathon again guided by a strong competitive of three, two-way crossings, agrees swimmer Ted Erikson completed the nature. “Jon’s primary motivation was with Forsberg’s assessment. “I think second double-crossing of the English to beat me!” the elder Erikson recalls. there’s a lot of people who think, ‘I’ve Channel in 30 hours and 3 minutes. Two years later, in September 1977, done the English Channel. What’s the Erikson, a chemist at the Illinois a 20-year-old chemistry and biology new challenge?’ I think there’s a lot of Institute of Technology Research student from Ontario named Cindy people who think it’s a realistic goal for Institute, recalls that his motivation for Nicholas would shave well more than them, but it’s not for everyone.” While she is supportive of people dreaming big, she encourages double-crossing aspirants to speak with swimmers who CINDY NICHOLAS WOULD have achieved it and understand what SHAVE WELL MORE THAN THREE it takes to get there – and back again. “It’s eight times harder than a single MINUTES OFF THE RECORD AND crossing. You can’t even compare them,” PUT WOMEN ON THE MAP OF and the degree of diiculty “just goes up” with each subsequent crossing. MULTI-WAY CROSSINGS WHEN THREE-WAY SHE COMPLETED THE FEAT McCardel is also one of only ive people IN AN ASTOUNDINGLY FAST to have successfully completed a solo three-way crossing of the English 19 HOURS, 55 MINUTES Channel. She completed her three-way in 2015 in a quick 36 hours and 12 minutes. McCardel followed in the footsteps of Alison Streeter, the reigning Queen of the English Channel who has a total of 43 solo crossings of the Channel under her belt, including three two-ways and one three-way. Streeter completed that three-way in 1990 in 34 hours, 40 minutes. She still holds the record for the fastest triple crossing by a woman. But McCardel and Streeter were preceded in triple crossings by two men, the irst of whom was veteran double-crosser, Jon Erikson. In 1981, at the age of 26, the physical education teacher from Chicago completed what many in Channel swimming circles

42 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com SWIMMING HISTORY

IT’S EIGHT TIMES HARDER THAN A SINGLE CROSSING. YOU CAN’T EVEN COMPARE THEM, AND THE DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY JUST GOES UP WITH EACH SUBSEQUENT CROSSING. THERE’S NO FLOATING ALLOWED CHLOË MCCARDEL

previously thought impossible in 38 holds the speed record for two-way the channel and the supreme endurance hours and 27 minutes. crossings, which he set as part of that that would be required to complete a In 2013, he told the World Open three-way crossing at just 16 hours, journey of 84 miles in chilly water. Water Swimming Association that 10 minutes. he mind boggles when However, in 2017, McCardel – who his dream had been to accomplish presented with evidence of such today has 31 successful solo crossings “something that had never been done sustained speed and endurance in of the Channel to her name, the most of before by another human being. It is challenging conditions. any Australian, and coaches swimmers a record that cannot ever, and will not he only other person to have thus around the world to make their own ever be broken, because like Roger far completed a triple English Channel journeys – announced an attempt at Bannister’s (irst) sub four-minute mile crossing is Sarah homas, who decided a quad crossing. It seemed that the run, there is only one irst.” that three simply wasn’t enough. talented Australian swimmer might hough Jon Erikson’s three-way push out the boundaries of human crossing had been well faster than THE QUAD potential in a new way. Abertondo’s two-way 20 years before, When Erikson made the irst triple Unfortunately, the attempt was cut his record crumpled when the blazingly crossing, many reporters noted that short at the end of the second leg. fast Philip Rush came barreling across so far, no swimmer had completed a McCardel says she was experiencing the Channel on 15-16 August 1987 in quadruple crossing. It’s only human symptoms of swimming induced just 28 hours and 21 minutes. Rush’s nature to seek the next frontier, ater all. pulmonary edema, a potentially record for the triple crossing – which But there weren’t many takers for lethal lung condition that is well incidentally took 23 minutes less than such a challenge between 1987 and known in triathlon circles. It causes Jackie Cobell’s epic 2010 one-way 2017. In fact, many people considered it an accumulation of luid in the lungs, crossing – seems destined to stand a sheer impossibility, with the way tides robbing the athlete of oxygen to power for years to come. Rush also currently and weather can change so quickly in forward motion. outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 43 SWIMMING HISTORY

➜ McCardel says she has no plans to try the four-way again. “I haven’t found a way around [SIPE] yet,” she says. And until such time as a clear preventive protocol or reliable in-water treatment is found, getting into a situation that’s been known to trigger the dangerous condition seems unwise.

BROKEN BOUNDARIES Around that same time half a world away, Sarah homas was undertaking a 104.6-mile solo swim in Lake Champlain. In the lead-up to that swim, she had already booked a slot for a four-way crossing of the English Channel in summer 2019. A breast cancer diagnosis in November 2017 didn’t delay her attempt, but it did put a crimp in her ability to train the way she would have preferred. As Forsberg noted in Modern Long Distance Swimming, to train for a double crossing, an aspirant would have to “average four hours a day of waterwork,” over the nine months IT’S KIND OF SPECIAL TO BE leading up to the swim. “Towards the end of training, that average will be ABLE TO SAY THAT YOU WERE very much exceeded. his fact alone will undoubtedly place the project THE FIRST TO DO SOMETHING. beyond the reach of most amateurs IT KIND OF CAPTURES YOUR with a normal job to do. Extreme single-mindedness and prodigious IMAGINATION MORE TO mental and physical guts is an absolute HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY essential.” Forsberg was considering a double- quadruple crossing in 54 hours and 10 TO DO SOMETHING NEW, crossing; the training required for a minutes on 15-17 September 2019. SOMETHING FRESH AND quad is exponentially more intensive, demanding a special kind of obsession EL CINCO? TO BREAK BOUNDARIES or the ability to subvert the laws of time, Now that a four-way crossing has space, even physics itself. For homas, been accomplished, some people have who works full time as a health care naturally begun to wonder whether recruiter, training for the quad signiied a ive-way crossing is possible. For l Has the ability to simply stay awake a formidable commitment to the goal. her part, homas thinks that it is, for well north of 50 hours. But the efort would be rewarded if but would demand a very speciic she could become the irst swimmer to swimmer who can meet a stringent set No doubt, someday a swimmer will achieve the impossible-seeming Quad. of requirements: bring the right combination of skills, “In the marathon swimming world, l Has an excellent navigator who talents, and luck to the challenge. Who there’s a lot of swims that hundreds of understands the currents and tides and and when remain open questions. “It people have done,” she says, pointing to can time them perfectly; will take some magic to accomplish, but the Catalina Channel and the English l Is fast enough to make a single I absolutely think it’s possible,” homas Channel as good examples of “cool, crossing in less than 12 hours; says. “If things hadn’t gone so awry iconic swims where it’s fun to add l Can maintain that pace over multiple with the currents on my last lap, I had your name to the list. But it’s kind of crossings; enough let in the tank to do a ive-way.” special to be able to say that you were l Can tolerate the chilly temperatures For her part, homas hasn’t ruled the irst to do something. It kind of and variable weather conditions that are out making an attempt on a ive- captures your imagination more to likely to crop up over three days at sea; way English Channel swim. “If I had have the opportunity to do something l Has an experienced crew willing unlimited resources and unlimited time new, something fresh and to break to live in tight quarters on the boat to to train, I would go back to England boundaries.” support the swimmer for multiple days; and try it in a heartbeat.” But that’s not She did, despite having had to cope l Has an enormous capacity to cope reality. “I have to pick and choose, and with treatment for breast cancer over with the ravages of salt water on the right now there are other bodies of most of 2018. She completed her mouth, throat and skin; and water that are speaking to me.”

44 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com 10% off online orders Code: oswinter Changing Performance this Winter

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www.charliemcleod.co.uk SWIM LIFE SWIM SEW WILD

Our new series for 2020 explores swimmers and their creations inspired by the water. This month, Ella Foote meets a swimmer that sews

46 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com SWIM LIFE

love patterns, out of the water I don’t wear anything like it, but when it comes to swimwear I am “Iconstantly on the lookout for a really fantastic pattern,” says Siân Jenkins, Lake District swimmer and sewing enthusiast. “I can’t wear someone else’s swimwear anymore, even if I really like it!” Siân regularly swims at the popular Miller Ground, Buoy 13 swimming spot on Windermere. I irst met her ONCE I HAD LEARNT THE when I spotted her slipping into the BASIC PATTERN, I KNEW I water one November in a beautiful long-sleeved swimsuit. When I asked COULD TWEAK IT. I FOUND A where she had bought it, she explained COMPANY THAT SPECIALISES that she had made it herself. I was in did most of it, but I helped. I must awe. To me, people who can sew are have been about six or seven-years-old. IN DANCEWEAR AND SKATING, like magicians. When I went to university, I ruined THEN ADAPTED THE PATTERNS more things than I created. What really MORNING DIP helped was moving to my own house OF THEIR LEOTARDS TO MAKE Siân moved to the Lake District from and having space for a sewing room. THEM EASY TO GET ON AND Oxford for a job at Cicerone Press, It was a conscious decision to learn to who are famous for their guidebooks. sew things I will actually wear.” OFF FOR SWIMMING “It is a brilliant job,” she says. “I oten Siân, like a lot of swimmers, would swim in the morning before work, look at swimsuits from new brands, if the weather is nice we go almost but couldn’t justify the price. “I started every day.” Siân hasn’t always been an thinking, I should be able to make outdoor swimmer: “I never really had one. hat is how my family operate: THE PERFECT FIT the opportunity before, I didn’t have I like that, I wonder if I could make One of the beneits of making your lakes on my doorstep. It is only now I it? So I did a swimsuit course with own clothes is being able to make realise I actually could have done more fabric/sewing chain Abakhan. Once I something that is the perfect it. “I outdoor swimming in Oxford, but it had learnt the basic pattern, I knew I am really long bodied, when I buy just never occurred to me. When I go could tweak it. I found a company that swimsuits, I have always had to buy back and visit, I swim at Port Meadow.” specialises in dancewear and skating, bigger,” she says. “I never realised his winter is Siân’s third winter then adapted the patterns of their how much they didn’t it until I made of swimming at Buoy 13. “I do miss leotards to make them easy to get on my own.” Siân has made a few suits doing distance,” she says. “When and of for swimming.” for mates, in exchange for the cost of the temperature starts dropping, I materials and a trade, like tulip bulbs. am always disappointed. In warmer “But really,” she says, “I love my job months we oten swim a kilometre Siân oten so want to keep it as a hobby.” Gilly before work. I have always enjoyed swims in McArthur was featured last year on being around water, and then when I Windermere the front cover of Outdoor Swimmer, moved here, I did one of the Swim the wearing one of Siân’s creations. Lakes introduction days. I brought a Inspired to give it a go? Siân wetsuit, but kept forgetting it, so now I recommends inding a course. “It is just swim in a costume.” the easiest way to learn,” she says. “Although there are loads of resources A SEWING FAMILY online, it is oten better in person and So at what point did Siân start making you can learn a lot from a room full of her suits? “I come from a sewing people. If you have a sewing machine family,” she says. “Growing up my and don’t know what to do with it, Granny taught me to knit and the there are introduction to your machine irst thing I sewed was a blouse that courses – just give it a go. It takes I desperately wanted. It was purple conidence and practice, but really gingham with purple buttons, my Mum anyone can do it.” outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 47 12 JULY 2020

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INSIDE

50 Coach Cassie 52 Open water in the pool 54 Training 56 Planning a sea swim 58 Ice swimming 60 Sport psychology 62 Recipes

h2openmagazine.com H2OPEN | JUNE/JU LY 2016 49 EXCEL COACH CASSIE Olympic medallist Cassie Paten answers your swimming queries

No mater what I eat or how litle I eat, I feel it 1-2 hrs later while swimming How do I get (heaviness, belching.) the momentum What and when I feel of walls in should I eat before the pool to help swimming 2km in me set pace in open water? Thanks! @Tkempt10 open water? @DuckHunterToo Coach Cassie says: I feel your pain on this. I used to have exactly the same problem when I swam ater eating (especially ater cucumber!). To be honest with you, it’s a bit of trial and error in terms of what you can eat and how it sits in your stomach when you swim. To ensure that I had digested the majority of the food fully before a big race, I would get up approximately four hours before the start of Coach Cassie says: his is one not touching the sides. I realise that if the race and have my high of the main diferences between pool you are swimming in the leisure centre carbohydrate meal. As most and open water speed and pacing. this might be diicult to do, but you of my swims were in the In swimming you travel the fastest can swim a pacing set and do it in such morning this would include underwater, especially with a strong a way that you do not push of the toast and jam, cereals etc. If push-of and leg kick in a tight walls at all. You can do that by turning it was an early start I would streamlined position. slightly early so you do not come into go back to sleep for a couple here is nothing you can do to to contact at all with the end of the pool, of hours and then top up directly replicate this while swimming or if you do tumble turn ensure you my food with quite light and in open water, however you can change come straight up and do not utilise easily digestible snacks such the way you swim in the pool to mimic the underwater phase. his will make as bananas and oaty cereal an open water environment. your pool times slower however it will bars with weak squash. It’s When my coach would set me a 5km be closer to the speeds you’ll be doing worth remembering that open water time trial in the pool, he in open water. Don’t forget to include some energy drinks have a would take a couple of lane ropes out sighting if you want to make it as high carbohydrate level and and make us swim around in a square, authentic as possible. can give you a stitch if drank too soon before swimming.

