OUTDOOR SWIMMER MAGAZINE ON TEST: KIDS' SWIM KIT AND SWIMRUN GEAR ○ ISSUE 16 ○ JULY 2018
Issue 16 • July 2018 THE NEW GENERATION BOOST SWIMMING YOUR STRENGTH ACROSS THE AGES AT ANY AGE
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IOS-210x270.indd 1 18/04/2018 09:43 WELCOME Editor’s
Founder & Publisher Simon Griffiths letter [email protected] +44 (0)7958 312607 ne of the great things Editor Contributing Editor Jonathan Cowie Alice Gartland about outdoor [email protected] [email protected] swimming Ois that it can be done Sales Managers by people of all ages. Sharon Tice Joanne Jones Whether it is wild [email protected] [email protected] swimming with your +44 (0) 7947 148 422 +44 (0) 7545 387 979 kids or entering races in Marketing Manager Production Support the super vet category, Lorna Manley Stuart Churchill swimming can be part [email protected] [email protected] of your life whatever your age. Our July issue Design has a Fit for Life theme. Juliet Boucher As we swim through the ages we look at Contributors how we can encourage Rowan Clarke, Ella Foote, Cassie Patten, Elaine K Howley, Susanne more young people into our sport, how we Masters, Pete Kelly, Alice Goodridge, Fiona Ford, James Ewart, Patrick should adapt our training as we get older, how Smith, Helen Davis, Susan Cheshire, Ali Phesse, Jude Palmer, Angela Total Immersion has transformed one school’s Moir swimming lessons and how we can use strength Subscriptions training to combat age-related muscle loss. Plus, Outdoor Swimmer Subscriptions, Warners Subscriptions we meet swimmers of all ages to discuss their West Street, Bourne, Lincs, PE10 9PH relationship with swimming outdoors. +44 (0) 1778 392467 In our Tried & Tested gear section this issue [email protected] we review swimming kit for kids as well as mymagazinesub.co.uk/outdoor-swimmer swimrun kit, land training activewear and Cover image: Karen Weir goggles for adults and children. Swim wild and free, Outdoor Swimmer Magazine is published by 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 Jonathan Cowie Ltd. All paper used in this publication is sourced from well-managed, sustainable forests and is fully recyclable. Please consider the Editor environment and recycle this magazine once you have finished with it. Distributed by Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH. 01778 395043
©ZG Publishing Ltd 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. ZG Publishing Ltd (Company registration no. Get in touch… 3799982) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 6 Email me at editor@ Maida Vale Business Centre, Mead Road, Cheltenham, GL53 7ER. All outdoorswimmer.com or connect content is provided for information only and, while we take reasonable on social media. It’s good to talk! efforts to ensure its accuracy, we cannot guarantee it. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. ZG Publishing is not an outdoorswimmermagazine expert provider of medical advice. You are advised to seek professional medical advice before swimming if you have any injuries or medical outdoorswimmer conditions. Open water swimming does involve a level of risk and you are advised to take appropriate precautions. outdoor_swimmer For more tips on open water safety, please see: outdoorswimmer.com/ open-water-safety outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 5 IN THIS ISSUE CONTENTS
REGULARS 8 PHOTO CONTEST 14 OPEN WATER NEWS 18 YOUR LETTERS 20 #SWIMWILDANDFREE 22 VIEW FROM THE WATER Simon Griffiths shares a few swimrun tips for swimmers 24 COMPETITION Win entry to the Great Fjord Swim 25 TEAM TALK 26 WILDLIFE AND SWIMMING 28 THIS MONTH WE SWAM WITH... The Grimsby Water Rats
87 GOOD CAUSES #My75Miles Challenge 89 TALES FROM UP NORTH 90 MY SWIM STORY FEATURES 30 STARTING YOUNG Meet the next generation ready to explore our lakes, rivers and seas 34 THE SWIMMER AS HERO Ella Foote meets Charles Sprawson, author of Haunts of the Black Masseur 38 BOSTON LIGHTS THE LIGHT 89 The history of the Boston Light Swim
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JULY 2018
30
70 EXCEL EXPLORE 45 COACH CASSIE 62 AZORES Our resident Olympian Cassie Patten Family fun in Portugal answers your swimming queries 66 ALICANTE 46 TRAINING SESSIONS Brush up your technique at a Spanish Technique tune-up swimcamp 48 SWIM FOR YOUR LIFE! 50 SPORT PSYCHOLOGY EVENTS Perfect your technique 70 HOKEY COKEY SWIMRUN 52 SWIMMING ACROSS THE AGES 72 EVENT LISTINGS 54 STRAIGHT TO THE CORE Comprehensive UK and international 90 Strength training swim listings 58 SCHOOL SWIMMING The Total Immersion way GEAR 79 TRIED & TESTED Kids’ swimming kit, land training activewear, swimrun kit and goggles
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 7 READER PHOTO CONTEST
8 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN
EDITOR'S OUTDOOR CHOICE SWIMMER / SELKIE READER PHOTO CONTEST
Submit your best swimming photos for a chance to see your photography featured in an upcoming issue. In each issue we will pick an Editor's Choice image, and the photographer will receive a great prize from outdoor swimming clothing company Selkie. selkieswim.com Send photos to [email protected]
PHOTOGRAPHER Katie Binns
Swimmers Andy and Wendy discussing entry technique
Location Caragh Lake, Kerry
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 9 READER PHOTO CONTEST
10 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN
SECOND PLACE
PHOTOGRAPHER Hugo Hunt
Swimmers Fay Preene and Lauren Munro-Bennett
Location Late night summer evening at Coniston, Lake District
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 11 READER PHOTO CONTEST
12 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN
THIRD PLACE
PHOTOGRAPHER Andy Moseley
Swimmer Sarka-Jo Cole (and a Collie fest!)
Location Arisaig, Scotland
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 13 NEWS OPEN WATER NEWS ROUND-UP WELLBROCK PUSHES THE LECOMTE’S BID TO BE THE PACE AT BALATONFUREDTHE SWIM – Gallery (cont’d) FIRST TO SWIM THE PACIFIC OCEAN
French adventure swimmer Ben Lecomte set off on a 5,500 mile record attempt to cross the Pacific Ocean on 5 June. Lecomte will swim for eight hours a In the fourth leg of the FINA/HOSA swimmers after the previous week’s race Rising star day for more than six months. The swim Marathon Swim World Series at in Setubal, Portugal, made for a bumpy Florian Wellbrock from Japan to San Francisco will raise Balatonfured, Hungary, rising star race, with Weertman taking second dominated the awareness of the state of our oceans, Florian Wellbrock built on his success place and France’s Axel Reymond third. Marathon Swim and promote scientific inclusivity and at the French Open three weeks ago The women’s event ended in a World Series 10k environmental awareness. to claim his first title. The 21-year-old thrilling sprint to the finish, after race in Hungary This isn’t the first time Lecomte has from Germany dominated the 10km various swimmers traded for first place taken on a big swim challenge –in 1998 race, leading from the halfway point, throughout the race. Five swimmers he was the first person to swim across and finishing an impressive 16.8 broke for a strong sprint to the line, the Atlantic, covering 6,400km (4,000 seconds before Dutch Olympic and but it was Brazilian star Ana Marcela miles) in 73 days. world champion Ferry Weertman after Cunha who touched first in 2:05:53.1, a sprint from the final buoy. Wellbrock beating America’s Hayley Anderson touched in 1:55:40.2. by just 0.3 of a second. Italy’s Rachele SIGN UP TO LIFE- Wind, waves and some troubling Bruni finished 1.6 seconds later to SAVING APP stomach conditions for many claim third place. The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS UK) has partnered with GoodSAM to increase use of an app that notifies nearby KIM CHAMBERS qualified responders of a medical Last issue we talked to marathon emergency where a cardiac arrest swimmer Kim Chambers about her is likely, allowing them to provide recovery from a freak injury that potentially life-saving aid. If left her unable to walk and how she you’ve been trained by the Royal subsequently swam the Oceans Seven Life Saving Society, download the and the Farrallon Islands. Shortly after free GoodSAM Responder app at going to press, we learnt that Kim has goodsamapp.org. RLSSUK wants been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré 999 first aiders to sign up to the Syndrome, a rare neurological illness GoodSAM Responder app by 9 that can leave you paralysed. We wish July 2018. Kim a speedy recovery.
14 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN
Ross Edgley ARRIVEDERCI SIGNORE FOWLER Paul Fowler, head coach and founder of 100% Swimming, organiser of the 24 Miles in 24 Hours endurance event and its 12-mile little brother, as well as aquathons, Ice Miles and six hour qualifiers, is moving to Naples . “100% Swimming will continue coaching in Naples from September this year. However, we will no longer be overseeing the endurance events,” says Paul. Do not despair, however, if 24 Miles in 24 Hours was on your bucket list; Swim Your Swim will be taking over and developing the endurance
events. See swimyourswim.com Credit: Red Bull Media House Media Bull Red Credit:
Ross Edgley ECO aims to become FRIENDLY first person to TOW FLOAT Puffin Swim have launched the swim around UK’s first biodegradable swim Britain tow float. The Billy Eco15 Drybag float is a bright inflatable swim On 1 June Ross Edgley started his bid to tow float designed to increase the WORLD’S OLDEST become the first person to swim around visibility of the swimmer to other the entire coast of mainland Britain. water users and increase safety. SWIM He set off on the 3,200km swim from Until now tow floats have been Margate. He expects the swim to take made from PVC or PVC coated A new campaign of the 100 days. During that time he won’t step nylon. The tow float from Puffin ‘World’s Oldest Swim’ foot on land and plans to swim 30 to Swim is made of biodegradable emphasises the historical significance of the 50km per day, swimming with the tides TPU which when composted Hellespont crossing, a and stopping on the support boat to eat degrades over three to five years. and sleep. 4.5km swim across the “It’s not affected by water,” In his first weeks at sea, Ross has had strait dividing Europe and says director Andrea Kelly. “It will to combat the extreme cold, jellyfish, Asia. The history of the not degrade in use, only when and the breakdown of his support swim dates back to the dinghy during the 20-minute window composted.” mythological tragedy of given to cross the busy shipping lane puffinswim.co.uk Hero and Leander, two lovers who lived on either out of Portsmouth. He has side of the strait. Leander would swim the crossing every suffered from severe wetsuit night to be with Hero, and swim back every morning. chafing around his neck and salt Modern history claims the poet Lord Byron as the first to mouth – a build-up of salt in make the crossing, completing the swim in 1810. the mouth that can result in the “Simply put, it’s got it all,” say Simon Murie of disintegration of the tongue and SwimTrek, who organise trips to compete in the inability to eat solid food. annual ‘Victory Day’ Hellespont swimming race. “It has The 32-year-old’s previous geographical, historical, literary and even mythological feats include completing a significance. Whether it’s swimming between continents marathon while dragging a or following in the wake of Leander and Byron, this swim Mini and a triathlon while has something for everyone.” carrying a tree. This year’s race takes place on 30 August. See swimtrek.com.