Cassie Paten won bronze in the irst ever Olympic 10km marathon swim, in the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Cassie now coaches and is a commentator at open water events • cassiepaten.co.uk • @cassiepaten Email your questions to: [email protected] with the subject ‘Coach Cassie’

50 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com IF YOU’RE GOING TO DO A SWIM MAKE IT A GREAT SWIM

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Keri-anne Payne explains the fastest way to get around a buoy – and how to incorporate it into your winter pool training

Keri-anne Payne is a double open water world champion, triple Olympian and Olympic silver medallist in the 10k open water marathon at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. She created the Straight-Line Swimming methodology with her husband, triple Olympian David Carry. SUPERMAN straightlineswimming.com BUOY TURNS

get asked all the time how I deal came about by accident. I was in the is outstretched in front of you, palm with open water buoy turns middle of a swim and I was pushed lat. he outside arm is doing shorter Iduring an event. his can seem underneath the buoy, so I ended up sharper arm strokes to get you around like one of the most daunting keeping the arm underneath the buoy the turn quickly. parts of an open water swim, triathlon in front of me and I had just enough he arm closest to the buoy has three or Ironman. hroughout my Olympic room for the outside arm to do some roles: career, I tried many diferent types front crawl. he result surprised me of turns. One that you might have because I went into that turn in about Keeping the body lat and close to heard of, seen or even tried, is the 15th place and came out in 5th! I 1the surface ‘backstroke’ turn. his is a really gained 10 places by accident! I thought To keep your balance as you go fun turn to do, but it’s not the most it might have been a luke so I tried it 2around the buoy practical all the time. he backstroke again and had the same results again Most importantly, it’s your steering turn means you have to turn onto your only this time I came out in irst place! 3mechanism. If you keep your arm back at some point which opens you So if I asked you to picture outstretched straight in front up to someone swimming over the top Superman lying through the air, what of you, then you will continue to of you – not ideal! You also then have comes to your mind? Now the secret swim straight. However, if you are turn back onto your front which can to the Superman turn is to think about turning right then your arm needs make you feel a bit dizzy. Now I don’t your body (sort of) lying through the to steer you round to the right. know about you, but the last thing I air like Superman, arm outstretched want to feel is dizzy when I’m in the ahead of you. ‘What?! You want me to actively middle of an open water swim! his is true for parts of the turn – the swim CLOSER to the buoy?!’ I know he turn I am going to tell you about lead arm, the one closest to the buoy this might seem like the complete

52 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com s 53 EXCEL | JANUARY 2020 | JANUARY the turn shoulder in a straight line, in a straight to do shorter but to do shorter make the most of make the most the rotation phase the rotation tracking under the under tracking Use the lead arm close to the buoy Arm fully extends to Hand pulls the water pulls the water Hand sharper strokes to aid sharper strokes closest to the buoy to closest The outside arm needs Outdoor Swimmer steer around the buoy around steer Take an agressive line agressive an Take

3 stages of the Superman turn Superman of the 3 stages

The steering arm needs to steer! The to use it Don’t forget

Keeping your body in as your Keeping streamlined position as possible and it much quicker will make more eicient

Breathing – you shouldn’t need to Breathing – you turn and it will breath during your can hold if you be much quicker breath to get around it. your The Superman arm needs to The reach you SOON AS happen AS Don’t swim past it then the buoy. if you do the Superman arm – even into the a stroke need to glide for turn that will be more eicient

You need to make sure you are sure you need to make You where know sighting oten so you are close to it is and you the buoy

The outside arm needs to do The to aid shorter but sharper strokes the turn

Sighting should be done as soon as Sighting are out of the turn you like feel you are on track to ensure you

You need to be really close to the need You a bit pointless or it’s buoy You don’t need to wait till the open wait need to don’t You here are a few things to consider consider to things a few are here

the lane rope). Good rope). the lane luck! around the wall (without touching it or or it touching the wall (without around at all – use the Superman turn to get get to turn all – use the Superman at is to do a few sets not touching the wall touching sets do a few to not is practice with. My challenge this month this month challenge My with. practice a pool. You don’t even need a buoy to to even need a buoy don’t a pool. You water season try to in a go water it this –give explanation of the Superman turn. Superman the of explanation on-the-buoy-superman-turn for a video a video for on-the-buoy-superman-turn See triscape.me/triscape-online/take- when doing this turn: when doing and this is really slowing you down! you slowing this really is and (traic wise) going wide of the buoy the buoy wide of wise)(traic going the buoy, so it’s actually much busier busier actually much so it’s the buoy, is that no one likes going too close to too close to going likes one no that is noticed in a lot of open water swims swims water open of in a lot noticed of it and out of trouble. A trend I’ve I’ve A trend trouble. of out and it of around a buoy, the quicker you are out out are you the quicker a buoy, around a swim, but the quicker you can get get can you the quicker a swim, but opposite to what you want to do in to want you what to opposite

THROUGH THE THROUGH THE AIR YOUR BODY FLYING FLYING BODY YOUR IS TO THINK ABOUT THINK ABOUT IS TO SUPERMAN TURN TURN SUPERMAN THE SECRET TO THE THE TO SECRET

4 7

1 2

3 8

6 5 outdoorswimmer.com

s TRAINING

BEAT THE BULGE

t’s your irst training session MAKE A PLAN. WRITE IT DOWN. Pool training in of the year. It may be your irst PUT IT AT THE END OF THE POOL. January requires Iin a long time. You head to the A session plan for your pool visit is pool to do one of our session incredibly powerful. Not only is it a more ﬂexibility plans sets only to ind there’s barely motivational tool for you, it signals any room to swim. your intent to other swimmers. If than usual to It’s a common occurrence in January you’re lucky, they might ask if they can as people lock to leisure centres. Most follow your plan. beat the bulge in will be gone again by February. But meanwhile, how do you beat the bulge IF THEY DON’T ASK, INVITE THE lane usage, says in pool users, get your training done OTHER SWIMMERS TO JOIN YOU. and ensure you’re one of the ones If they say yes, it will make sticking Simon Griﬃths who keeps their resolutions beyond to your plan easier. If they don’t, at the end of the month? least you’ve been friendly and that

54 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXCEL

TIPS TO ADAPT YOUR TRAINING SESSIONS

When adapting training sessions to cope with crowded conditions, keep in mind the aim of the session. I’m not a fan of the advice to switch to doing drills or kick in crowded sessions, if that’s not what you planned to do. Try the following instead:

ENDURANCE TRAINING ADAPTATIONS Endurance training typically consists of long repeats (400m plus) with relatively short breaks (30 to 45s) between them. These are easy to do in public sessions as they it in well with the steady-paced swimming that many people do in the pool. Don’t worry if you occasionally need to slow down behind another swimmer or stop to let a faster one overtake. It won’t ruin your session. Focus on geting your target distance done rather A session plan for than achieving any speed targets. THRESHOLD TRAINING ADAPTATIONS your pool visit is Threshold training usually feature repeats incredibly powerful. of 50 to 200m at roughly 1500m race pace, with around 10 to 20 seconds rest ater Not only is it a each. These are harder to adapt to crowded public sessions as one of the aims is pace motivational tool consistency. Do your best to maintain for you, it signals pace and the short rest intervals but allow lexibility with distances. For example, say your intent to other your aim is to do a block of 10 x 100m in a 25m pool. swimmers. If you’re on your third length and see you will be overtaken by a faster swimmer on your fourth, stop at the end of length three (i.e. 75m) for your rest, and then do a ive-length swim (125m) on your next one. If someone may make them more willing to my experience, few pools provide any stops to let you pass as you’re inishing accommodate what you are trying guidelines. You can suggest but you one of your 100s, do an extra length or even to do. can’t enforce your own rules. Stay calm two lengths straight away, rather than making and keep swimming. them wait for you to start again. If you need OBSERVE AND THINK to add or remove 5s from your rest, BEFORE YOU SWIM. USE YOUR SESSION PLAN AS that’s also ine. How fast are the other people A GUIDE RATHER SOMETHING TO swimming? Are they swimming as a BE FOLLOWED COME WHAT MAY. SPRINT TRAINING ADAPTATIONS group or individually? Does it look like When you change pace or pause to Sprint training sessions consist of swimming they’re following a training plan? Once accommodate other swimmers, either short distances as fast as possible with you understand what others are doing, faster or slower, you will sometimes long rests or slow recovery swims in it’s easier to it in. miss your interval or target times. IT between. These pace changes confuse other DOESN’T MATTER! It’s much better swimmers, so you need to be considerate. DON’T EXPECT OTHERS TO to cut a few seconds rest here or add Focus on achieving the right intensity FOLLOW YOUR POOL a few there to keep a lane running on your sprints rather than sticking to a ETIQUETTE GUIDELINES. smoothly than to dogmatically insist precise pre-programmed schedule. Be guided here are some deeply held convictions on following a clock by the other swimmers rather than the clock. out there about what constitutes Leave space for other swimmers, and be correct lane swimming etiquette but especially careful to stand aside frequently there is little agreement. In while resting to not block anyone else. outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 55 GUIDE TO THE SEA HOW TO PLAN A SWIM

Author William Thomson explores how to plan a swim around tides, currents, wind and swell

n this exclusive series for Outdoor Swimmer we have explored Ithe four main variables – tides, currents, wind and swell – that change the sea state on a daily, even hourly, basis. Now we will discover how to take them all into account when planning a coastal swim, with a focus on maximising safety and performance. Although the cycles of tides and currents allow us to pencil in adventures months in advance, we can only really plan a swim to perfection a week beforehand because that’s about as far as wind and swell can be accurately forecasted. But once we have this information, it is possible to anticipate the sea state every hour of the week and ind windows of opportunity when the conditions are perfect for swimming. To increase WE CAN ONLY REALLY can download for free from my website chances of success, I have found that it PLAN A SWIM TO [www.tidalcompass.com/templates] helps to have a selection of ‘Set-Piece’ and print of; it also works well as swims you can choose from, each one PERFECTION A WEEK a reminder to look back on. When suited to diferent conditions. BEFOREHAND BECAUSE illing in the planner, I start by noting THAT’S ABOUT AS FAR the moon phase, which tells me if it is PLANNING AS WIND AND SWELL Springs [strong tides] or Neaps [weak he challenge when analysing multiple tides]. I then jot down the times of variables is that there is a lot of CAN BE ACCURATELY high and low tide, and from this I can information to take in. For tides and FORECASTED work out when Slack Water is. Below currents I use the Imray Tides Planner; this, I write the hours that currents for wind and weather I check the Met low each way, and ill the information Oice and Windy, then for swell I into the ‘Tidal Compass’ circle, go to Magic Seaweed, by which time showing the cycle of currents speeding I’ve forgotten what the tide is doing. up and slowing down throughout a So to make life easier, I designed an day. Finally, drawing little icons of the ‘Adventure Planner’ template that you currents on the map and comparing

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A STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND both ways. To do this, set of at an MEANS YOU WOULD EXPECT allocated time before slack water [half the time you want to swim for in total], THE CURRENTS TO START and go with the low until the currents FLOWING NORTH EARLIER, turn around and bring you back. he AND TURN TO THE SOUTH LATER main consideration here is that Slack Water at Neaps can extend to around 50 minutes, making it diicult to judge them to the wind direction gives a when to turn around; but at Springs clear idea of what sea state to expect. the currents change direction in just a few minutes, making the transition 'SET-PIECE' SWIMS much more deined. A cross-shore wind blowing the same direction that currents are lowing will SLACKS create a calm sea, but when currents he prolonged Slacks around Neaps oppose the wind, a chop quickly may not be ideal for a there-and- develops. On days like this, I opt for back swim, but they are perfect for a ‘one-way’ set piece swim, timing introducing children to the joys of sea the adventure for around maximum swimming. Not only does the lack of low when the currents are going the currents allow you to easily stay in same way as the wind; this allows you one place and within quick reach of to swim further, faster. It also gives everyone; it means dropped items can you time to get into a rhythm without easily be found; many a time as a child the distraction of turning around did I drop ins and masks, never every few minutes, and it’s to be found again in the fast inspiring to see your lowing murky waters of eforts as a journey the Channel. he thing along the coast; to consider when swimming at THE CHALLENGE planning a swim 1.5 knots in a for Slack Water is 2-knot current WHEN ANALYSING that a cross-shore will take you MULTIPLE VARIABLES wind can afect its 5.5 kilometres time by an hour; in just one hour. IS THAT THERE IS A LOT this is because In Deal, three the surface water castles spaced OF INFORMATION moves with the 2km apart provide TO TAKE IN wind, enhancing or fantastic starting and counteracting the tidal stopping points; if the wind currents. For example, is northerly, I go at low tide when on the castles route illustrated the currents are lowing the same opposite, a strong southerly wind way, and swim south; if the wind is means you would expect the currents southerly I go at high tide and swim to start lowing north earlier, and turn north with the wind and current. he to the south later. he time depends only challenge is getting back to where on the wind strength and each place is you started, for which I have illustrated unique, but by being aware of whether a simple technique involving a bike [or to expect it earlier or later will help you you can run], a ruckrat and a vehicle. plan more efectively, and noting down If there’s an ofshore wind, the sea the time on your adventure planner will be calm regardless of which way that it actually happens will give you a the currents are lowing. his creates better idea of what to expect next time. perfect conditions for a there-and- Ater all, every swim is an opportunity back swim, with two main options. to learn something new Firstly, set of when the currents are at maximum low and swim into them, setting a target destination. When you’ve made it, or gone as far William runs a Tide School as you can, you can then drit with the increasing sea safety and currents back to where you started. performance through he downside of this approach is knowledge; see more at that swimming ‘upstream’ can be www.tidalcompass.com demoralising, even futile, so the second option is to go with the low outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 57 ICE SWIMMING Pushing the boundaries

s the popularity of open swimmers must wear nothing more Swimmer water swimming continues than a standard swimming costume, and scientist to grow, so do the number goggles and one swim hat to complete Aof people ‘pushing the an unassisted mile swim in water perspectives on boundaries’ at the extremes of that is 5 degrees Celsius or lower. For distance and temperature. We spoke these reasons, ice swimming is not ice swimming: to some leading experts on cold only extreme, but also dangerous. water swimming and gained some Nevertheless, those brave enough your questions advice about the efects it has on to successfully complete an ice mile the body, how to look out for signs claim their right to wear the uniform answered of hypothermia and a few general of a very exclusive club of extreme pointers if you’re contemplating taking swimmers, the coveted ice mile on an ice mile or cold-water swim. Red Jacket. An ice mile is one of swimming’s If you’re thinking about taking on an most extreme challenges. For an ice mile or are keen to swim in sub-5- attempt to be successfully classiied degree water, here is some advice from by the International Ice Swimming our panel of experts on cold Association (IISA), rules state that water swimming

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What changes occur in the body during a swim in cold water? KEY POINTS Following skin cooling, the superficial tissues including muscles and nerves start to cool, Ice swimming should be eventually resulting in a loss of strength and 1considered an extreme coordination. The arms are particularly susceptible sport and both swimmers to cooling, to the point where swimmers may not and event organisers be able to coordinate a swimming action or effect need to be aware of the a self-rescue. Changes to a swimmer’s posture in physiology and risks. the water (a more vertical than horizontal body position) and more splashy stroke may SWIMMERS be signs of muscle cooling. 2MAY HAVE POOR Humans normally regulate the deep body JUDGEMENT ABOUT What happens temperature at 36.5°C to 37 °C. When swimming THEIR THERMAL to the body on in cold water, the next phase of cooling, following RESPONSE TO muscle cooling, is the deep body (core). As the THE COLD. entering cold water? deep body cools, so does the brain; swimmers Well adapted / When entering cold water, the become more introverted, start to make errors, 3acclimatised swimmers skin is immediately cooled, and take longer to process instructions and slur their are still at risk. They may this is sensed by cold receptors speech. These symptoms start to develop before become hypothermic very close to the skin surface. the deep body is cooled to 35°C (the medical very suddenly as they This results in an initial gasp, definition of hypothermia) and will continue to may not shiver until they followed by rapid uncontrollable increase in severity with further cooling. are already clinically breathing, as well as an hypothermic. increase in heart rate and blood pressure - known as the ‘cold ENTRY TO THE shock response’. It is therefore 4WATER SHOULD important that swimmers enter BE STAGED AND the water slowly, are over the What is the best body A SWIMMER peak cold shock response and type for cold water swimming? SHOULDN’T START able to control their breathing SWIMMING UNTIL before starting to swim. Fat is most useful, as it helps to insulate THE PEAK COLD from the cold. Cold water and ice swimmers SHOCK RESPONSE are generally slightly larger than average, HAS PASSED. apart from a few very fast swimmers. Faster For the full study, swimmers also have good technique which is The coldest point of ‘Ice swimming: your well maintained (preventing the increase in 5a swim is ater a swim. questions answered’, drag), a high level of fitness with high heat which includes detailed generation to offset the cold water. BEING FAT advice for those Again, this comes down to heat balance, 6AND FAST IS supervising ice mile but also to good basic technique, fitness ADVANTAGEOUS, events as well as for and insulation to reduce heat loss. Muscle AS IS GOOD PRE swimmers considering will help with heat generation but is not as AND POST SWIM an ice mile, visit useful as fat. A tall muscular swimmer NUTRITION. outdoorswimmer.com with a good amount of adipose tissue will produce a lot of heat, which they Good technique are able to retain in their body. 7is important but may sufer due to the environment.

OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS E Jane Turner Department of Breast Surgery, Croydon University Hospital, UK Mike Tipton Extreme Environments Laboratory, School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, University of Portsmouth, UK Mark Harper Department of Anaesthetics, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK Kate Steels International Ice swimming Association Great Britain Ruth Williamson Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch NHS Foundation trust, UK Heather Massey Extreme Environments Laboratory, School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, University of Portsmouth, UK outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 59 SPORT PSYCHOLOGY “I AM WORRIED THAT THE COLD MIGHT BEAT ME”

Sports psychology consultant Helen Three interesting facts about Lisa Davis helps ice LISA SAYS WHAT SHE mile challenger LACKS IN SPEED AND SKILL, SHE MAKES UP Lisa Grandcourt FOR WITH PURE GRIT AND DETERMINATION

Swimmer: LISA FRACTURED HER Lisa Grandcourt LOWER VERTEBRAE IN Lisa Grandcourt is 45 years old and 2009 IN A PARAGLIDING lives in Owston Ferry, Doncaster, ACCIDENT. IT’S NEVER South Yorkshire. Lisa swims with STOPPED HER PUSHING ‘Swim Your Swim’ (SYS) a ‘family’ HERSELF AS SHE HAS who are passionate about geting COMPLETED NUMEROUS everyone open water swimming, TRIATHLONS, CYCLE AND safely and securely. Lisa’s concerns RUNNING EVENTS LISA HAS CYCLED Swimming and Lisa is concerned that FROM PORTUGAL TO the cold might beat her. DONCASTER, NICE sporting background TO DONCASTER AND Lisa entered a super sprint triathlon She knows that the water NAPLES TO DONCASTER four years ago at short notice. She WITH HER PARTNER, hadn’t swum for years and swam temperature will push her ALL SELF-SUPPORTED breaststroke all the way around the mind and her body to its AND CAMPING ALONG lake. She was the last person out of THE WAY the water and got the biggest cheer limits. She worries that if from the crowds. From then on, she was hooked! She found a local open oicials see her shivering, water swimming venue and began to practise. It took about two years they will end her swim for her to be conident doing front crawl and keep her face in the water and that loved ones will but ater some coaching, she was try and discourage her as successful. The furthest she has The event swum is 5km. She rarely swims in a she seeks her goal. She Lisa is aiming to swim a 1km ice mile pool as she loves open water so much. qualiier at Hatield Outdoor Activity She has just signed up for a 12-week knows they have her best Centre near Doncaster. Her wish is to SYS coaching programme to try and interests at heart, but she’s be strong enough mentally to do an improve her technique. She describes ice mile swim in early 2020. herself as non-competitive, but concerned they will talk confesses she always analyses the race results aterwards to see where her out of it, rather than she came and if she could have done beter. give encouragement.

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Helen says…

Lisa has identiied a few things that she as truth. hese thoughts might be true always – I have had times where I have feels would beneit her to work on in but not necessarily so. Some thoughts followed through on things.” the lead up to her ice mile challenge. are opinions, not facts, so I would One is to talk more constructively. encourage Lisa to recognise this and STRATEGY: BOOSTING She feels she can easily talk herself out consider what may be possible. She CONFIDENCE: HELP AND SUPPORT of doing something and does this a describes herself as being determined Alongside working on restructuring lot when swimming, for example she and having lots of grit. Remind thoughts, it sounds like Lisa would regularly questions herself about doing yourself of these strengths Lisa when like a good dose of self-conidence. another lap. Secondly, she would also you have any unhelpful thinking, Here I would recommend a ‘cold like a boost of self-conidence and a bit as tapping into these strengths will water support buddy’ who you ask of motivation to encourage herself and enhance your belief that you can do it. to champion your goal for you. believe she can do it. Ater every session, recognise your TO AIM TO BE MORE achievements as the temperatures STRATEGY: TAKING CONTROL: CONSTRUCTIVE, HERE IS A decrease, praise yourself for your THINKING CONSTRUCTIVELY PROCESS FOR RESTRUCTURING eforts, however small they may be. Lisa recognises that improving her NEGATIVE, UNHELPFUL THOUGHTS: Recognise your successes and use thinking to be more constructive and Step one: Identify the unhelpful that competitive spirit to help see you efective would beneit her to help her thought. through the challenge. complete her challenge. Noticing what Step two: Act as if you are in a you say to yourself and how you say it courtroom recording factual evidence. A FINAL SAY… is the building block to learning self- Record all the evidence that supports Good luck with your ice mile control. Some examples of this might this thought. challenge Lisa! be fortune telling, this is where you Step three: Now list the evidence predict what is going to happen in the against that thought. Helen Davis is a swimmer and sport future (I might not be able to manage Step four: Revise your thoughts. Look psychology consultant who works the cold), catastrophising (oicials will at the evidence for and against and with individuals, teams and coaches get me out if I am shivering), black and create a balanced alternative thought on their sporting performance. white thinking (I will be able to do it that takes into consideration both Each month, Helen will proile a or I won’t be able to do it) or despair sides of the argument. If we look at swimmer who has an event planned thinking (I always talk myself out of the statement “I always talk myself and suggest psychological techniques something). out of something” a more balanced to help them. houghts like this can be upsetting alternative might be “I have talked www.thinkbelieveperform.co.uk because we typically take our thoughts myself out of things in the past, but not outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 61 REAL FOOD FOR REAL ATHLETES New Year, new habits!