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 15 DIVESWIM, IN KAYAK, WALK 5 THINGS Fay Edgar, her partner Roy and TO DO THIS daughter Beth are swimming, MONTH kayaking and walking 75km from Lulworth Cove in Dorset READ IT! to Seaton in Devon in aid of 21 Miles by Jessica Duchenne UK Hepburn is an account of one woman’s experience of IVF and her subsequent Why are you raising money for challenge to swim the Duchenne UK? English Channel. Available My partner’s boss’s son Jack was Fay and her daughter Beth online and in all good diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular bookshops Dystrophy late last year. He is only seven and already struggling to walk up the stairs. So we decided to do a everything we need with us in the WATCH IT! challenge to raise much needed funds kayak. At my current swim pace I am The fifth stage of the elite 10k to make him as happy and comfortable anticipating swimming for eight to FINA/HOSA Marathon Swim as possible for the time he has. nine hours each day or until the tides World Series 2018 takes place turn against us and I’m battling the in Lac St. Jean, Canada on How did you come up with the idea currents too much. 26 July. The second leg of of swimming, kayaking and walking? the UltraMarathon Swim We considered swimming/kayaking What is your swimming Series takes place two days the Channel but after some background? later. Watch all the action investigation realised we were too late This is a huge personal challenge for live at finatv.live for this year; it would cost a lot to do, me considering I have only been sea money that was better spent on Jack; swimming for two-and-a-half years and let’s face it, quite a few have done and the furthest I’ve swum is at the SHOW IT! it. So I came up with the bright idea Outdoor Swimming Society Hurly Celebrate outdoor swimming of swimming from where we live near Burly 10k last year! at the Outdoor Swimmer Weymouth to Seaton where Jack lives, Show at the Henley Mile almost doubling the distance! When do you hope to set off? on 15 July. Inspiring talks, We hope to set off on 25 July but it is all the latest kit and scenic How long do you expect the very much weather dependent. We swimming in the Thames. challenge to take? are hoping people will join us along henleyswim.com We are anticipating it taking three days the way but particularly on the last bit with two nights camping on beaches from Lyme Regis where Jack and his on the way. We will be carrying family will be walking too. JOIN IT! Share your swims with us on our Strava club. Who will be top of the weekly THE CHALLENGE club leaderboard? Sign The swim: Fay will up at strava.com/clubs/ swim 75km from outdoorswimmer Lulworth Cove to Seaton The kayak: Roy will WEAR IT! paddle alongside Fay, Our Swim Wild and Free making sure that she swim hats designed by stays on course Nancy Farmer are the must- The walk: Beth will have hats of the season. walk 50 miles along the If you haven’t got yours South West Coast Path yet visit our online shop at More info: outdoorswimmer.com/swim- kayakingforcharity.co.uk hats
16 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com COMFORT SPEED AND CELINE SHAERER , DARE2TRIPROTRIATHLETE|HEAD-0F-THE-PACKSWIMMERIRONMANSWITZERLANDCHAMPION,2017 WWW.DARE2TRI.COM
® Dare2Tri is a registered trademark of Sport Import Europe B.V. YOUR LETTERS Write in...
[email protected] your | @outdoor_swimmer say facebook.com/OutdoorSwimmerMagazine ✪ STAR LETTER
Swim wild and free A picture of me wearing your cap! Swimming in a lake in Warsaw (Jeziorko Czerniakowskie) 3,500 m training: getting ready!.An amazing experience for me as it was the first time I was swimming outside a swimming pool. Crossing a duck and her ducklings, staying away from a swan... Do you plan to test watches for open water swimming? Is Garmin the only reasonable choice? Christophe Gombert Ed: Watch out for those swans! And welcome to the open water. We will be testing a range of open water swimming GPS watches from different brands in the September issue of Outdoor Swimmer.
Bad wetsuit reaction Dear wild swimmers, Really wild swimming! I hope you can help. I have always swum wild This was at sunset on Lake Argyle in the Kimberley area of Western Australia. It’s a huge – I learnt to swim in our local river in 1953 lake created by a dam only 20 years ago. The freshwater crocs number over 25,000 and so you can tell I am no spring chicken. My we saw many basking in the sun along the shore. They are deemed pretty harmless so problem is I bought a wetsuit last year to do of course I had to get a swim in. My wife Carol took the picture. She was less convinced the Windermere swim – it caused a very bad by the harmless croc story but she knows that nothing gets between me and my open reaction on my skin so I had to visit my doctor. water swimming ! And we were on a boat in the middle of the lake far After recovery I had another go, covering from the shore… myself in Vaseline. Again I had a very bad Andrew O’Regan Andrew wins a reaction so was unable to do the swim. I have Zoggs Duffle Bag sold the wetsuit but am desperate to get back in the water. Has any reader had this problem? If so have they found a remedy? I would be Wetsuit clinic grateful for any advice. I have worn many I bought my wetsuit three years ago. How long wetsuits in the past with no problem. does a wetsuit last? Mine is starting to feel a David Boddy bit rigid. Ed: Can any readers help David? Email Brita Louwrier GOT SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT OPEN [email protected]. David isn’t Ed: A well cared-for wetsuit with average use WATER SWIMMING? allergic to all wetsuits. He also swims skins should last more than three years. Rinse after Email us at [email protected] but sometimes needs a wetsuit when it is use and dry out of direct sunlight, store in a and you could win next issue’s star prize: a mandatory for an organised swim. cool place, do not hang up by the shoulders Zoggs Duffle Bag worth £25. and do not use petroleum-based lubricants.
18 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN
CLUB OF THE MONTH Love at first swim This year my friend Gemma and I completed The Sea Palling Seals our first ever wild swim in Andark Lake - we A core group of us swim all year round in cossies at Sea Palling on the Norfolk Coast and loved it so much that we’ve now entered are known as the Sea Palling Seals and also for being complete nutters by the locals. We open water races! are lucky enough to have real seals swim with Laura Molyneaux us and the Sea Palling Independent Lifeboat Station right next to where we set off from. We are a varied bunch from swimmers happy to Speedy recovery complete a mile, 10km marathon swimmers to My swim cap off “tipped” to congratulate others training for Channel swims but all with all who are swimming. I’m recovering from the same passion for the ocean. first stage lung cancer (never ever smoked). We meet each Sunday. We are lucky to I miss the water terribly. I’m in a warm pool, have the Sea Palling lifeboat crew watch not quite up to a mile yet. But I am a southern over us and count us in and out, usually California ocean swimmer and there’s nothing from the warmth of their station. As open like it. Your publication inspires me. Thank water swimmers, we have huge respect for you so much. what these men and women do and the time Judy Salinsky they give up as volunteers. It does give us Ed: We wish you a speedy recovery from all reassurance just knowing they are there. at Outdoor Swimmer. Tracey Clark being rescued as We work together with training exercises part of the new recruit training for the new recruits and have them rescue A real buzz exercise us in the ocean. The last time we did I received my free swim cap with my this was on the 25th of March. The water magazine on Saturday – I would send a photo temperature was under 4 degrees Celsius but I am a bit self conscious! and the air temperature was about 2 degrees! Really good to receive and fits perfectly, Shaun Partridge the Coxswain co-ordinated had a great lake swim on Saturday morning at his crew of two boats to rescue eight of us. Hilton, Derbyshire with a friend. The delighted squeals are not the usual I love the magazine, it has loads of useful response they would of course be met tips for a novice outdoor swimmer like me. with, nonetheless it is a great exercise and I have got a real buzz about it since I first preparation for the real thing. started last year. I always read your email As a group of swimmers, we have raised newsletter and love finding amazing places to over £1,000 for the Sea Palling lifeboat crew. try and swim in the future. These crews rely heavily on local Keep up the good work! fundraising activities – maybe this could Colin Brooks be something other open water swimming Ed: Glad that you are enjoying the groups could do too. magazine! This issue we have lots of new seapallinglifeboat.co.uk/crew Club members swim all strokes – swimming possibilities. Look out for our including doggy paddle! August issue for swimming adventures Email [email protected] in Wales, Ireland, Albania, South Africa, if you would like your swimming group to
Images: Mark Hewlett Majorca, San Francisco, the Lake District , feature as club of the month. Bermuda... and Blackpool! outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 19 DIVE IN #SWIMWILDANDFREE Send your swim selfies to [email protected]
Myself making an entry to San Francisco Bay. This was my second SF swim of the year having swum Alcatraz (in the background) to San Francisco shoreline on my own in the May whilst being chased by a large seal! This swim was to Angel Island with about 30 other swimmers. Glenn Dodson
Sara Rogers and I relaxing at Alderford Lake. When the wave gets you! Whitchurch Shropshire. Rare self portrait, Ali Wright taken from a winter swim in Devon! Ju Lewis
Swimming the first hour of my Channel relay swim. Rhianna Preece
20 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com DIVE IN
Debbie O’Mahoney swimming off the coast of West Cork in Ireland. The sea was calmer than I’ve ever seen it and crystal clear. Chris O’Connor
Relaxing in Windermere wearing my Outdoor Swimmer ‘Swim Wild and Free’ hat after the Great North Swim. Katia Vastiau
Anna McCann and I enjoying a post Ötillö skin swim. Porthellick, Isles of Scilly. Liz Brown
Me and my partner Cheryl Saffron at our local beach, Seaford Beach in Melbourne, Australia. Simon Walker
Geraldine Jordan enjoying some aquatic gardening! Alex Gaunt
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 21 DIVE IN VIEW FROM THE WATER Simon Griffiths shares a few swimrun tips for swimmers