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to build new habits. Ater the indulgence of Christmas, it's refreshing to ditch the starchy carbs and replace them with a wholegrain alternative to kickstart your new year training plan. They’re typically high in iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, B vitamins and dietary CHORIZO ibre and have been linked MEXICAN GRAINS to lower the risks of heart INGREDIENTS: INSTRUCTIONS: 1tbsp olive oil Add the vegan disease, type 2 diabetes and 1 sachet of mixed ready 1chorizo to a large prepared brown rice and nonstick pan over cancer. It's a perfect habit to quinoa medium heat with the 1 pack of vegan chorizo onion and garlic and build this year! pieces cook until chorizo is 1/2 yellow onion, cooked through and chopped onion is sot. 1 courgete, diced Add tomatoes, 1 clove garlic, minced 2courgettes, chilli 1 tin of tomatoes lakes, paprika and 1tsp chilli lakes sweetcorn and EXPERT ADVICE 1tsp paprika peppers to the chorizo 1 tin of mixed sweetcorn and let simmer for Kathy Findlay is an open water and peppers about 5 minutes to swimmer, nutritional therapist Chopped fresh coriander cook of some of the and advanced sports and Chipotle lavoured liquid. exercise nutritional advisor Tabasco Sauce Stir in the rice and providing personalised nutritional quinoa, adding the advice and plans to athletes. 3 coriander and Tabasco foodforsport.wix.com/nutrition to taste. See Kathy’s Instagram account for more recipe ideas: food4sport_

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INGREDIENTS: cook 35 to 40 minutes 130g uncooked pearled barley or until most of liquid is 30g chopped walnuts absorbed. 2 teaspoons brown sugar Stir in the walnuts, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2brown sugar, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and nutmeg. Add 120ml 240ml almond milk milk, stirring until mixture 6 tablespoons chopped fresh is creamy, barley is tender apples and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add an INSTRUCTIONS: additional 120ml milk, if Bring 710ml of water necessary, to reach desired 1to a boil in a medium consistency. saucepan over high heat. Divide porridge evenly Add the barley, bring water 3among three bowls. Top to a boil, and then reduce each bowl with apples. heat to low. Cover and BULGAR PILAF

INGREDIENTS : 50g ﬂaked almonds 1tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 225g bulgar wheat 600ml veggie stock 50g sultanas Chopped coriander Seasoning INSTRUCTIONS: Heat the oil in a large 1wok and saute the onion for 4 minutes, until sot. Stir in the Bulgar and 2fry for about 4 minutes, then add the stock and bring to the boil, reducing to a simmer and cooking for 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Season and add all 3the other ingredients, cooking for a further 5-10 minutes until the Bulgar is lufy. Yum!

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 63

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67 Travel News 68 Berlin’s lakes 72 Cycling Manhattan’s 20 Bridges

h2openmagazine.com H2OPEN | JUNE/JU LY 2016 65 lakes of lithuania make 2020 a ming mer for swimim sum with SwimTrek

Malta escape swimming holidays for everyone, from beginners to pioneers www.swimtrek.com Call: +44 (0)1273 739713 Email: [email protected] EXPLORE

Urban swim 5events

Swim Serpentine, London 26 September 2020 Half-mile, one-mile and two-mile swims at the GO WILD Serpentine in Hyde park. Swimserpentine.co.uk IN THE CITY City Swim, Amsterdam hink of wild swimming and EUROPEAN TOUR September 2020 your irst thought might not London isn’t the only European capital Swim with 3000 others Tbe a dock in east London. city with wild swimming opportunities through the 400-year-old But our capital city has a – turn the page for an exploration of canals of Amsterdam. plethora of outdoor swimming options Berlin’s lakes and see right for our pick amsterdamcityswim.nl for Londoners and tourists – so on of urban swim events. In Paris, join your next trip don’t forget to pack your hundreds of other open water swimmers swimming kit! As well as London Royal in the annual Open Swim Stars race. TrygFonden, Docks, a swimming tour of the capital A DUBLIN TRADITION Copenhagen should include the Ponds on Hampstead 29 August 2020 Heath, a taste of lido culture (try he Lifey Swim through Ireland’s A 2km open water swim Brockwell, Parliament Hill or Tooting capital is a Dublin tradition. One of the through the canals of (members only in winter)if you prefer world’s oldest open water swims, the Copenhagen and around the unheated; Charlton or London Fields event celebrated its centenary this year iconic Danish Parliament for heated luxury) and West Reservoir. with some 600 swimmers taking to the buildings. Membership of the Serpentine water to swim 2.2km under 12 bridges. copenhagenswim.com Swimming Club will get you access to the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, or DO SOME RESEARCH travel south to the new wild swimming It is worth a bit of googling and poring pond in Beckenham Place Park. Many over maps to try and ind swim spots 2 Bridges Swim Under venues are open all year round. Head and groups in cities. CIBBOWS in the Walkway, USA further out of London for a choice of New York, Plavecky Klub Otuzilcu in A 2.5 and 5k swim in lakes that ofer safe wild swimming, Prague, Seehunde in Berlin – outdoor the Hudson River near including Shepperton, Heron, Bray and swimmers turn up in the most Poughkeepsie in the state Dorney lakes. surprising of places! of New York. nyopenwater.org/events

SwimTrek HQ on cold water swimming Portland Bridge Swim, USA “It takes a few seconds to fully hit you, “The feeling was amazing! I survived! 12 July 2020 but the adrenaline buzz will last And my skin tingled!” Ash Compete in a marathon all day!” Olivia swimming race through the “I took the irst English club across to heart of Portland, Oregon. “Breathtaking… in all senses!” Cat Finland for the Finnish Winter Swimming Part nature experience, Championships in 2006. I remember being part sight-seeing tour and “The buzz you get is an addictive feeling amazed that the pool had been cut out of an all physical and mental that you just can’t get enough of!” Sally the ice on a river!” Simon challenge. Portlandbridgeswim.org

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 67 BERLIN Exploring the Land of 3,000 Lakes Peter and Dawn Springet moved to Germany in 2017. Here’s a guide to the local swimming culture and their favourite outdoor swimming spots in Berlin and beyond

arly morning, Sunday, Berlin. waist height, and chat as if they were in At 10 o’clock the Berliner a very chilly sauna. ESeehunde (Berlin Seals) gather For us, ten minutes immersed is at Orankesee in a corner of plenty! here are no showers out of old East Berlin. It’s easy to get here, season so it’s best to bring plenty which is great for new visitors to the of layers and wrap up warm before city. Just take a short ride by tram from cycling back home, which these days the centre of town, followed by a short is in Prenzlauer Berg, just up the road walk to the beach at the far end of the from Alexanderplatz. lake. hat’s where we meet the MAPPING THE WATERWAYS Seehunde themselves. OF BERLIN A good old Berlin When we irst arrived in tradition, gathered Germany, at the end in their bright ITS SKINNY- of 2017, Orankesee red jackets, they and its skinny- stand out brightly DIPPING HEROES dipping heroes against the muted WERE OUR FIRST were our irst autumn colours introduction of November. INTRODUCTION to outdoor Breaking the ice As 10am gets TO OUTDOOR swimming in closer, more arrive, Berlin. Both of us until a crowd of 40 SWIMMING IN were south-London are poised for their BERLIN regulars at Brockwell morning swim. Lido and huge fans Following a short list of of the pool at Parliament announcements, it’s time to strip Hill. We hoped our new home of and descend to the water’s edge. city would ofer a similar outdoor A word to the wise here. Nudity is experience during the winter months. the norm amongst these adventurous We should have known better. Most swimmers, although modesty prevents outdoor pools (Freibad) in Germany us timid Brits from joining them as shut from September until Easter. Not nature intended. a good start. Luckily, we’d both read At seven degrees centigrade, the Turning by Jessica Lee, her account of a mid-November water is as refreshing year swimming 52 diferent lakes in the Skinny dipping! as you’d expect. We swim widths of the Berlin area. With so many to choose beach until the chill starts to mount in from, surely there must be somewhere our ingers and toes. For many fellow near to where we lived? Orankesee was bathers, it’s enough to wade as far as soon on our radar, as was Weissensee, ➜

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Dawn braving the ice! ➜ outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 69 BERLIN

➜ a beautiful urban lake popular with of the lake is a great destination for swimmers and even closer to our lat. swimmers and when you’ve inished Like many lakes in Berlin, there’s a terriic old school restaurant Weissensee and Orankesee have a on the western shore where the cofee designated beach area manned by is strong, and the cake is to die for. he lifeguards in the swimming season. lake is also a favourite in winter when But all-year swimmers must make do swims are short and sweet, although with shoreline entry points that you might need a hammer to break are home to ducks, coots the ice. and grebes. Weissensee also hosts a family PACK A PICNIC of swans who 2AND CYCLE TO normally keep BRANDENBURG FLUGHAFENSEE themselves to Proximity to an themselves (as HAS MORE THAN airport isn’t the long as you don’t 3,000 LAKES irst thing that do anything comes to mind dat like AND 30,000 when hunting for encroach their KILOMETRES OF outdoor swimming personal space, destinations. But the equivalent of WATERWAYS given Berlin’s cheek- spilling their pint on a by-jowl approach to lairy swan-night out). urban life and nature, With Weissensee and it works. Flughafensee is Orankesee under our (life)belts, deceptively small when you look on we started searching further aield. a map, but the lake ofers beaches Jessica’s book also helped us narrow galore and a sandy peninsula with a down our search to two lakes soon to desert island vibe. become our favourites: Flughafensee It’s best reached from the city and Schlachtensee (more on these centre by bike so that you can then later). pedal quickly to the quieter side of Once you look at a map of the lake. Don’t be put of by the air Brandenburg, the state that encircles traic in and out of Tegel airport, Berlin, the mind boggles at the it’s all part of the Berlin outdoor sheer number of outdoor swimming swimming experience. Peter snapping & opportunities available. Brandenburg swimming has more than 3,000 lakes and 30,000 kilometres of waterways. Along with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the state to its north, this area is home to the largest inland water system in Europe. But if you’re just visiting for a few days, Berlin itself ofers plenty of lakeside beaches, while the stunning waterways around Potsdam can be reached in about half an hour by train. Most railway departures include a bike carriage although these will get busy in Clear waters the summer months. Here are ive of our favourite destinations.

BREAK THE ICE 1AT WEISSENSEE Weissensee is very near to our irst lat in Berlin, so we are a bit biased. Still, it is the perfect introduction to Berlin outdoor swimming. Just over 1 km in circumference with a beach at one end, Weissensee has plenty of entry points around the shore, where you’ll share the water with mostly friendly waterfowl. he famous fountain at the centre

70 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXPLORE

TOP UP ON YOUR ENERGY WITH A GLASS OR TWO OF JUICE MADE FROM THE BRIGHT ORANGE BERRIES

CYCLE AND SWIM AROUND about half-way through your journey, climber to reach it but the views as you 3TEMPLINER SEE AND so top up on your energy with a glass ly over the lake are something else. SCHWIELOWSEE or two of juice made from the bright Just make sure you remember to let go Once you reach Potsdam or Werder, orange berries. in time for a safe splashdown. swimmers are spoilt for choice. We picked Templiner See and the adjacent TAKE AN EARLY MORNING DREAM SWIM AT MARIO BEACH, Schwielowsee because you can cycle a 4TRAIN TO SCHLACHTENSEE AND 5PLESSOWER SEE igure of eight from Potsdam station SWIM-RUN AROUND THE LAKE his was our potluck swim, and boy and back again, (about 28 km). As About 30-minutes from were we lucky. We bumped into well as dozens of oicial and unoicial Friedrichstrasse station on the S1 line, this beach when we got lost cycling beaches, there are plenty of places to Schlachtensee is our favourite Berlin through the fruit orchards of Werder, visit along the way. lake. About 5 km in circumference west of Potsdam. On the way to In the hills above Templiner See, it’s the perfect running loop as well as Glindower See, we took a wrong turn. near to Caputh, you’ll ind Einstein’s ofering a chain of convenient entry No problem. he great thing about this house where the physicist spent the points to the water. Bike or jog around part of Germany is that if you miss a summer months before the second- to the far shore where a small sandy lake, there’s always another one along world war. Further down the road in bay and wooden benches make this an in a minute. Caputh proper, you can catch a ferry outdoor swimming paradise. Plessower See looks small compared that will take you 50m to the far shore. Top tip: Arrive at daybreak in late with the giant waterways elsewhere in his point is the middle of the igure October and enjoy one of the most Brandenburg. But the beach opens out of eight and starts your circuit of beautiful autumn swims imaginable. into wide silky waters. he monitored Schwielowsee. As you arrive in Petzow, Bonus tip: here’s a swinging rope swimming area even includes a section look out for the extraordinary Sea high in a tree on the southwest side of of lake roped of into lanes if you fancy Buckthorn orchard and shop. You’re the lake. You’ll need to be a conident getting your swimming miles in outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 71 NEW YORK Cycling he 20 Bridges Susanne Masters spent a memorable day following the course of the 20 Bridges swim

n empty packet of swimming in a wild river. Doritos could loat We rode north and let Karen “A around Manhattan”, said downstream. I was hungry and in a man leaning against Midtown East we had time to grab the railing looking at people about a bagel for a picnic by East River, to swim around the island. In order and then get up on Ed Koch to swim around Manhattan you pass Queensboro Bridge. Checking under 15 bridges in Harlem River, 4 in New York Open Water’s boat East River, and one in Hudson River. tracker, we could see there LYING ON A TOW Being in New York at the same time were a couple of swimmers that my friend Karen was taking on before Karen that would BOARD BEHIND A JET he 20 Bridges challenge was a perfect swim under the bridge. SKI KAREN LOOKED opportunity for vicarious swimming pleasure. It was my boyfriend’s idea to LIKE A GLEAMING follow her the whole way round the WHITE MERMAID city on bikes. Karen was covered in Desitin, the USA version of Sudocrem, and behind her the morning sun was hitting Hoboken’s skyscrapers. Lying on a tow board behind a jet ski, Karen looked like a gleaming white mermaid and the mirrored shine of giant buildings relected the sun and blue sky. Both city and Karen looked magniicent. hen she was towed level with the clock on Pier A, Battery Park, slid into the Hudson, set of, and we jumped on our bicycles to follow her.

WILD IN THE CITY I’ve never nailed being a tourist in Manhattan and haven’t got around to walking across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Seeing Karen, one of my English beach buddies, heading up East River under the swooping suspension cables and towers of that bridge was a fantastic juxtaposition of man- made structure and one little person

72 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXPLORE

A shot of Karen passing under Queensboro Bridge

hey skirted around supporting pillars, showing me where to watch for Karen. I knelt on the bridge and through a gap between the railing and loor, I got a photo of her swimming right under us, about 40 metres below. We then headed north through Upper East Side and Harlem. Here Manhattan went wild. Our strip of asphalt was edged by towering trees and trailing vines. A viewpoint looking of the northern end was so high above the water it was like being on the 40th loor of a Wall Street skyscraper. I hadn’t realised Manhattan had hills like this until I cycled them. I was also hungry again, thirsty for more than tepid water, and despite being in a city with a population density of over 70,000 people per square mile, we were in a food desert. So Karen was still swimming and I was hangry. Perhaps an illustration of why I have no aspirations for being a champion swimmer. We grabbed lunch in Hamilton Heights and then headed back to George Washington Bridge. A falcon lew under us while we were enjoying the view. hen Karen swam under the bridge. It was the last bridge of her swim. I took a photo of her from the side and then ran to the middle and took a photo of her as a tiny speck heading down the home strait of West Manhattan. Under George TERRESTRIAL ATHLETES Riding through Riverbank State Park, Washington we watched Karen, and then sped Bridge ahead. At Chelsea Piers, we stopped to reill our water bottles at water fountains. My friends Nicole and Megan joined us. Terrestrial athletes ➜ outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 73 EXPLORE

Karen smiles after ﬁnishing the 20 Bridges swim

For someone who had just done an immense swim, she looked amazing. A tribute to the diligence of her training and swimming strength that she earnt. We gave her hugs and a bottle WHEN KAREN of champagne and remembered to tell her not to drink it on the quay because SWAM PAST New York has ‘no drinking in public WE WATCHED places’ - swig from a bottle on the street and you can be ined. HER CLOSE his might be the most memorable day I’ve had on Manhattan. I saw areas UP THROUGH of the city that in 20 years I’d never MOUNTED been to. I also watched my friend do TELESCOPES something very cool IN THE PARK. THEN RACED ABOUT THE SWIM SOUTH TO SEE Formerly known as MIMS (Manhattan Island Marathon HER REACH Swim), the 20 Bridges is a PIER A 28.5-mile circumnavigation around the island of Manhattan via the East River, Harlem River and Hudson River. Swimmers pass under themselves, they were impressed by her from and was super interested 20 bridges, hence the name. Karen and other swimmers taking on in swimming. Until I mentioned my The 20 Bridges is part of the the 20 Bridges. When Karen swam boyfriend was holding the bikes, then past we watched her close up through he disappeared. When I told Myles he Triple Crown of open water mounted telescopes in the park. hen laughed and said, “hat’s Manhattan swimming, along with the raced south to see her reach pier A. on a Saturday night”. I pointed out that English Channel and Catalina ater riding 50km when it was 33C in Channel. The swim is now HOT MESS the shade I was a hot, ilthy, sweaty run by New York Open Water Just over 9 hours ater she had started, mess. He smiled and said, “Saturday on a number of dates each Karen was heading towards the inish. night”. year. All swimmers must Pier A was now crowded with people Ater seeing Karen get out of the spilling out of a restaurant. I squeezed Hudson River for a hug from Digby, abide by Channel Rules (no through and asked a man at the railings her husband who had been in the wetsuits). if I could go in front of him because support boat the whole way round, that was my friend in the water. He Myles and I headed back north to More info: nyopenwater.org asked about the swim, where I knew ind her where the boat had docked.

74 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EVENT ZONE

INSIDE

76 Marathon Swims 78 Event Listings Marathon Swims – 10km in the pool

The phrase “don’t knock it until you’ve tried it” springs to mind with Marathon Swims’ new 10km pool swim concept, says Simon Griﬃths

iccon Loy, the brains behind progress, with the bonus that there is Marathon Swims, is on to no need to count lengths. Secondly, D something with the concept rather than being stuck in a lane with he’s developed for a 10km the same people for several hours and pool swim. It does it in an innovative risk conlict by repeatedly overtaking way that’s surprisingly enjoyable to or being overtaken, swim. you rarely encounter anyone Here’s how it works. Starting in the more than once or twice. bottom right hand corner of the pool, hirdly, exiting the water you swim two lengths in lane 1, always ater each kilometre MARATHON keeping to the right. At the end of the is a good chance to SWIMS OFFERS second length, duck under the lane stretch your legs, grab rope and do the same thing in lane 2. something to eat and AN OPPORTUNITY Repeat until you’ve done two lengths check your progress in each lane, bringing you to the on the live reporting TO CHECK YOUR bottom let end of the pool, for a total screens. SPEED AND of 20 lengths or 1km. Exit the pool, walk or jog back to the start, repeat. RECORD BREAKERS FITNESS I admit, I was sceptical before I tried he event has grown it. he few 10km swims I’ve done in quickly and sold out for two the pool have been of the 100 x 100m full days at the London Aquatics variety (and once 25 x 400m) in a Centre. his year, Oliver Wilkinson single lane, and they’ve been mentally became the irst person to break the and physically tough. he idea of doing 2:20 barrier with a sharp 2:19:49 10 x 1km was therefore not appealing. swim, while previous record holder he lane changing struck me as an Hayley Moore beat her last-year’s unnecessary complication and the time by three minutes to inish irst getting-out-and-running-back-to-the- woman in 2:25:03. In total, 233 people start as plain wrong. completed the 10km. he median Now having taken part in the event time was just under four hours and for the irst time, I’ve changed my the longest was a determined 8:14.22. mind. he formula works well. Firstly, Marathon Swims has clearly attracted traversing across the pool with each a wide range of swimmers. I heard 100m gives you a marker of your of one participant who only learnt

76 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EVENTS

Want to swim Smarter, Better ...Faster? James Ewart

James is a level 3 Total Immersion coach, STA level 2 Open Water coach and Video Analysis

specialist.

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# $ % $&,'-./)$ %)*+ 10km and 10km team """. A Water type: Pool Wetsuits: Not allowed. Ant Jacobs Next event: 2020 dates TBC Ant Jacobs is a level 2 Total Immersion coach, level 2 STA Open Water coach and BTF level 1 coach. Find out more: htps://

www.marathonswims.com/

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¥¥ water swimmers, Marathon event takes place each year ¢££ Swims ofers an opportunity to in November at the London Eastbou rn e. check your speed and itness. Aquatics Centre, home of the hink of it as a warm, early 2012 Olympics. In summer 2019,

winter benchmark training a second event took place at

# $ % $ & ' ( ) $ % ) * + swim to see where you are ater Sandford Lido in Cheltenham and """. A a summer outdoors. If you’re more venues are planned for new to outdoor swimming and next year outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 77 EVENT LISTINGS LET’S SWIM! UK AND INTERNATIONAL EVENT LISTINGS