few years ago, Ötillö was an obscure extreme adventure sport with a strange looking name dreamedA up by a couple of mates after a few too many beers. But the concept of travelling from one point to another, over land and water, using only your legs and arms, was much too much fun for the Swedes to keep to themselves. There are now swimrun Simon events all around the world, with more appearing each year. At Outdoor Swimmer, we deliberately keep triathlon coverage to a minimum. Also, we feel the approach people have to triathlon is very different to outdoor swimming. Triathlon is performance orientated while swimming celebrates The start of the participation and personal challenge. Great North Swimrun is different. For a start, it’s Swimrun much more swimmer friendly than triathlon. With a swimrun, you could easily spend between 25 and 50% of DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE RUN IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO BE your time in the water compared to Running in swimrun is both easier CLOSELY MATCHED TO YOUR less than 10% in triathlon. Then, as and harder than you think. You PARTNER ON THE RUN THAN THE there are multiple swims in swimrun, cannot do swimrun on your swim SWIM as a swimmer you get chances fitness alone (I know, I’ve Swimruns are usually done in pairs. later in the race to catch tried). You need to Ideally you want to be closely matched up. But the main practise running. On in speed to your partner for both the reason we like the other hand, you swim and the run. But, if you have swimrun is because THE get beautiful trails choice, it’s better to be matched for the philosophy to distract you running. This is because you can use behind it is ACCOMPLISHMENT from the effort a tether in the water and the stronger much more and, best of all, swimmer can pull the weaker. closely aligned IS TO FINISH AND, breaks where you to an outdoor LIKE IN SWIMMING, can swim and MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS ON swimmer’s cool off. PADDLES AND PULLBUOYS approach to sport THE TIME IS The majority of people in swimrun than a triathlete’s. SECONDARY USE THE SWIM AS use paddles and a pullbuoy but these Although swimruns A RECOVERY are not compulsory kit. If you are (like mass participation The difference between going to use them, make sure you swims) are nominally races, a relaxed cruising pace and train with them and test your speed they are really personal endurance a threshold pace swim is probably as you fatigue. As for the pullbuoy, challenges, usually in beautiful natural only a few seconds per 100m, whereas remember you will already have locations. The accomplishment is to your threshold running pace might buoyancy from your wetsuit and shoes finish and, like in swimming, the time be 30 seconds to a minute or so per and calf guards if you wear them. You is secondary. I’m sure it’s a sport that’s kilometre faster than your recovery may find that’s enough already. going to grow and grow. I’d really pace. As a swimmer, relax and recover recommend giving it a go. If you do, I on the swim and push the run. hope the following helps:
Simon Griffiths is the founder and publisher of Outdoor Swimmer • Email Simon at: [email protected]
22 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com BE SAFER . BE SEEN
Swim Secure Tow Donut High visibility tow float with integrated dry bag. Ideal for storing valuables while swimming.
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Entries open What will your event be? 30th June – Torbay – 8 miles and 4 miles 1st September – Windermere – 10.5 miles BLDSA can help supply kayaker SOLD OUT SOLD OUT 8th September – St. Mary’s Loch (Scottish 7th & 8th July – Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake, North Borders) – 1km*, 6 miles and 3 miles* Wales), 1km*, 3 miles* and 6 miles No Kayaker Required 22nd September – Lynn Regis (Norfolk) – 1km, 1.5km and 4.5km 28th July – Coniston Veterans – 3.25 miles No Kayaker Required 29th July – Coniston – 5.25 miles *indicates wetsuits-permitted 11th August – Ullswater – 7 miles
12th August – Derwentwater – 5 miles and 2 miles #BLDSA2018 25th & 26th August – Loch Lomond – 1km & Find out more at 21.6 miles www.bldsa.org.uk PROMOTION WIN! TWO FREE ENTRIES FOR THE GREAT FJORD SWIM
Choose from three swim distances: 3.9KM ROUTE For experienced swimmers who want to test their training in a new and spectacular location. 2KM ROUTE Cruise to the start line in a catamaran, jump out and swim to shore. This is definitely one to remember! 750M ROUTE Hitch a lift with a fishing trawler to Co. Mayo and swim back to Co. Galway! HOW TO ENTER For a chance of winning, simply go to The prize outdoorswimmer.com/ includes win and answer the accommodation following question: in a double/twin room Who would you PLUS a three-course bring with you to dinner for two the Great Fjord and a bottle Simply tell us who you would bring Swim? with you if you won this amazing prize. of wine! More details on this swim can be found on www.gaelforceevents.com
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 July 2018. Outdoor Swimmer magazine cannot take responsibility for lost or delayed entries. Only one entry per person (multiple entries will be disqualified). A list of winners will be available on request. There is no cash alternative. The judges’ decision is final. Submission of entry will be taken as acceptance of these rules. DIVE IN
WHAT THE TEAM ARE UP TO… Jonathan TEAM TALK Cowie, All the latest news from OS Towers! editor I came seventh in the Big Bala Swim by half a WILD WALES second! My swimrun ondon might not be top goggles and season now includes Lof your list of outdoor swim hats, me the long course Breca swimming locations, but and my swim Coniston so I have been actually the capital is packed buddies hiked training with aquathlons with swimming options: the up mountains and sprint swimrun Serpentine, the Ponds, West and dived into events. Reservoir, numerous lidos lakes. You can and a choice of lakes in the read about the Alice suburbs and outer reaches trip in the next Gartland, of the city. In previous issue of Outdoor contributing columns I have written Swimmer, but editor about how we as a magazine after a pretty practise what we preach – stressful few After an epic Outdoor Swimmer is created months it weekend on the Infinity by swimmers for swimmers. was a much needed dose Channel Swimming ‘Hit But recently I realised that of wilderness. Run up a the Wall’ swim camp, my outdoor swimming had mountain, swim in a cold lake: Climbing I headed to France to become pretty much confined total reset. We all returned Cadair Idris swim Lake Annecy. Very to within the M25. And to London reinvigorated and excited about with people posting pics of busy planning our next trips Lake Zurich now! themselves on Instagram in to the Lakes and Dorset. amazing places in our new It was a reminder that Simon Swim Wild and Free hats, I outdoor swimming is Griffiths, was feeling a bit left out. more than a sport. It is a founder & So a weekend trip was reconnection with nature. It is publisher called for. Maybe not as far community. It is friendships. in distance as Alice’s Lake It is adventure. It is the joy of a At BESTFest in Annecy solo, and not as moonlit skinny dip. It is sitting Mallorca I did a 3km and far away as Simon’s trip to shivering on the edge of a tarn 7km swim. I then took our Mallorca, but the wilderness drinking tea from a flask and stand to the Great North was calling. I had already eating homemade flapjack. It Swim where I managed entered the Big Bala Swim is leaping off a rock into 12 to finish second in the in North Wales, so it was degrees of deliciousness. It is Great North SwimRun decided that the trip would be rewilding ourselves, immersed (middle distance). extended to take in the local in nature. wild swimming spots. Jonathan, editor Joanne Armed with our swimming Jones, costumes (most of the time!), sales SHOW TIME! executive After months of planning, we are super I attended a excited about the Outdoor Swimmer Show Total Immersion at the Henley Mile on 15 July. Swim a scenic swimcamp in Alicante mile down the Thames, test your speed in the where I found out I had Suits vs Skins challenge, listen to inspirational some strange swim speakers, check out all the latest kit, sign up to habits! On holiday in a swim holiday or tune up your technique in our Italy I put what I had endless pool. All in a beautiful setting on the learnt into practice while banks of the Thames. swimming in the Med. Sign up at henleyswim.com
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 25 WILDLIFE LESSER WEEVER FISH Watch out for the little fish that fell giants. By Susanne Masters
xcruciatingly painful. Getting it. Lesser weever fish manage the feat by stung by a lesser weever fish lacking buoyancy – they do not have a (Echiichthys vipera) isn’t a swim bladder and do not float. great start or finish for a swim, Encounters with lesser weever fish Ethough it is an effective defence for are more likely when walking in and a fish that is only about 15cm long. I out of the sea, at low tide and during remember walking into the sea thinking warm weather. In summer time there I could feel something sharp and not are more people in the sea, and the fish quite putting my foot down. Within a also move into shallower water as the minute my foot hurt, after swimming weather warms up. Although stings can I hobbled home, had a day with a be incredibly painful, most people do curiously numb foot and a few weeks not suffer long-term effects, and there with a mark left on its sole. is an effective remedy. Because A friend who surfs said the venom is a protein I must have stood on it is denatured, and a weever fish but rendered inactive, by got off lightly by ALTHOUGH exposure to heat. not standing on STINGS CAN BE Immersing the it properly. They stung body part had experienced PAINFUL, MOST in water that is the full-on sting PEOPLE DO NOT at least 40C, but and crawled out of not hot enough the sea with their SUFFER LONG- to burn, will bring eyeballs rolling. relief. Rarely a TERM EFFECTS person can have an CLUMSY SWIMMERS allergic reaction, or if Lesser weever fish are the tip of the spine breaks clumsy swimmers. Capable of off and remains embedded in short bursts of speed in order to catch flesh, get an infection. In both cases crustaceans and small fish to eat they medical attention should be sought. lurk buried in sand with their eyes, mouths and venomous spine-tipped PHARMACOLOGICAL POTENTIAL dorsal fin peeking out. Lying at the While a swimmer’s focus on lesser bottom of a pool seems impossible for weever fish venom is how to get the average person, though densely release from the pain of being stung, muscled swimmers or those with the medical science has a different avenue WHERE TO
Illustration by Alice Goodridge by Illustration breath control of free divers can manage of inquiry. Lesser weever fish venom WATCH OUT FOR is considered to have pharmacological WEEVER FISH potential. In laboratory conditions the venom has been found to cause Lesser weever fish are native to the the death of human carcinoma cells. Eastern Atlantic Ocean as far west as the This doesn’t translate directly Azores, as south and north as Morocco as a cure for cancer. It does to Norway, and in the Mediterranean Sea. add to understanding of Swimming over a sandy seabed you might biochemical triggers catch a glimpse of eyes looking out of the of cell change like sand, or a small dark triangular shape that programmed cell is the dorsal fin. . death, and there is a l very low probability Bournemouth, Dorset, England l that it could Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire, Wales l become a biotech Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England l tool in the Rossbeigh, Co Kerry, Ireland l Wildlife & treatment of Newquay, Cornwall, England cancer.
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Open Water Advert 2018 Half Page Version.pdf 1 17/04/2018 16:09
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S S A D F R E T A Y W T R A A I N I N G THIS MONTH WE SWAM WITH… the Grimsby Water Rats Ella Foote finds a special kind of peace in the historic docks of industrial Grimsby
The club swim past an old mill building
o I am going to come clean, when I started doing Club Focus for UNDER THE BRIDGE Sthe magazine I had all sorts of The Grimbsy Water Rats swim every ideas of where I might travel. Up to Wednesday evening and Sunday swim with a small shoal of swimmers morning and welcome visitors. on the Isle of Skye in turquoise water They swim in the Alexander Docks, and clear pools… Or perhaps the lush which sits on the south bank of green Yorkshire Dales… Grimsby the Humber Estuary. Each September didn’t occur to me as an option; the club host the Grimsby Dock however, when the Grimsby Water Challenge, which offers different Rats got in touch I didn’t hesitate to distance races from a mile up to plan my trip. 10 kilometres. The event attracts I try to see the beauty in every swimmers from all over the country place I visit but my stomach lurched and this year will be held on Sunday a bit as I pulled into the docks where 9 September. The group also take part the club swims and a container ship in the annual Humber Bridge Swim, loomed over the water. The industrial swimming just under two miles under landscape offers a stark, gloomy and the bridge to raise money for the intimidating space to swim, but the Humber Rescue Service. Ella and the smiles and people who came to meet I am used to hopping about on river Water Rats me were warm and kind. banks but it was a welcome change
28 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com THIS MONTH WE SWAM WITH… Quick Q&A swim under the A180, which reminds with Club President me a little of swimming under the Alex Martinelli M4 on the Jubilee River. Once we clear the fencing which keeps boats in the channel we are clear to swim in a half-mile stretch of dock. The How did you other swimmers swim off freestyle as get started I absorb the surroundings. The water feels great. We swim adjacent to a in outdoor to have somewhere warm and dry to modern retail park, but look closer strip before and after my swim – not and the buildings are punctuated swimming? only that but a hot shower and place with historic architecture. An old mill I started swimming to enjoy a hot drink after too. The club building, now empty, towers over. We with a competitive have a really great relationship with swim towards the historic Corporation ASA club when I was the local yacht club, sharing the Bridge, a rolling lift bridge built five. The Water Rats clubhouse and facilities. in 1925. used to organise Once changed we walk At the bridge we turn Christmas Day Alex getting into the along the pontoon to and swim back. The swims with the the edge of a row of THE members tend to local competitive water at the dock boats. A ladder is INDUSTRIAL do laps of the dock clubs, and so I lowered into the to get a decent had my first open water. I liked the LANDSCAPE swim in. I can water swim on Christmas Day way the club had see why they when I was around 14 year’s old. their particular OFFERS A STARK love it. While way of doing AND INTIMIDATING the landscape What inspired you to get things, very aware is harsh at first of the surroundings, PLACE TO impression, as you involved with the Rats? ensuring they have SWIM swim you become Pete Winchester MBE, now 75, is well known good relationships with part of the surroundings locally for swimming the Humber a record the other water users and and you can find the charm. number of times and raising money for charity. getting the respect to use the space. The water is clean and, like many He was involved with the Water Rats when I was estuaries, silty and brackish. The a junior swimmer and got myself and my eldest HOT AND COLD fishing boats bob and creak. Shoppers son Ross swimming with the group. I sink into the water and immediately look in wonder and cars continue to feel the buoyancy of the salt water hum over the A180 as the swimmers mix. The water is briny, a mix of pace up and down. The Grimsby Water Have you had any North Sea and fresh water from the Rats have found their own piece of problems with authorities River Freshney. Club president Alex water where they find their own kind Martinelli swims with me. He tells me of peace or people preventing you how at different parts of the dock you If you would like us to join your group from swimming? can feel the temperature change from or club for a swim, email editor@ The Grimsby and Cleethorpes Yacht Club fresh springs to warmer sea water. We outdoorswimmer.com and Associated British Ports (ABP) are very supportive of our swimming in the dock. Taking in The Humber estuary has very busy shipping the views of channels, controlled by ABP. It would not be the historic industrial possible to swim across these channels without architecture the permission and support of ABP. Club ambitions for 2018? The club will look to continue promoting access to open water swimming for wetsuit and non- wetsuit swimmers of all kinds and build on our annual swim challenge in the docks. We will also continue to arrange our members’ group swim under the Humber Bridge and organise and support solo swims across the Humber mouth.
Enter the Grimsby Dock Challenge here: https://www.gcyc.co.uk/water_rats/swim_ challenge/swim_challenge.html
outdoorswimmer.com OutdoorOutdoor Swimmer Swimmer | | JUNE JULY 2018 29 STARTING YOUNG
30 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com STARTING YOUNG
n the Siberian Yenisei, young Wild swimming is children swim the ice floes with as old as humankind their parents from as young as they can handle the biting cold. itself, but it's still IIn the Peruvian Amazonia, children teach their younger siblings to swim. a new sport. As it Children have always been drawn to wild water, but they’ve only recently had grows, it draws in the chance to try it as a sport. As open water swimming’s profile younger swimmers. grows, it naturally attracts younger participants. That can only be a good Rowan Clarke thing, not just raising the sport's profile but also inducing new investment in meets the next facilities and coaching that benefit the entire open water community. More generation ready to than that, though, getting young people into open water helps remind us that explore our lakes, water is a great leveller, and swimming is an activity for everyone. rivers and seas Despite having origins as old as humankind itself, open water swimming as a sport has a relatively short history. It was in the early 19th century that Lord Byron crossed the Dardanelles, and while the first modern Olympics held its swimming events in open water, it wasn't until 2000 that an open water swim became part of the games. In the last 18 years, most open water competitors seem to have come from mainstream swimming. Keri-anne Payne, for example, began her open water swimming career after missing out on a medal in the pool at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, aged 17. Successful competitors like Payne have helped create opportunities for even younger swimmers to deviate from mainstream competitive pool-focused clubs, inspiring them to think about open water swimming.
FUN AND ENJOYABLE At the age of 13, Lola Bird decided that she wanted to swim the Channel. Always a strong swimmer, Lola swam with her local club but quickly realised that she preferred long-distance, endurance swimming to sprinting. Decked out in a starter wetsuit, she took to open water for the first time this spring. "It's more exciting than normal swimming," she says. "It's less harsh, I think. It is cold! Lola Bird We start off getting used to it, that helps. Then we do different drills to help with outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 31 STARTING YOUNG sighting and turning around buoys." Lola doesn’t know how lucky she is: her club coach is on a mission to make open water swimming accessible to young swimmers. Only 25 herself, Laura Nesbitt was also a regional-level club swimmer in her mid-teens. She wanted to try open water swimming but her coaches had neither the facilities nor the interest. When an injury further thwarted her Channel-swimming ambition, Laura set up Cheddar Kingfishers with a focus on making swimming fun and enjoyable. Open water swimming began as a team-building exercise for the club. But it soon became a way to diversify its swimming options, and at the Open Water Regionals in Weymouth last year, a squad of ten 11 to 16-year-olds amazed themselves by winning 15 medals. Laura has just started coaching for Weston-Super-Mare Swimming Club, organising her first swim series at local tidal pool Clevedon Marine Lake. She feels that competitive swimming has a high drop-out rate and it's important to offer children alternatives. "Through open water swimming, the children I coach get three main advantages," she says. "One, it's outdoors, so good for mental health; two, it keeps them fit and interested in sport; and three, it Laura Nesbitt keeps them swimming, and that means that they might go on to teach or coach – it feeds back into the sport."