Event organisers, if your event is not ly/RNLIc2c20, NS 5km, 10km, 15km), Salford Quays, Salford, listed please email details to uswimopenwater.com [email protected] JUNE 28 Selkie Henley Classic (2.1km), Henley-on- 3 Capernwray Open Water Swim 1 (500m, hames, henleyswim.com 1000m, 1500m, 2000m, 3.8km), Capernwray, t2.events JULY 5-7 Great North Swim (250m, 1/2 mile, 1 mile, 1 Capernwray Open Water Swim 2 (500m, ENGLAND & 2 miles, 5km, 10km), Windermere, greatswim. 1000m, 1500m, 2000m, 3.8km), Capernwray, org t2.events WALES 6 he BIG Bala Swim (1.5km, 4.5km, 9km), 3 Bantham Boomerang (7-10km), Kingsbridge, Bala, loveswimrun.co.uk outdoorswimmingsociety.com JANUARY 6 Salty Sea Dog Long Swims (2.5km, 3.8km), 3 he Wales Swim (1.2 miles, 2.4 miles), Tenby, 1 New Years Day Swim (Dip, 250m), Salford Boscombe, Bournemouth, votwo.co.uk thewalesswim.com, NS Quays, Salford, uswimopenwater.com 6 he Solva 'Green Monster' Swim (2.5 miles, 1 4 BLDSA Torbay (8 miles, 4 miles), Torquay, mile), Haverfordwest, muuk-adventures.com bldsa.org.uk, NW FEBRUARY 7 Jubilee River Swim (10km), Windsor, 4 Boulter's to Bray Swim (1.4km, 2.8km), 22-23 IISA GB Championships (50m up to mysportingtimes.com Maidenhead, boulterstobrayswim.org, NS 1000m), Cheltenham, sandfordparkslido.org. 7 Colwyn Bay Oceanswim (2km, 3km, 5km, 4 Sunrise Swoosh (6km), Kingsbridge, uk, NW 10km), Colwyn Bay, uswimopenwater.com outdoorswimmingsociety.com 29 he Welsh Winter Swim (50m, 100m, 250m, 7 Long Swims @ Lydd (1900m, 3800m, 5700m), 4 Mass Start 2 (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km), 500m), Llanberis, loveswimrun.co.uk Lydd, velocity-events.co.uk, NS Kempston, Bedford, galeforce-events.com 7 Tal-y-llyn - he CLASSIC & he BIG (2km, 4 Salty Sea Dog Long Swims (2.5km, 3.8km), APRIL 10km), Tal-y-Llyn, aberdoveyswim.co.uk Boscombe, Bournemouth, votwo.co.uk 18 he Guildford 12 (mile every hour for 12 13 Swim he English Channel Up North 5 Epic Lakes Swim Derwent (500m, 1 mile, hours), Guildford Lido, Guildford, zwimevents. Challenge (36km), Allostock, uswimopenwater. 3.8km), Keswick, epicevents.co.uk com com 5 Fugitive Open Water Swim (1.5km, 3.0km), 13 Bradford-on-Avon Slow Swim and Picnic Marlow, f3events.co.uk, NS M AY (1.7km), Bradford-on-Avon, hamiltonsitness. 5 Hever Castle Festival of Endurance 10 BLDSA Colwick Park Championships co.uk (1.9km, 3.8km, 10km), Hever, Edenbridge, (10km), Nottingham, bldsa.org.uk, NW 14 Epic Lakes Swim Ullswater (500m, 1 mile, castletriathlonseries.co.uk 15-17 Enduroman Festival of Ultra Events 3.8km), Glenridding, epicevents.co.uk 5 English Riviera Beach Swim (750m, 1500m, (4.8+2.4 miles, 7.2+4.8+2.4 miles, 12 miles), 19 Summer Solstice Starlight Swim (Dip), 3000m), Youngs Park, Paignton, sportivaevents. Bransgore, legendendurance-events.co.uk Newby Bridge, sleekerswim.co.uk co.uk 16-17 Keswick Mountain Festival Derwent 20 BLDSA Champion of Champions South (5 11 TenFoot Swim (5km), Tenby, tenfootswim. Swims (1500m, 3km, 5km), Keswick, miles, 3 miles, 1 mile), Dover Harbour, bldsa. co.uk, NS keswickmountainfestival.co.uk org.uk, NW 11 he BIG Welsh Swim (1.3km, 3km, 6km, 16 Greater Manchester Swim! (1 mile, 20 Castle Swim Series - Cholmondeley 9km), Llanberis, loveswimrun.co.uk 500m, 3 miles), Salford Quays, Salford, Castle (1 mile, 2.5km, 5km), Malpas, 11 Cambridge Slow Swim and Picnic (2.5km), uswimopenwater.com castletriathlonseries.co.uk Grantchester, Cambridge, hamiltonsitness. 20 Mass Start 1 (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km), 20 River Arun 3.8km Swim (3.8km), co.uk Kempston, Bedford, galeforce-events.com Littlehampton, rawenergypursuits.co.uk, NS 11 Pier to Pier Sunset Swim (1.4 miles), 24 Marlow Classic River Swim (1.5km, 3km), 20 Great East Swim (250m, 1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 Bournemouth, bhf.org.uk Marlow, f3events.co.uk, NS mile, 5km, 10km), Ipswich, greatswim.org 11-12 BLDSA Bala (1km, 3km, 3 miles, 6 miles), 24 Full Ironman and Half Ironman Lake Swim 21 Big South East Swim (1km, 2km, 3.8km, North Wales, bldsa.org.uk, NW (1.9km, 3.8km), Westhampnett, Chichester, 5km), Dartford, bridgetriathlon.co.uk, NS 12 Outdoor Swimmer Henley Swim Festival tribalsportsevents.co.uk, NS 21 4k Lock to Lock Swim (4km), Eynsham, (1 mile, 200m, 800m), Henley-on-hames, 30 Wykeham Lake Championships Night Swim Witney, swimoxford.co.uk henleyswim.com (5km), Scarborough, bldsa.org.uk, NW 24 Swim he Lake (750m, 1.5km, 3km), 12 Drakes Island Swim (1.5km), Plymouth, 31 Wykeham Lake Championships (5km, 2 Ardingley, Hayward's Heath, hedgehogtri- chestnutappeal.org.uk miles, 1km), Scarborough, bldsa.org.uk events.co.uk, NS 12 Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim (1.4 miles), 31 RNLI Castle 2 Castle (1 mile), Falmouth, bit. 27 MediaCityUK Swim Challenge (1500m, Bournemouth, bhf.org.uk

78 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com PROMOTED EVENT

Get that Champion feeling in 2020 Pier to Pier Sunset Swim Saturday 11 July 2020 Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim Sunday 12 July 2020

ive in with thousands of others and help fund life- Dsaving research with the British Heart Foundation. Setting of from Bournemouth Pier, you’ll swim 1.4 miles parallel to the shore as you WHAT'S INCLUDED make your way to the inish line at • BRAND NEW MEDAL FOR 2020 • Boscombe Pier. BRANDED SWIM HAT • OFFICIAL SWIM Take on the Pier to Pier Sunset TIME FOR ALL FINISHERS • LUGGAGE Swim on Saturday 11 July 2020 or TRANSPORT FROM START TO FINISH our classic Bournemouth Pier to • TRAINING GUIDE • FUNDRAISING Pier Swim on Sunday 12 July 2020, SUPPORT • COMPLIMENTARY HOT and celebrate with us as we mark the DRINK AND WATER 30th anniversary of the event in style. AT THE FINISH • FULL WATER You could even sign up for both if SAFETY TEAM you fancy the challenge! Spaces are strictly limited, sign up today!

Pier to Pier Sunset Swim: www.bhf.org.uk/sunsetswim Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim: www.bhf.org.uk/p2p

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 79 EVENT LISTINGS

12 Semer Water Swim (500m, 1.5km, 3km), miles), Allostock, uswimopenwater.com MARCH Countersett, t2.events 6 Oxford Classic Mile Swim (1 mile), Oxford, 7 Scottish Winter Swimming Championships, 18 Swim he Bay (1.2 miles, 2.4 miles), swimoxford.co.uk Kenmore, Aberfeldy, swimwilduk.com, NW Weymouth, justracinguk.com 12 Epic Lakes Swim Windermere (500m, 1 21-22 Red Bull Neptune Steps (420m), 19 Chillswim Ullswater End to End (7 miles), mile, 5km), Newby Bridge, epicevents.co.uk Glasgow, redbull.com/gb-en/events/red-bull- Glenridding, Penrith, chillswim.com 12 Llangorse Lake Big Swim (1.5km, 3km, neptune-steps-uk 19 10k Lock to Lock Swim (10km), Eynsham, 4.5km, 6km), Powys, llangorseswim.com Witney, swimoxford.co.uk 12 Scilly 360 Swim (15km), St Mary's, JUNE 25 Big Swim Nottingham (1500m, 2500m, scillyswimchallenge.co.uk 6 YeAABA Club Single Tay (1 mile), Dundee, 5000m), Holme Pierrepoint, osbevents.com 13 Windermere One Way Swim (10 miles), yeaaba.org, NW 25 BLDSA Coniston (5.25 miles), Coniston, Newby Bridge, windermereoneway.co.uk 7 YeAABA Harbour Relay (4 miles), Dundee, bldsa.org.uk, NW 13 he Big Brutal Swim (2.5km, 5km, 10km), yeaaba.org, NW 25 Castle Swim Series - Castle Howard (1 mile, Llanberis, brutalevents.co.uk 20 YeAABA Tayport Cup (1 mile), Dundee, 2.5km, 5km), York, castletriathlonseries.co.uk 19 he Hurly Burly (10km), Barmouth, yeaaba.org, NW 25 Club to Pub (1.5km), Henley-on-hames, outdoorswimmingsociety.com 21 YeAABA Stannergate Championship (), henleyswim.com 19 he Hurly Burly (10km), Barmouth, Dundee, yeaaba.org, NW 26 BLDSA Coniston Veterans (3.85 miles), outdoorswimmingsociety.com Coniston, bldsa.org.uk, NW 19 Aberdovey Swim - Tafol Tumble (8km), JULY Aberdovey, aberdoveyswim.co.uk 4 YeAABA Moniieth (3.25 miles), Dundee, AUGUST 19 Aberdovey Swim - Beat the Tide (4km), yeaaba.org, NW 1 Aqua Sphere Snowman Swim (1 mile, 1/2 Aberdovey, aberdoveyswim.co.uk 18 YeAABA Double Tay (2 miles), Dundee, mile), Betws-y-Coed, alwaysaimhighevents. 19 Neon Night Swim (750m, 1500m, 3000m), yeaaba.org, NW com, NS Salford Quays, Salford, uswimopenwater.com 19 YeAABA Woodhaven (4.5 miles), Dundee, 1 BLDSA Champion of Champions (Wales) 20 Aberdovey Swim - he Dovey (13km), yeaaba.org, NW (5 miles, 3 miles, 1 mile), Holyhead Harbour, Aberdovey, aberdoveyswim.co.uk bldsa.org.uk, NW 20 Conquer the Chilterns River Swim (1.5km, AUGUST 1 Salty Sea Dog Long Swims (2.5km, 3.8km), 3.0km), Henley-on-hames, f3events.co.uk, NS 1 YeAABA Discovery Mile (1 mile), Dundee, Boscombe, Bournemouth, votwo.co.uk 26 Castle Swim Series - Hever Castle (1 yeaaba.org, NW 5 Capernwray Open Water Swim 3 (500m, mile, 2.5km, 5km), Hever, Edenbridge, 2 YeAABA Veterans Single Tay (1 mile), 1000m, 1500m, 2000m), Capernwray, t2.events castletriathlonseries.co.uk Dundee, yeaaba.org, NW 9 Maylower 400 Breakwater Swim (4km), 26 Swim Serpentine (1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 miles), 15 YeAABA Loch Earn (6.5 miles), Plymouth, chestnutappeal.org.uk London, swimserpentine.co.uk Lochearnhead, yeaaba.org, NW 9 Dedham Vale Mill 2 Mill Swim and Picnic 27 in at the deep end (1km, 2.2km, 5km, 16 YeAABA Crannog Isle (1 mile), (2.3km), Dedham, hamiltonsitness.co.uk 10km), Eton, Windsor, dream-challenges.com, Lochearnhead, yeaaba.org, NW 15 Blackpool Pier to Pier Swim (1.6 miles), NS 29 BLDSA Loch Lomond (1km, 21.6 miles), Blackpool, getset4swimming.co.uk 27 Exmoor Open Water Swim (2km, Luss, bldsa.org.uk, NW 15 BLDSA Ullswater (7 miles), Glenridding, 4km, 6km), Brompton Regis, Dulverton, 29 River Spey 10k Whisky Swim (1km, 3km, bldsa.org.uk, NW exmoorswim.co.uk 5km, 10km), Kingussie, vigourevents.com 15 St Michael's Mount Swim (1 1/2 miles), 29 YeAABA Kirkton of Balmerino (8 miles), Marazion, chestnutappeal.org.uk OCTOBER Dundee, yeaaba.org, NW 15 he Abereiddy 'Blue Monster' Swim (2.5 2 Dip in the Dark (250m, 500m), Newby 30 YeAABA Club Senior Championship (4 miles, 1km), St Davids, muuk-adventures.com Bridge, sleekerswim.co.uk miles), Dundee, yeaaba.org, NW 16 hames Marathon - Bridge to Bridge 11 Tribal's End of Season Lake Swim (1km, (14km), Henley-on-hames, henleyswim.com 3km, 5km, 10km), Westhampnett, Chichester, SEPTEMBER 16 Epic Lakes Swim Coniston (500m, 1 mile, tribalsportsevents.co.uk, NS 12 BLDSA St. Mary's Loch (3.25 miles, 6.5 3.8km), Coniston, epicevents.co.uk miles, 1km), Selkirk, bldsa.org.uk, NW 16 Cotswolds Lake62 Swims (1.5km, 3.8km, NOVEMBER 5km, 10km), Ashton Keynes, lpsevents.co.uk 7 Fireworks 500 (500m), Capernwray, t2.events 16 BLDSA Derwentwater (2 mies, 5.25 miles), Keswick, bldsa.org.uk, NW IRELAND 19 Mass Start 3 (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km), Kempston, Bedford, galeforce-events.com SCOTLAND JANUARY 29 River Adur 5km Swim | Fin Swim (5km), 25 IISA Ireland 1k National Championships Shoreham-by-Sea, rawenergypursuits.co.uk, NS JANUARY (1km), Armagh, iisaireland.ie, NW 1 New Years Day Dook (Dip), Dundee, yeaaba. SEPTEMBER org M AY 5 BLDSA Windermere (10.5 miles), 17 he Rebel Plunge (3.8km), Blackrock, Cork, Windermere, bldsa.org.uk, NW FEBRUARY bit.ly/2llKIIT 5 Chillswim Coniston End to End (5.25 miles), 9 hrilled to be Chilled (25m, 50m, 100m, 23 Castle Swim Series - Lough Cutra Castle (1 Coniston, chillswim.com 200m, 500m, 1km, 4x25m Relay, 4x50m Relay), mile, 2.5km, 5km), Gort, castletriathlonseries. 5-6 OSS Dart 10k (10km), Totnes, New Cumnock, Cumnock, vigourevents.com co.uk outdoorswimmingsociety.com 6 Greater Cheshire Swim! (750m, 1 mile, 3

80 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com PROMOTED GREAT SWIM 2020 EVENT

JOIN US FOR AN OPEN WATER SWIMMING EXPERIENCE YOU’LL NEVER FORGET!