AFFINITY WITH WATER But this growth in open water swimming doesn't just bring in children from club backgrounds. Unlike any other sport or activity, it's growing just as fast among adults. A natural consequence of this is that more and more children are Isabelle Smith following their parents into
32 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com the water. That natural affinity with water is In 2016, Isabelle Smith, who was 14 perhaps the key to starting open water HOW YOUNG? at the time, took part in the Padstow swimming from a young age. Water At what age can you introduce to Rock swim. Despite the event Babies works on the principle that being her second swim ever in open babies are born with a set of reflexes your children to open water? We water, Isabelle showed determination, that allow them to hold their breath asked Water Babies' senior tutor swimming skills and resilience that were underwater and a complete lack of fear way beyond her years. "The conditions of water. By gently submerging them and franchisee for Notts and were horrendous – people were getting and introducing early swimming skills, hauled out," said her mother, those reflexive instincts become Derby, Marie Smith. Marie. "At 29 minutes, the learned actions, and water first elite swimmer got confidence flourishes. out and threw up. I Water Babies' Can babies swim was horrified and IT'S TIME foundations are in open water? wondered what TO SHARE THE based on research Babies under 12 weeks or 12lbs shouldn't I had done by by Francoise swim in water colder than 32°C. Babies allowing her to JOYS OF OUTDOOR Freedman. A over that threshold but less than 12 enter. But at 32 swimmer herself, months shouldn't be in water less than minutes, Isabelle SWIMMING WITH OUR Freedman popped up. She CHILDREN AND lived with forest 30°C as they cannot regulate their body just said ‘that was people in Peruvian temperature. So you can start swimming brilliant – there GRANDCHILDREN Amazonia where she outdoors from around a year old. were no turns!' I was observed the joy that amazed." families took from water While Isabelle had and how the children taught How do we take done some club swimming, she their younger siblings to swim. our first dip? hadn't been motivated to pursue it. The joy of wild water is just what Get the kit and do your research first. For her, open water swimming is less open water families are discovering Start with a gentle dip at your favourite about competition and more about now. As a sport, it's being buoyed by a swimming spot – toes in, paddling – enjoyment, and having an affinity with fresh influx of youngsters who will excel and follow your child's cues. water that both she and her mother in pushing it forward and opening up have nurtured since babyhood. Isabelle new opportunities. But it's also helping was one of baby swim school Water us tap into something more profound. Can I get a little wetsuit? Babies' first ever pupils at 12-weeks-old, The outdoor swimming community Yes – you can get wetsuits for babies, and Marie now owns Water Babies in knows the qualities of wild water to toddlers and children. Make sure Notts and Derby. de-stress and promote health and it's tight-fitting to trap a layer of water "Swimming since babyhood has well-being, and whether we lead our next to their skin which warms up given her innate physical strength and children into the water or vice-versa, it to body temperature. confidence, and she loves swimming," can benefit us all. says Marie. "At no point in the Padstow It's time to share the joys of outdoor to Rock swim did she doubt herself – swimming with our children and Where can we swim? she has an affinity with water. She finds grandchildren so that, like Freedman's Your favourite outdoor swimming swimming therapeutic while studying Amazonian people and the Siberian ice spot is a good starting point. Watch for exams, and plans to do more open swimmers, we can enjoy the wonderful for currents, sudden depth changes water swims." benefits together and obstacles. Stay in your depth, and keep hold of your child – even if they have a buoyancy aid. If they can swim confidently, make sure you stay within arm's reach at all times. The most important thing is to keep the mood light and fun, pass on your knowledge and back up your children's open water adventures with swimming lessons.
www.waterbabies.co.uk
Open Water Regionals in Weymouth Credit: @CliftonPhotographyCompany
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 33 SWIMTERVIEW
THE SWIMMER AS HERO Ella Foote meets Charles Sprawson, her literary swimming hero and author of Haunts of the Black Masseur “DEVOTED TO A MODE OF f you are anything like me, being able to identify your favourite EXERCISE WHERE book, film or piece of music is almost impossible. There are MOST OF THE Ifar too many great books and often BODY REMAINS they inspire the great films. Music is associated so much with memory and SUBMERGED AND nostalgia, the first notes of a song being able to transport you back in time. SELF-ABSORBED” Identifying one book, one film, one song – impossible! However, if I had to take just one book with me if I was washed up on a desert island, it would be Haunts of the Black Masseur. Published over 25 years ago, Haunts of the Black Masseur: The Swimmer as Hero has been reprinted
34 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com SWIMTERVIEW
and relaunched. The book has become somewhat iconic, a first in what has grown into a huge range of swimming books in recent years. The author, Charles Sprawson, wrote and delivered the book and when it was first published, received sensational reviews. “People hadn’t read a biography of an idea like this before – a biography of an obsession,” says Nicholas Pearson, his original book editor. “It seemed to us such a peculiar book. Publishers like to put things in places and boxes and it wasn’t clear what this thing was.” Author and journalist Alex Preston says: “It is like a memoir smuggled into something else. You see glimpses of Charles, but only glimpses. Someone once said of Proust, ‘that all great books establish their own genre.’ I feel like this was the first in what is now a huge range of swim-moirs.”
TERRIFYING AND EXHILARATING My copy of the original book, which had a black and white cover with a swallow diver image and photographs stitched into the body, has burnt and parched pages from the sun. It was one of four books I took on a solo trip to Italy in 2014 and it became the only book I read. I can’t remember how I discovered the book, but it was a holiday I took after a summer I spent long-distance swimming. I had recently completed the Henley Bridge to Bridge 14k and OSS Dart 10k, I had gone to Italy to rest my shoulders. I remember very vividly turning the corners of pages and scribbling in the margin while I lay on the rough volcanic stone looking over the Bay of Naples. I had taken some local advice to explore Regina Giovanna - Baths of Queen Giovanna, an emerald pool of seawater enclosed by cliffs and a rocky beach. It had taken a few attempts to find the courage to swim through the crack in the cliff out to the sea and I felt like I was in a swimming paradise. That holiday became a swimming trip like no other. It was designed to be a rest, but instead, with Charles’s swimming book as my companion, I became braver and bolder than I had ever been before. I followed another hunch to Capri, knocked on a stranger’s door and in broken Italian asked to be taken to swim in the great caves of the island – alone! What followed was one of the most terrifying and exhilarating swimming days of my life ➜ outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 35 SWIMTERVIEW
➜ ACQUA FELICE THERE IS A WHOLE SECTION It was in the pages of Haunts of the Black Masseur I discovered how DEDICATED TO THE Captain Webb, the first recorded person to swim the English Channel, SWALLOW DIVE died attempting to swim across the Niagara River below Niagara Falls. I learnt how the appetite to swim further, longer, harder and faster was an addiction that could never be satisfied and it changed my approach to swimming. The book was where I found a whole collection of other writers and their words on the love of water. It became a book that I understood to my core and the author, if we were to ever meet, would understand me better than anyone. Perhaps I am over romanticising it, maybe it is the nostalgia of I REMEMBER how the book VERY VIVIDLY became the inspiration for TURNING THE such a magical experience in CORNERS OF PAGES Italy – acqua AND SCRIBBLING IN felice (happy sent a photograph water). THE MARGIN of that moment – The book is a Charles diving, doing a We have must-read for all those wonderful swallow dive into who love swimming and love this pool.” FIVE COPIES the water. “It is a book about writers and their attitude about water,” says ECCENTRIC INDIVIDUALISTS of Haunts Nicholas. “The whole thing feels like After the book was published, Charles watery ideas washing all over you. It was commissioned to write a second, of the Black has literary ripples running through this time about extreme swimmers. Masseur to it – but it is more about people.” To But he never completed it. He became me it is a book about obsession, the ill with throat cancer, then other things GIVE AWAY! deep need in us as swimmers to dive began to go wrong, loss of memory in and explore, the unexplainable pull and forgetfulness. Then in 2016 he To win, share photos or a short clip of your swallow to water – accept this book finds a picked up an infection that caused dives on Instagram tagging @outdoorswimmer and way to describe the mystery. Charles hallucinations which led him to be #sprawsonswallowdive – we will pick our five favourite. learnt to swim in India and bathed hospitalised. Dreams of a swimterview in the flooded vaults of a palace. A with my swimming hero were not central part of the book is his account to be. I attended the launch event at find peace in that. of swimming the Hellespont (a narrow, Lutyens & Rubinstein bookshop in Finding passages of Charles’s words natural strait in north-western Turkey Notting Hill to hear Nicholas and Alex in the book is a challenge, so many that forms part of the continental discuss the book and to my surprise other writers’ narratives flow through boundary between Europe and Asia), and joy, Charles made an appearance. his own. But his description of the a swim now iconic and popular for While he couldn’t hear a lot of my fan- swimmer as, “someone rather remote swimmers today. There is a whole girl waffle, it was a pleasure to meet and divorced from everyday life, section dedicated to the swallow dive the man behind the book. He was kind devoted to a mode of exercise where and Nicholas describes how in his and polite, signing my battered copy most of the body remains submerged early years of friendship with Charles and posed for a photo. The audience, and self-absorbed…” is something I he would talk of swimming in a deep a mix of old friends, colleagues, family see in myself and others. He goes on pool on the edge of the desert. “Charles and fans were grateful to see him on to explain that swimming appeals told me he swallow dived from a great his feet. At 77 and not in best health, “to the introverted and eccentric, height into this pool,” says Nicholas. the second book may be out of his individualists involved in a mental “An image that has stuck with me all reach. But the one book is rich enough world of their own.” I think we can all these years and then recently I was to last the decades, I think he should relate to this
36 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com INCHMURRIN ISLAND Full Moon Swim LOCH LOMOND Summer Swim Friday 27th July SWIM FROM YOUR DOOR Events 2018 in the beautiful, clear, fresh waters of Loch Lomond Two great events coming Evening social swim up in July at Bray Lake. under full moonlight at SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION Bray lake Details of normal swim on UK’s largest inland island sessions can be found at www.braylakeswimming.com Swim loop open for the Apartments for 4 - 8 evening with a BBQ and Short Breaks Available music For details visit www.fullmoonswim.co.uk 10% discount to readers for 20182017 -- quote OS-17OS-18
www.inchmurrin-lochlomond.com Contact: [email protected] 01389 850 289 Boulter’s to Bray Swim Saturday 7th July 1.4 or 2.8km downstream swim Discount entry with the Bray Lake Team Email for entry details on [email protected]
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Romantic 2-bedroom villa with outside living area offers some amazing views of this region´s beautiful sunsets. Unobstructed views of the pacific coast and surrounding lush vegetation from your large outdoor balcony, outside kitchen and dining area. Day or night swimming in a 22-metre lap pool makes this a really special place to stay. To advertise here please contact: Sharon Tice, Advertising & Partnerships sunsetvilla1.godaddysites.com Email: [email protected] (888) 773-3213 Opt 3 Tel: +44 (0)7947148422 [email protected] Sunset Villa, Dominical, Osa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica SWIMMING HISTORY DEER ISLAND BOSTON LIGHTS A storied harbour and lighthouse enticed THE LIGHT intrepid marathon swimmers in the early FINISH 7 MILES years of the Boston l Light Swim. OLD HARBOR 6 MILES l By Elaine K Howley
LONG ISLAND
5 MILES THOMPSON l ISLAND 4 MILES l
Peter S McNally Apparently the first to attempt the Boston Light Swim, although no historical records corroborate this claim
he rush of plunging off a and straight into the heart of marathon perfectly good boat, eight swimming’s burgeoning beginnings. miles offshore, into the chilly waters of a working harbour SWIM TOWARD THE LIGHT Tjust after sunrise and swimming back Interest in swimming from Boston’s to the mainland across busy ferry lanes mainland to America’s oldest lighthouse crisscrossed by recreational boat traffic began in the late 1800s as the public’s is not a prospect for the faint of heart. love for long-distance swimming and But then, marathon swimmers are not other spectacular feats (like tightrope exactly the kind of folks who avoid a walking over Niagara Falls) achieved challenge. fever pitch. The Boston Light had long As such, the Boston Light Swim beckoned to intrepid swimmers, but in has attracted many top marathon 1898, Peter S McNally was apparently swimmers and hopefuls over its 111- the first to make the attempt. year history. And, no, that’s not a typo A native Bostonian who’d gained – 2018 marks 111 years since the first much attention for his near-completion running of the Boston Light Swim of the English Channel in 1897, in 1907. McNally, it seems, enjoyed the fanfare Full disclosure: I have the press made of his near-success. co-directed the Boston Despite having been fished out of Light Swim with Greg the Channel about three miles shy O’Connor since 2009, of his goal, he nevertheless adopted but we are mere stewards the title “long distance champion of of this event, which has the world,” a claim that needled other lengthy roots going back top marathon swimmers of the day. more than a century Although it’s long been repeated that
38 JUNE 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com SWIMMING HISTORY
TWIN CHYS
START
1 MILE GEORGE’S l ISLAND
2 MILES 3 MILES l l BOSTON HARBOUR
McNally was the first person to swim the Boston Light, no historical records have yet surfaced to corroborate this claim. Records of those early days are spotty, but some members of the L Street Brownies, a local troop of year- round swimmers with skin bronzed “brown” by their daily dips, began making farther forays into the harbour. A few determined that the ultimate prize would be to swim the 12 miles from Charlestown Bridge to the Boston Light on Little Brewster Island, a beacon if ever there was one.
TOWERING HISTORY Writing in “Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands: A Guide to the City’s Hidden Shores,” historian Christopher Klein notes that “before Boston Light, crude navigation beacons – some mere lanterns or lit bales of pitch hung from tall poles – were erected on Hull and the harbor islands as early as the 1670s,” to help guide mariners through the ➜ outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 39 SWIMMING HISTORY
➜ narrow channels among the 34 scrub- LAUNCHING THE BOSTON would disqualify a swimmer from covered, rocky Boston Harbor Islands LIGHT SWIM having officially completed a swim. and safely into port. With such a richly embroidered And thus, the first person to make the As commerce to the new colony historical backdrop and a towering journey from Charlestown Bridge to grew, so did the need for a more challenge, it’s no wonder swimmers the Light would forever have a dreaded reliable navigational aid, and “in 1713, yearned to reach the Boston Light. asterisk next to his name. It was John George, Jr, a prominent Boston In 1907, McNally organised the first reported after the swim that Anderle’s merchant, petitioned the Massachusetts Boston Light Swim race, with 27 navigator had guided him over Nix’s legislature to build a permanent swimmers toeing the line. Not one Mate, a small shoal that’s exposed at lighthouse at the entrance of the harbor finished, but Louis Jacot, a 32-year-old low tide. Anderle was forced to walk to prevent the loss of lives and goods, Revere, Massachusetts, man came the several yards in water too shallow to ensure the seaport’s continued growth, closest to finishing and was awarded swim, and so his effort can’t strictly be and provide Boston with a competitive first prize. In 1908, the world-famous counted as a completion. advantage against commercial rivals Australian actress and activist Annette But the following year, the Boston such as New York City.” At the Kellerman got within a half mile Globe would exuberantly report on time, Little Brewster Island of the Light, shining her the success of a 15-year-old swimmer was known as Beacon own beacon on the who finally achieved the Light without Island, and formed abilities of women qualification: “Girl succeeds where men the northern edge – a precedent that experts failed.” of the safest PITONOF would reverberate channel for ships PROVED THAT repeatedly down EVERYTHING IS COMING UP ROSE’S to pass through the history of Whomever first said good things come to the port of WOMEN HAD A PLACE the Boston Light in small packages could well have been Boston. Thus, AT THE FOREFRONT Swim. Women referring to Rose Pitonof. The plucky, Little Brewster regularly outswim pint-sized powerhouse who never was designated as OF MARATHON the men in this stood much taller than four-feet-10- the best location event. inches high began her journey in open for America’s first SWIMMING On 20 August water at a startlingly young age. A lighthouse. 1909, then 40-year-old native of the Dorchester neighborhood Construction commenced Alois Anderle of New York of Boston, Massachusetts, Pitonof and in 1716 the Boston Light was City (originally from Austria) made her first of many appearances in kindled for the first time. It guided hauled his tired body onto the rocks newspapers around the world at age 10 mariners for the next 59 years until at Little Brewster Island. The Olympic in 1905 with a mile-and-a-half swim the Revolutionary War, when the swimmer who’d failed to finish the across an inlet of Boston Harbor. The lighthouse became a “strategic target men’s 4,000-metre freestyle at the 1900 swim took her just 33 minutes, which for both the colonists and the British,” Games in Paris, had redeemed his broke the previous record by three Klein reports. On 20 July 1775, colonial open water credibility by enduring the minutes and would be a respectable soldiers burned the lighthouse to the 5-hour, 35-minute trek across busy time for any swimmer today, let alone ground. British soldiers quickly began Boston Harbor. In the process, he’d a 10-year-old wearing the woolen rebuilding it, but 11 days later, the survived a sudden thunderstorm that swimming costume typical of the era. colonists again destroyed the Light. It made the journey all the more perilous. In just over half an hour, Pitonof had would only be rebuilt in 1783, and a But there was a catch. announced her arrival on the open fancy French Fresnel lens was added Even in 1909, back when marathon Bob water swimming scene, and she would in 1859. swimming was a nascent, spectator McCormack, hold a position of prominence within Since its rebuilding, the Boston Light sport that dazzled audiences the world Kim Garbarino the sport for much of the next decade, has stood sentinel over the islands that over, it was well known that touching and Greg augmented by her becoming the first now form the Boston Harbor Islands the boat or walking along the bottom O’Connor official finisher of the Boston Light National Park. During times of war, Swim. these drumlin-shaped islands served as Pitonof made her first attempt at outposts, jails and forts. One island even swimming the Light on 1 August housed the “father of rocket science” 1910, but was thwarted by a changing Wernher von Braun after he defected tide after 4 hours and 23 minutes. from Germany at the close of World Undeterred, she launched her second War II. Today, they mark the course for attempt six days later alongside 20 the Boston Light Swim. But, as Capt. other swimmers in the Boston Light Tim Johnson writes in his 2005 book, Swim race. The water was very cold “The History of Open-Water Marathon that day; in an oral history published Swimming,” as pretty as these natural in 1980, Pitonof said it ranged from 49 course buoys may be, they can also to 54 degrees F (9.4 to 12.2 degrees C). pose challenges to unwitting swimmers. All of the other swimmers quit before “The picturesque islands that mark your reaching Long Island, some four miles course create eddies and crosscurrents shy of the Lighthouse, but Pitonof that complicate the swim.” soldiered on, making landfall at 6:13
40 JUNE 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com SWIMMING HISTORY p.m. after spending 6 hours and 50 wasn’t entitled to sole use of the word minutes in the water. “champion” with regard to swimming Her success electrified the world engagements. Judge Hardy said he and proved that women had a place at couldn’t determine who was the better the forefront of marathon swimming. swimmer and shouldn’t be asked to “When the news got back that I had make the determination of who could accomplished this, well, there were use the title champion. about 1,000 people gathered around my Both women were in court to hear house to welcome me home. All of a the judgement and greeted each sudden I became very famous,” Pitonof other cordially, but immediately after, said. Aykroyd challenged Pitonof to a 10- The following week, she was offered mile “endurance contest in any public a position as a diver and demonstration bath in the city.” The very next day, swimmer with a traveling vaudeville Pitonof placed a notice in the Boston performance troupe. A 1909 Boston Journal challenging Aykroyd to a Daily Globe article described Pitonof’s 25-mile race to determine who should flair for performance as a natural talent wear the champion’s crown. Neither she’d been honing since childhood match ever took place. at a local pool. “There is little or no swimming by the amateurs when INTO A MODERN ERA Pitonof appears. Everybody sits and The L Street Swimming Club shivers on the marble steps or stands continued to host the annual Boston and slaps the water in disgust at their Light Swim until 1941, despite changes own inefficiency. All are enjoying ‘the to the course. Some years swimmers act,’ however, and can’t help loving followed the traditional 12-mile route, the mermaid, she is so sunny and which is no longer swimmable because wholesome.” of infill and other construction that But it wasn’t all sunshine and success has altered Boston’s waterfront. for Pitonof. She was unable to complete Other years, the swim started several big swims for various reasons, from Little Brewster Island and and weather prevented her from finished in South Boston. Still having a crack at the English Channel others went the opposite direction. ANNETTE despite her having spent more than two But the lighthouse always played KELLERMAN months in England in the summer of a constant role as either start or In 1908 the world-famous 1912. “I was ready to start twice but the finish point. Australian actress and weather conditions were so bad that America’s entry into World activist Annette Kellerman they wouldn’t let me. Finally, they called War II saw the suspension of got within a half mile of it off…” she said. the Boston Light Swim, and the the Light Pitonof was also involved in at event wouldn’t be restaged until least two lawsuits pertaining to her Jim Doty, a marathon swimmer ROSE swimming career. One was brought who pioneered routes across New PITONOF by Pitonof’s father, Eli Pitonof, against England and lasted more than 11 15-year-old Pitonof’s another young woman swimmer, hours in a near-miss bid to swim successful Boston 17-year-old Alsie Aykroyd of East the English Channel revived the Light Swim in 1910 Boston, over how she was labelling annual tradition after a 35-year made her a star herself. layoff. Pitonof and Aykroyd had been Author and historian Robert L. friendly rivals who competed against McCormack, who became the oldest each other for years, beginning in at finisher of the Boston Light Swim when least 1909 when both girls raced in a he completed it in 2005 at age 67 and meet at Dewey Beach in Charlestown. has written several books about the The problem came when Aykroyd history of the swim says: “Jim Doty was became the second woman and fourth a terrific hero of mine. He did a lot for person to complete the Boston Light me back in the old days, and he started Alsie Aykroyd Swim, which she did in 1911 while the Boston Light up again in 1976,” In 1911 Aykroyd became the Pitonof supported her from the escort making the water accessible to so many second woman and fourth boat. Buoyed by her recent success, from Boston and farther afield. Doty person to complete the Aykroyd began referring to herself as ran the event for nearly 20 years and Boston Light Swim the “Champion Woman Swimmer,” a is fondly remembered as a towering title Pitonof had already been using and figure in the New England marathon felt was hers alone. swimming scene who brought the In February 1912, a Boston judge world to Boston and the Boston Light dismissed the suit, ruling that Pitonof Swim to the world outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 41 NEW! SUNDAY 8TH JULY 2018 Unique open water swims in castle lakes; 5k, 2.5k and 1 mile (open for the whole family) swim courses. NEW 10k marathon swim at Hever Castle only on 8 July. These events promise not just stunning swim courses, but a medal, finishing banquet and festival event village filled with live music and entertainment.