Great North Swim: Lake District, 5-7 June 2020 Great East Swim: Sufolk, 20 June 2020

or over 10 years Great Swim Fhas provided thousands of people with exhilarating, challenging and safe events. With distances to suit all levels and abilities, from the newest and youngest participants up to seasoned marathon swimmers, and all SWIM DETAILS those in-between, there Name: really is something Great North Swim for everyone. Make Distance: Swim 250m, ½ a weekend of it with mile, 1 mile, 2miles, 5km, the whole family in 10km, SwimRun Windermere or a day Dates: out to remember at 5-7 June 2020 Alton Water in Sufolk Venue: Brockhole on – everyone will enjoy Windermere the buzzing event The UKs biggest open villages, exhibitor stalls and entertainment water swim event on ofer. Whether it’s your irst time or Name: Great East Swim you’re looking for your Distance: Swim 250m, next adventure, you ½ mile, 1 mile, 2miles, can guarantee that it will be a fantastic 5km, 10km, Swim Run experience in a stunning Dates: 20 June 2020 setting. Entries start at Venue: Alton Water just £16 but be quick, Wetsuits: Optional these events are very popular! above 15ºC Tow ﬂoats: Yes

Further info: greatswim.org

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 81 EVENT LISTINGS

JUNE 20 Love SwimRun Llanberis, Standard 200m, 500m, 1000m), Reeuwijkse Hout, 6 Metalman Swim Series (1km, 2km, 3km), (swims 3.5km, runs 12.5km), Sprint (swims Bodegraven-Reeuwijk, Netherlands, Sligo, metalmanswimseries.com, NS 1.3km, runs 4.7km), Llanberis, North Wales, internationaliceswimming.com, NW loveswimrun.co.uk/love-swimrun-llanberis/ 1 III Ice Swim in Morocco (50m, 100m, 200m, JULY 28 As Keen As Mustard SwimRun, Intro (5k 500m, 1000m), Aguelmam Azegza, Morocco, 4 Vibes & Scribes Lee Swim (2km), Cork, bit. Solo Swimrun), Mild Mustard Sprint (10k Solo swiminmorocco.com/en, NW ly/LeeSwim Swimrun), Middling Mustard (Half 21k Solo 1-2 Open Dutch Championchip / Green 18 Frances hornton Memorial Galway Bay Swimmrun), Middling Mustard (Half 21k Team Heart Ice Swim, Vlaardingen, Netherlands, Swim (13km), Salthill, galwaybayswim.com Swimrun), Bedford, akamustard.events greenhearticeswim.nl, NW 26 Swim Lough Rynn (750m, 2km, 4km), 3-9 12th Winter Swimming World Mohill, swimloughrynn.com JULY Championships, Bled, Slovenia, 4-5 Ötillö Engadin, World Series (swims winterswimming-bled.com, NW SEPTEMBER 5.8km, runs 39.6km), Sprint (swims 2.65km, 14 9th Scandinavian Winter Swimming 26 Gaelforce Great Fjord Swim (750m, 2km, runs 12.65km), Experience (swims 1.31km, Championships, Skelleteå, Sweden, vintersim. 3.9km), Leenane, gaelforceevents.com runs 5.59km), St Moritz, Switzerland, se, NW otilloswimrun.com 22 IISA Polish Championships, Katowice, 5 As Keen As Mustard SwimRun, Mild Poland, kssws.org, NW SWIMRUN Mustard Sprint (10k Solo Swimrun), Middling 23 53rd Winter Swim Across the Meuse River, Mustard (Half 21k Solo Swimmrun), Middling Huy, Belgium, traverseedelameuse.be, NW EVENTS Mustard (Half 21k Team Swimrun), Long 29 St. Petersburg Big Neva Cup 2020, St. Eaton, akamustard.events Petersburg, Russia, zimplav.ru, NW FEBRUARY 11 Hokey Cokey Roseland (swims 8km, 29 6th Annual Memphremagog Winter Swim 29-1 Mar Ötillö Catalina, World Series (swims runs 28km), Roseland Peninsula, Cornwall, Festival, Vermont, US, kingdomgames.co/, NW 7.5km, runs 31.6km), Sprint (swims 3.1km, runs madhattersportsevents.co.uk 11.8km), Experience (swims 1.6km, runs 6.2km), 19 As Keen As Mustard SwimRun, Mild MARCH CA, US, otilloswimrun.com Mustard Sprint (10k Solo Swimrun), Middling 25 2nd Open Winter Swimming Mustard (Half 21k Solo Swimmrun), Middling Championships of Karelia, Petrozavodsk, APRIL Mustard (Half 21k Team Swimrun), Graham, Russia, victoria-karelia.ru, NW 18-19 Ötillö Hvar, World Series (swims 8.4km, Cambridgeshire, akamustard.events runs 30.2km), Sprint (swims 1.6km, runs APRIL 10.2km), Experience (swims 1km, runs 5.3km), SEPTEMBER 22-25 S.C.A.R. Swim Arizona Challenge Hvar, Croatia, otilloswimrun.com 5 Love SwimRun Holy Island (swims (4 lakes, 4 days, 40 miles), Mesa, AZ, US, 19 Fleetwood SwimRun, swims, 250m, runs, 2.5km, runs 15.5km), Rhoscolyn, Anglesey, scarswim.com 9.6 km/6 miles and unique 80m pool run), North Wales, loveswimrun.co.uk/ 22-25 Marathon Swim Camp Shasta (6 swims, Fleetwood, getset4success.co.uk loveswimrunholyisland 4 days, 31 miles), CA, US, intrepidwater.com 20 Lock to Lock SwimRun, Half stump (swim M AY 1.2km, run 7km), Full stump (swims 3.8km, M AY 23 Hokey Cokey Swimrun, Standard (swims runs 13.45km), Eynsham, swimoxford.co.uk 2-8 Arctic Polar Ice Swimming Adventure, 5.2km, runs 13.8km), Sprint (swims 2.5km, Svalbard, Norway, internationaliceswimming. runs 7.8km), St. Austell Bay, Cornwall, com, NW madhattersportsevents.co.uk 8-10 Oceanman Turkey (2km, 5km, 10km, 23-24 Ötillö Utö, World Series (swims 5.12km, SWIM 3x750m relay, kids' 500m), Alanya, Turkey, runs 35.18km), Sprint (swims 2.05km, runs trchallenges.com 11.25km), Experience (swims 0.95km, runs AROUND THE 23-30 Best Fest Open Water Swim Festival 6.05km), Utö, Sweden, otilloswimrun.com (1.5km, 2.5km, 3km, 4.5km, 5km, 7km), WORLD Colonia Sant Jordi, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, JUNE Spain, bestopenwater.com 6 Great North SwimRun, Short (swims 1.84km, JANUARY runs 10.8km), Middle (swims 3.34km, runs 4 6th Ice Swimming Aqua Sphere German JULY 20.6km), Endurance (swims 4.06km, runs Open (50m, 200m, 500m, 1000m), Veitsbronn, 12 Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim 34.77km), Windermere, greatswim.org Germany, ice-swimming.com, NW (6.5km), Istanbul, Turkey, swimtrek.com 7 As Keen As Mustard SwimRun, Intro (5k 11-12 JInan 2020, Jinan, China, events.iwsa. Solo Swimrun), Mild Mustard Sprint (10k Solo world/en/event/, NW AUGUST Swimrun), Middling Mustard (Half 21k Solo 18-19 Ice Swimming Volendam, Volendam, 8 Vidösternsimmet (21+ km), Lake Vidöstern, Swimmrun), Middling Mustard (Half 21k Team Netherlands, openwaterswimming.club, NW Sweden, vidosternsimmet.com Swimrun), Peterborough, akamustard.events 25 he Ruby Swim (10km, 3.8km, 2.5km, 13-14 Ötillö Isles of Scilly, World Series 1.2km, 600m, 200m), Lake Wanaka, New List of events compiled by Outdoorswims.co.uk. (swims 8.35km, runs 28.9km), Sprint (swims Zealand, swimrubyialsnd.co.nz/ All UK & Ireland events are regularly updated at 3.1km, runs 12.5km), Experience (swims 25 Latvian Winter Swimming Championships, outdoorswims.co.uk and can also be accessed 0.95km, runs 6.9km), St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly, Liepaja, Latvia, veloronis.lv, NW using the related Android app. otilloswimrun.com NW = No Wetsuits Allowed 20 Great East SwimRun (swims 2.1km, runs FEBRUARY NS = No Skins Allowed (Wetsuits Compulsory) 9.2km), Ipswich, greatswim.org 1 Bodegraven Ice Swim (50m, 100m,

82 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com GEAR TRIED & TESTED

raining aids can enhance, Tsupport and provide an excellent return on your training sessions – as long as you use POOL the right equipment in the right context at the right time. Know what your kit does and what it should be used for! Our main bugbear while testing the kit on TRAINING KIT the following pages was the lack of product information on why swimmers should be using a We have all seen people training with particular piece of kit, and how to incorporate it into their training paddles, fins, snorkels and floats, but sessions. Kudos therefore to Finis for their technique-focussed kit what training aids should you be using with detailed information on its purpose. in your pool sessions, how do you use You can train satisfactorily without any equipment, so them and most importantly – why? don’t blow the budget thinking it’s a must. But training aids can improve fitness, technique and inject a bit of fun and variety into your sessions. outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 83 TRIEDGEAR & TESTEDTRIED GEAR & TESTED

PADDLES

Zoggs Aquasphere Speedo Speedo Speedo Matrix Hand Paddle ErgoFlex hand paddles Fastskin hand paddle Finger Paddles Tech Paddle £15.00 £14.99 £27.00 £13.00 £18.00 Contoured for good hand Contoured it mimics Distinctive wrap-around Great technique paddles Classic paddles. Good position. Adjustable proper hand position. design. Make sure that the to help train catch hand position and easy to straps can be secured in Adjustable straps. one-size its your hands. initiation. wear. various positions. aquasphereswim.com/uk speedo.com speedo.com speedo.com zoggs.com

Editor’s choice

Finis Arena Lomo Lomo Nike Agility Paddles Vortex Evolution Hand Pro Swimming Hand Webbed Finger Hand Paddles €21.99 Paddle Paddles Swimming Gloves £16.99 Excellent technique £18.00 £9.00 £7.00 Good hand position. paddles that give Good hand position. Good value strength Useful in pools where you Comfortable, sot-edged feedback on your catch. Strength paddle with paddles with adjustable can’t wear plastic paddles. paddles. ﬁnisswim.com multiple positions of the straps. lomo.co.uk proswimwear.co.uk hand straps. Sot edges. lomo.co.uk solosports.co.uk

Good value

Nabaiji Nabaiji Nabaiji MP MP 500 Quick’in Swimming 900 Quick’in Finger Easystroke 500 Strength Paddle Technique Paddle Paddles Paddle Corrective Paddles £10.99 £16.99 £6.99 £6.99 £9.99 Big paddles designed Designed to improve Excellent value. Remove Good value technique Designed to stop your to build strength. Small, your pull technique the straps for greater paddles to help train wrist dropping and medium and large sizes. (wrist, forearm and elbow stroke feedback. catch initiation. to improve your pull michaelphelps.com/uk alignment). decathlon.co.uk decathlon.co.uk technique. michaelphelps.com/uk decathlon.co.uk