All swimmers will be provided with timing chips and the races categorised into wetsuits and non-wetsuits. Prizes will be awarded for the first place male and female competitors in each distance.
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INSIDE 45 Coach Cassie 46 Training sessions 48 Swim for your life! 50 Sport psychology 52 Swimming across the ages 54 Strength training 58 School swimming h2openmagazine.com H2OPEN | JUNE/JU LY 2016 43 RE-USABLE
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LEPTORAPIDE A5 (B) - 10.03.18:Layout 1 15/03/2018 14:59 Page 1 EXCEL COACH CASSIE Our resident Olympian answers your swimming questions
What are your I have my first open water thoughts on breathing mile coming up this summer patterns? I have and I am worried about the always tried to mass start. How can I avoid breathe every three being kicked and is there any but find it easier to breathe every two or way to simulate a mass start three-two-two-three. before the event? How do professionals Judith Smithson such as yourself swim? JC Hunter
Coach Cassie says: This is the big question! Most people thing you must either be a unilateral (one sided) or unilateral (both sides) breather. Well, I believe that you can mix it up! I used to hate breathing to my left as it You are not the back, especially if you are in a “chip Coach Cassie says: felt unnatural, I felt my neck alone in worrying about mass starts. timed” event where you individual time just didn’t rotate well to the They can, if you let them, be quite does not start recording until you pass left and most importantly I daunting. Firstly you need to think the start line. It’s easier and a lot less did not feel like I got enough what you are looking to get out of stressful to overtake than to be swum air in per breath. My coach, your open water mile. Are you looking over. I hope that helps. however, had other ideas and to be super competitive and aiming insisted I breathe every three to win and get a PB? If the answer I currently swim strokes. His reasoning was is ‘yes’ then I recommend starting that if I only breathed to my at the front of the field but near the 4x1800m and 1x3000m right, my stroke became quite far side of the course. For example, a week. Is it realistic to sloppy, my left hand would if the course is swum clockwise, the enter a 10km event on cross to the centre line and I inside of the field and the swimmers Cassie Patten developed a catch-up to my closest to the turning buoy would be this amount of training? won bronze in stroke. These disappeared the right hand side. If you start off to the first ever Jon Walters when I adopted a bilateral the left you will have a bit more open Olympic 10km If you breathing pattern. I made space to play with, as people tend to Coach Cassie says: marathon swim, can up your distance in training a compromise and took merge quickly into the inside line of in the Beijing it would make swimming a 10km up a three-two-two-three the course and that is where you would 2008 Olympics. easier; that being said I know of breathing pattern. My stroke likely be a bit squashed. Just be aware people who have swum 10km maintained its efficiency and I of what side you breath to: if you tend Cassie now on less training. Swimming up got to breathe more to the to only breathe to the left, it might be coaches and is to 5km on the distance you are right – a win-win situation! worth putting a few right hand side a commentator swimming at the moment is breaths in, to keep an eye on the rest of at open water very achievable but after that I the field, so you’re not left behind. events. believe you would find it difficult. If your main aim is completion and cassiepatten.co.uk enjoyment then my advice is to hang at @cassiepatten
Email your questions to: [email protected] with the subject ‘Coach Cassie’ outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 45 TRAINING
TECHNIQUE TUNE-UP It’s easy to accumulate a few stroke flaws during a summer of outdoor swimming. Fiona Ford shows how to tune-up your technique
46 JUNEJULY 2018 2018 | | Outdoor Outdoor Swimmer Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXCEL
Session 1 - Session 2 - Deconstruction Application Warm up: Warm up: Aerobic effort as follows: Aerobic effort as follows: l 200m freestyle, 2x100m PULL l 200m freestyle – exhalation focus l 4x50m kick with fins (side, back and front) l 2x100m PULL breathing into bow wave l 8x25m freestyle build pace from easy to fast l 4x50m kick from hips (side, back and front) (60-90% of maximum effort) l 8x25m freestyle build pace from easy to fast l 200m PULL 60-90% of maximum effort focus on increasing (rest 5 to10 seconds after each). stroke rate l 200m PULL tapping thighs on hand exit with Main set thumbs, rotate evenly to both sides l 8x50m freestyle using variable breathing (rest 5 to10 seconds after each). patterns (see note 1 below). 10s rest after each l 8x25m freestyle increasing pace by 2-3 sec Main set per 25m. Observe and focus on breathing-in 4 to 5 x 400m + 60s rest after each, as: technique, turn head to each side finding the bow l Rotation and alignment drills with fins wave and maintain ‘split screen’ view with one alternating drill with freestyle on each length (see goggle in and one out of the water. 10s rest after note 1 below). each. l 400m freestyle breathing focus, exhaling l 4x200m @ CSS pace alternating freestyle and consistently. Swim a negative split (ie. second PULL and noting times for comparison (see note half faster than the first) and vary your breathing 2). 30s rest after each. patterns every 50m. As pace increases utilise he sessions this issue l 4x100m as 25m doggy paddle into 75m bilateral breathing every 3 strokes or 3/2/3/2 are designed to help you freestyle (wear fins or use a pull buoy to focus on or switch to left and right side every length if deconstruct your individual catch and pull technique) –- observe catch and breathing every 2 strokes towards the end. swim stroke to help identify pull as it passes beneath you each stroke (see box l 400m PULL, alternating 25m doggy paddle or Tareas that are challenging to master note 3). sculling with freestyle (see note 2). l 400m freestyle with fins, alternating 25m and may well be holding you back. sprint with 25m easy (see note 3) Swimmers will also gain confidence Cool down l 200-400m continuous freestyle focusing l 400m freestyle – consolidate stroke with at in the elements that are consolidated on one technical element on each length to least 100m at CSS pace to test out technique in their stroke and therefore need consolidate under pressure. Allow yourself to think about one only a light touch or fine tuning technical element only on each length. rather than correction. A 'technical Cool down tune-up' will help you become more Total set distance: l 200-400m easy freestyle specific and targeted in your training 3000m-3200m rather than trying to cover every Total set distance: possible technical area in your TECHNICAL NOTES FOR SESSION 1 3200-3400m day-to-day sessions and training Use bilateral breathing every 3, 5 or 7 strokes phase progression 1for 50m in total, then move to unilateral 2, 4 TECHNICAL NOTES FOR SESSION 2 or 6 strokes for 50m (use both sides) and finally breathe following a 3/2/3/2 stroke pattern. Rotation and alignment drills: kick on side with Observe and note which breathing patterns 1one arm extended aiming to position body at SWIM SMOOTH SQUAD allow you to consistently exhale whilst your 90 degrees to the floor and breathing into the TRAINING AND VIDEO head is in the water; you will need to adjust your bow wave beside your head. Look straight down pace and increase stroke rate to accommodate and about 1m forward when exhaling consistently ANALYSIS SESSIONS different breathing patterns (eg, easy or aerobic in between. Swap sides, aim for symmetry when taking a large number of strokes between and evenness on both sides. Rotate 45-60º in Triathlon Europe provides weekly breaths and fast or race pace on the 2,3 or 3/2/3/2 freestyle, contrast with the 90º in the drill to Swim Smooth squad training in combinations. engage hip rotation and ensure long axis of the South West London. The squad Using the average of your PULL and freestyle body is engaged. In doggy paddle, work on initiating the catch enjoy training all year round in 2times, deduce whether your leg kicking technique is efficient. If your PULL times are 2at an appropriate depth beneath the surface fabulous indoor and outdoor 33m faster then it is highly likely there are drag issues and pulling effectively with the forearm engaged pools. Fiona offers swim training caused by leg position being lower than the body, to improve use of back and lats. Use doggy paddle plans, 1-2-1 video analysis sessions inflexible ankles (dorsiflexion) or incorrect kicking to determine correct degree of elbow bend throughout the pull, track beneath your shoulders and stroke correction sessions on (eg, from the knees, quads and hamstrings rather than maintaining the leg length long and straight, as you switch into freestyle each length. weekday mornings and weekend kicking from the hips). Use long, flexible fins to With fins, engage an effective kicking Swim Smooth workshops. correct when performing rotation and alignment 3technique from the hips. Aim to maintain legs Find out more: drills. long and straight, switching between kicking rhythms to assist to complement the elevation in triathloneurope.com Note any lateral (sideways) movement that 3may be created from a thumb-first entry or stroke rate on sprint efforts. dropping the wrist instead of initiating the catch. Check your pull is aligned beneath your shoulders DEFINITIONS and not your mid line, an ‘S-shape’ nor wide of PULL = Swim FC using a pull buoy between legs the body. Aim to press the water behind you CSS = Critical Swim Speed or threshold pace purposefully with every stroke. (roughly the pace you can sustain for 1500m) outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 47 TECHNIQUE SWIM FOR YOUR LIFE! Get the maximum fitness benefit from your training whatever your age by swimming in sets. By James Ewart