84 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com GEAR TRIED & TESTED

addle to FINS Pperfection Paddles predominately provide increased resistance and are great for strength and speed training. They are also high reward/ high risk: endless lengths in training with paddles could be doing you more harm than good, especially if you have technique laws in your stroke. Don’t risk shoulder injury! Swimming with paddles can pose Zoggs Aquasphere Speedo an injury risk, so we recommend irst Ultra Blue Fins Zip VX fin Fastskin Swim Fins having your stroke mechanics analysed £28.00 £25.99 £49.00 by a coach to observe the catch and pull Snug and compact; nice Really easy to adjust and Lightweight and phases of your stroke and identify speciic resistance in the water. a comfortable it. Hole comfortable ins. Short areas that require correction. Paddles You can feel them helping in the blade increases blades to encourage a maintain body position. thrust. faster kick. should always be used with caution and zoggs.com aquasphereswim.com/uk speedo.com removed if they cause any discomfort or pain. But judicious use of paddles can help identify and correct laws in the catch and pull phase of your stroke. Which paddles should you be using if you want to do more than just strength and power work? Our favourite kind of paddles are those which are technique- speciic, such as the Finis Agility paddles. These strapless paddles just have a thumb hole to keep them in place and rely on you having a good catch to stay Speedo Finis Arena on the hand due to water pressure. They Biofuse Fitness Fin Zoomers Power-fin Pro also provide feedback on any lateral £25.00 €31.99 - €37.99 £41.00 movement of hand and help you engage Short-blade ins with Short blade ins that Short-blade ins with your forearm for the pull. We also like the strap iting - wider iting promote shorter and strap iting. Open heel inger paddles from Speedo and Nabaiji gives greater resistance. faster kicks. Comfy design gives greater ankle which it over the ingers only. These speedo.com rubber in. lexibility. are efective paddles to help train catch finisswim.com solosports.co.uk initiation.

hy should I Wuse ins? Fins increase the surface area of the foot, get the legs working and therefore Nike Nabaiji increase heart rate. They can be used for Fins Fins providing stability during drills focussing £32.99 £12.99 Comfortable and sot Good value, lexible short- on other areas of the stroke, speed work short-blade ins. blade ins. and kick development. proswimwear.co.uk decathlon.co.uk

outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 85 GEARGEAR TRIED & TESTEDTRIED & TESTED

FLOATS Kick and pull Editor’s A pull buoy isolates choice the legs and provides increased buoyancy. It helps focus on the upper body and is good for strength work. A pull buoy, however, can also Zoggs Zoggs Aquasphere Speedo be a trap. Don’t rely Kick Buoy Pull Buoy Pull buoy Pull Buoy (Blue Yellow) on a pull buoy if you £18.00 £15.00 £9.99 £17.00 are a sinky-legged Can be used as both A compact pull buoy, Classic pull buoy. Classic pull buoy. swimmer, it will only kickboard and pull buoy. beter for strength work. aquasphereswim.com/uk speedo.com hide the problem. zoggs.com zoggs.com You are better to work on the causes. Use a kickboard with caution. Kicking Editor’s with your head up choice takes you out of body position. Use a kickboard with a snorkel to work on kick while practising good body position.

Speedo Speedo Speedo Finis Why Kick board (Blue Yellow) Fastskin Pull Buoy Fastskin Kick Board Axis Pull buoy £20.00 £24.00 £34.00 €22.99 Classic kickboard. Compact pull buoy witbh 28% less drag than your Dual function. Work on use a speedo.com 37% less drag than your average kickboard. balance, body position average pull buoy. speedo.com and rotation by placing snorkel? speedo.com between ankles. ﬁnisswim.com By removing the need to turn your head to breathe, Good Good you can focus on value value other aspects of your swimming technique, such as your catch, balance and alignment. Habitual breathing to one side can create imbalances in Arena Arena Lomo Nabaiji your stroke, so use a Kick Board Pull buoy Pull Buoy 900 Swimming Pull Kick snorkel to improve £18.00 £13.99 £6.50 £9.99 symmetry in your Classic kickboard with Classic pull buoy. Classic pull buoy. Can be used as both front crawl. grips for ingers. solosports.co.uk lomo.co.uk kickboard and pull buoy. Some snorkels solosports.co.uk decathlon.co.uk come with extra smaller top holes for a harder workout.

86 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com TRIED & TESTED GEAR

SNORKELS

Lomo Zoggs Finis Arena MP Centre Snorkel Centre Line Snorkel Stability Snorkel: Speed Swim Snorkel Pro Focus Snorkel £9.00 £25.00 €28.32 £28.00 £ 25.99 Good for a beginner Nice upper range of Aerodynamic, very With smaller extra top Triangular, low-proile working on their stroke airlow. Nose clip included. comfortable and easy to hole for more resistance. hydrodynamic design. lomo.co.uk zoggs.com set up. ﬁnisswim.com solosports.co.uk michaelphelps.com/uk

Nabaiji Nabaiji Snorkel Frontal 500 Wide Swimming Centre Small Swimming Snorkel £9.99 £12.99 Good value snorkel. A more comfortable it decathlon.co.uk than the 500 snorkel (let). decathlon.co.uk

EMPOWERING A NEW GENERATION OF COACHES

Suppported by Keri-anne Payne, Olympic Silver Medallist & Double World Champion, for the10km Open Water.

Award-winning Level 2 Open Water Swimming Coaching Qualification www.safetytrainingawards.co.uk

I N I N R A G A T W Y T A E R F D

A S Also supported by: British Long Distance Swimming Association, S

S S A D F R E Channel Swimming Association, International Ice Swimming Association A T Y W T R A A I N I N G outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 87 TITLE TALES FROM UP NORTH

WILLIAM HEATON COOPER Pete Kelly meets the granddaughter of William Heaton-Cooper, artist and author of the classic book The Tarns of Lakeland

“I had, too, a yearning to be free he views across Fairield this and heading of to explore the nearby Tmorning were a delight. he caves, quarries and lakes. Later on of all restraint and authority, snow topped fells, hill fog in life, I was driven to seek out many rolling of their sot edges contrasted places that were dear to my grandad. and a strong desire to see running with the ire of the autumn colours As a climber I was drawn to a route and falling water. I have had beneath – very Heaton Cooper I on White Gill (an intimidating crag in thought, and a itting day to have a chat Langdale), where grandad had frozen this feeling all my life.” with Becky Heaton-Cooper, custodian during a climb. Ater completing the William Heaton Cooper, Mountain Painter of the art works of her great family. route myself I can see why he froze on Becky is a busy businesswoman, artist it! Experiences like this all add to the and mother, so I was thrilled when she sense of place I experience here thanks agreed to talk to me about some of my to my family – I feel genuinely lucky favourite books, including of course and proud to be surrounded by their he Tarns of Lakeland by William paintings and culture.” Heaton-Cooper, her grandfather. All books relating to the Lake District tarns, and indeed any of her I WAS FASCINATED TO HEAR wild places, pale in comparison to OF HER MEMORIES OF HER he Tarns of Lakeland. It is a veritable GRANDFATHER AND HIS FAMILY… manual of the best places to swim “My granddad was in his 70’s when I in the Lake District, and not only was a kid, so he didn’t join us on too features Heaton-Coopers’ exceptional many family outings, but that spirit of illustrations, but also some bloody adventure lived on in my dad and my good writing. His other books shine uncle Julian, and was deeply ingrained out too – he Lakes, and Mountain Adventure in us. Family days out with dad and Painter are favourites. hey just don’t swimming in the my two brothers usually involved us make books like this anymore; his deep Lake District all piling into a very old Land Rover knowledge and love of local geography,

88 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com geology and history are very evident in his frank and honest writing. It is wonderful that one of the most celebrated landscape artists of the 20th Century was also an accomplished outdoorsman and author. For me, his books evoke powerful emotions connected with the places I love to swim, walk and climb. So much so, that some of his winter tarn scenes evoke involuntary shivers in me.

I ASKED BECKY WHERE SHE DID MOST OF HER SWIMMING AS A CHILD… “We spent many, many summers swimming at Penny Rock on Grasmere with dad and the family, jumping of rocks and playing in the weir there. Grandad painted one of my favourite paintings there, as a landscape artist it is unusual as it depicts his family. I especially like it because it has grandmother, my dad and Uncle Julian in it. I still have lovely memories of dad lighting campires there as the light faded towards the end of the day. We all knew the faint tree lined path well enough in the dark, it took us back to the tiny hole in the wall where the Land Rover waited. I still know that path well to this day and it still evokes childhood thoughts of pixies The Tarns of and fairies.” Lakeland is a manual of the best places to swim in the Lake District

And what does the future hold for show from the archive that has rarely the Heaton-Cooper Gallery and its been seen, including works of sculpture art? It is what William Heaton-Cooper from my grandmother (Ophelia intended it to be: An altar to mountain Gordon-Bell).” art, distillations on canvas of all the I’m really looking forward to visiting subtleties of light and shadow on water the studio in Grasmere to see the and land. Becky has no plans to change exhibitions planned for the future. In this, but is keen to show the continued the meantime I will continue to draw relevance of the Heaton-Copper inspiration from my beloved tarns and archive in a new light: lakes books, surely the next best thing “William Heaton-Cooper paintings to actually being at the water’s edge are starting to come into their own on a cold dark winter evening? Paintings of now, 20 years ater his death. here Grasmere and have been many great Lake District Penny Rock painters, but I’m not being biased when Pete is the Adventure Swimming Director (above let) by I think of him as the best. I hope to at Swim the Lakes in Ambleside, they are William Heaton keep the interest in his paintings and the pioneers of guided swimming trips and Cooper R.I. books alive by revealing the best of our adventure swimming holidays in the Lakes. 1903-1995 They also run beginner’s courses and sell all extensive archive and making them www.swimthelakes.co.uk.

The Heaton Cooper Studio Ltd / @thepetersieldbookshop more accessible. We have so much to the gear at outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JANUARY 2020 89 TITLE MY SWIM STORY THE REAL DEAL

Assembling weekly beside the Thames

Whatever the outcome of Brexit and the election, everyone else, everyone who didn’t do this. A new prime minister promised to the river is always there. By Fiona do or die, and the cygnets grew bigger. We came some evenings too when the surface of the water glowed golden in ince October 2018, greeted by GETTING WARMER the setting sun. Sa confused head-shake of a Late March, the UK didn’t leave October brought with it the heaviest welcome from the lock-keeper, Europe. Outside, it was getting of rains and another new Brexit a neoprene-clad group of us have met warmer so the river was less cold. deal. he surface of the river spun in up one morning each week beside a here wasn’t much rain and the river eddies, swollen almost to breaking stretch of the hames. Week by week, ran more slowly. Further upstream, point. he water lapped over the like assembling Avengers, we added at the bottom of a garden, upturned sides and submerged branches rode accessories to our kit and bravely terracotta pots blossomed on the current, forcing the boats to stay battled the cold to swim bamboo canes. he woods at their moorings. hree very happy through the winter and the hills on the high-speed ducks encouraged us in, solstice. hen in other side stretched so in we hopped, wetsuit-free, in a safe February, the river THREE VERY out like sunlit quiet corner and just for the shortest of got me. uplands. A Brexit chilly, mud-swirling, exhilarating dips. It had been HAPPY HIGH- deal came, a snowing. Not so SPEED DUCKS Brexit deal went, ROUND AND ROUND much near us but and it rained Wet weeks around Hallowe’en both further north, ENCOURAGED US IN, again so the river treated and tricked; the river pushed and the river was SO IN WE HOPPED, pushed gently against the lock then bounced back swollen with snow against us as we of the wall so we could swim with the melt from the hills. WETSUIT-FREE swam upstream. current round and round and round… We pulled ourselves Further and further although all we really wanted was to up along the bank then up the wind-wandering, move on, upstream. (It is all everyone pushed out to the middle of weed-winding banks we wants, isn’t it? To move on.) the river and rode the snow melt front-crawled. he country was Who can tell what the new year will back down to our launch spot. hen we tearing itself apart; a civil war of bitter bring? Every day, I will turn away from did it again. I was on my back, facing words. Should we remain in wetsuits the news to gaze at the weather and the blue sky. Floating. Riding the snow! or leave them at home? consider the mood it will have put the here. I. was. Right there, right then. Now the dog-walkers on the bank river in. I give the river my attention. Nothing else. he river cradling not were less puzzled by our antics. he cool water, the rural scene and the

just my body, but my mind. We weren’t mad, ater all; that was changing skies Photo courtesy of Darrin Roles, swimoxford.co.uk

What’s your Swim Story? Email: [email protected]

90 JANUARY 2020 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com Worldmags.net Swim the world With us the maldives

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