s we get a bit older we tend don’t want their swimming to become to exercise for a number any easier because they want to burn of reasons; the main more calories. ones usually being cardio But it’s generally recognised that vascularA fitness, calorie burning and with the heart operating at about 60 maintaining physical strength. to 70 per cent of its max (Zone 2) is Swimming is the perfect form of the sweet spot of calorie burning. So exercise to achieve all three. thrashing up and down a pool or lake But what’s the best way of managing and needing to stop for a rest all the your swims to maximise the benefit? time is not going to be the best way to burn excess calories or get you fitter. RELAXED AND This does not necessarily TRY THIS! STREAMLINED mean long continuous To build stamina, swims. Ideally, swim PYRAMID SET endurance and 400m warm-up FOR MORE VARIETY, TRY MY cardio vascular without feeling conditioning, FOR MAXIMUM like your world is FAVOURITE WAY OF BUILDING you need to be coming to an end able to swim BENEFIT, INTEGRATE when you stop. ENDURANCE: THE CLASSIC for extended SOME FASTER SWIM Then break down PYRAMID OF, SAY, 50, 100, 150, periods of time your swims into without becoming SETS INTO YOUR sets of 200 metres 200, 250, 200, 150, 100, 50M (OR exhausted. To with short (15 EQUIVALENT IN OPEN WATER) accomplish this, SWIM to 30-second) rest use balance and intervals in between. WHICH IS A GREAT WAY OF streamlining to help you Swimming sets like move through the water more this is just as beneficial and BUILDING ENDURANCE efficiently. Think about remaining probably even more so than a long relaxed in the water and being continuous swim of the same distance. streamlined between your strokes, as opposed to churning your arms and UP THE PACE trying to constantly be pulling yourself For maximum fitness benefit, integrate forwards. some faster swim sets into your swim Combine this with focussing sessions working at levels you cannot on weight shifting for maximising sustain over longer distances to get the propulsion for minimum effort, and heart rate up. you'll begin to develop a more efficient Swimming should be fun so don't swimming stroke. make it boring; swim in sets and you'll Work on your breathing and breath get more out of it and be able to sustain management (don't over inhale or blast this fantastic form of exercise until the air out under the water) and slowly day you drop! build distances gradually so that you JAMES EWART is a Total are comfortable swimming for longer. Immersion swim coach theswimbusiness.co.uk FIND YOUR SWEET SPOT totalimmersion.net I’ve had clients say to me that they
48 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXCEL
MIX IT UP! WHY NOT TRY A MEDLEY SET? INTRODUCING DIFFERENT STROKES INTO YOUR SETS KEEPS THINGS INTERESTING AND WORKS DIFFERENT MUSCLE GROUPS
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 49 SPORT PSYCHOLOGY “I’M SO FRUSTRATED, I CAN’T GET MY TECHNIQUE RIGHT” Sport psychology consultant Helen Davis explains how to use visualisation to perfect your technique
t’s so irritating! You are given good results for athletes in committed to training regularly, a wide range of sports, including you work hard at drills, and swimming. Using visualisation to you put in lots of effort every help get that tricky element of your Itime you swim. You have set yourself technique right can be really powerful. a goal of wanting to improve Visualisation is when you use your technique; you have your senses to recreate or watched videos, listened create an experience in to your coach, asked your mind. The power fellow swimmers of visualisation for their advice, allows you to yet it just doesn’t VISUALISATION practise an seem to be HAS GIVEN GOOD element of happening… your technique you are getting RESULTS FOR without increasingly ATHLETES IN A physically having PHYSICAL frustrated to get in water. Visualisation is most effective when it and feeling WIDE RANGE OF Evidence says that includes all of the senses and experiences demoralised. Why is the brain cannot that would be engaged if you were getting technique right SPORTS distinguish between actually swimming in water. Enhance so hard?! an actual event and one your physical experience by putting on When you are physically that we visualise, so if you know your wetsuit, costume, hat and goggles working hard on drills to improve how you want your technique to be, (even if it feels a bit strange on land!). technique in the water and whatever you can train your brain for successful you try isn’t working, it is worth outcomes. ENVIRONMENTAL considering a psychological technique So how do you do it? Following Recreating the open water environment to help you make improvements. It these steps can help you recreate the in your mind is really important. really is worth it, as if used effectively, correct technique you are striving for. Close your eyes and imagine all the this psychological tool has consistently sounds, smells, feelings and sensations
50 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXCEL
LEARNING PRACTISE! Recognising learning is an important Just like most things, component as you work on visualising your technique. When you first practising visualisation visualise your stroke, you will probably if done diligently and be thinking about movement a great consistently will yield deal, therefore your visualising may focus heavily upon correct technique improvements and elements such as hand entry or elbow progress. Celebrate the position. However, as you improve at visualising, update how you visualise. successes you have with You may start to focus less on thinking visualising, by noticing about the specific technique, but more all the small steps of on the ‘feel’ of the movement. progress to technique EMOTIONS improvement. Research suggests that including an emotional component by including the meaning you attach to the scenario should be included for optimal behavioural change to take place. Take care to ensure positive emotions are felt during visualisation. Negative thoughts can be dealt with by replacing them with positive ones; for example, the excitement you might feel at perfecting your new technique and the speed you would then go.
PERSPECTIVE This refers to the way you view the visualisation and which perspective is the most effective for you. Viewing from an internal perspective is the same as what you would experience if physically swimming. An external perspective is an outside-of-body or videotape perspective. Visualising internally is more likely to be successful with technique and will help you gain that ‘feel’ you are after CONSIDER USING TRIGGER WORDS OR IMAGES Helen Davis is Verbal triggers are words, phrases, actions, a swimmer and you have in the water. If you find this gestures or smells that can help swimmers sport psychology difficult, take a picture next time you focus on key aspects of technique. Symbolic consultant who go and use it as a stimulus to visually images are mental symbols or models for desired works with imprint the environment in your mind. elements of the technique you are wanting to individuals, teams Asking yourself questions such as: what achieve, eg, pulling over a barrel to achieve high and coaches on can I see? what can I hear? what can I elbow on front crawl. their sporting smell? what can I touch? can be useful. performance. Each month, Helen will suggest TASK should be specific to you and your psychological techniques to help The task that you are visualising is the personal preferences, focusing on the overcome difficult open water technique you desire, being mindful same thoughts, feelings and actions swimming scenarios. that it is appropriate to your skill as during your usual swimming. www.thinkbelieveperform.co.uk level. Know and research the correct Precise timing is key here, so when you @helenDav2245 technique you want to emulate. It visualise it, do it in real time. outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 51 SWIMMING JOURNEYS SWIMMING AC ROSS THE AGES Patrick Smith meets Janet Wilson and Madeleine Adams, two swimmers at different ends of their swimming journeys
ne of the benefits of swimming is that it is an activity that is It’s harder on open to all ages, and with open water swimming you can enter a circuit swims, Ocommunity that is welcoming to all. I recently every time you got the chance to sit down and chat with two swimmers that are at different ends of their pass the start it’s swimming careers. It was interesting to see what advice they might offer each other. tempting to get The first swimmer was Janet Wilson, 65, out, but I motivate who has had a great swimming career that has included swimming Loch Lomond, myself by wanting 2-way Windermere, as well as Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel. She started swimming to reach the outside in the early 1960s because it was “an other end activity that you could do for nothing.” Chatting to her was Madeleine Adams, who at 14 is only starting her swimming career, but it is one that promises a lot as she was the first female finisher in the BLDSA 3km swim at Colwick Park on the afternoon that we chatted. For Madeleine, this is her third season of open water swimming, with a Channel Relay planned for 2019. For her, open water swimming provides “a buzz”, she “likes the challenge” that it offers. One of the first things we talked about is what their respective friends thought of their open water swimming. Madeleine’s young friends thought that she was, “a freak of nature!” But they are also supportive of her and appreciate her achievements. “They are really impressed by what I’ve done,” she said. It seems that while it may not be for everyone, getting into cold water to swim for miles is something that is respected and admired by the younger generation. Is the same true of the older generation? “They think I’m a crazy so and so,” said Janet of her friends. When she gets into the pool to train alongside their heads-up breaststroke they ask, “who is this crazy woman?” But that doesn’t stop Janet and she too had swum in the BLDSA 3km Colwick Park event that afternoon. Janet had been the final finisher in the 3km event (there was a 5km event at the same time), so she laughed at JANET the fact that whenever she swims in the pool with her peers, “they say, 'oh here she is, the WILSON, 65 fast one!'”
52 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXCEL SWIMMING AC ROSS THE AGES Patrick Smith meets Janet Wilson and Madeleine Adams, two swimmers at different ends of their swimming journeys
SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT During our chat Madeleine was keen to get advice from Janet and to draw on her experience of open water swimming. Janet was generous enough to offer plenty of My friends think support and encouragement for the next generation of swimmers, but Madeleine’s I'm a "freak of main concern came back to one that worries nature", but us all: cold water. “When you get cold, how do you motivate they're also yourself to keep going?” For Janet, this is the main reason why supportive and people get out, even if they try to convince appreciate my themselves that it’s not – but usually any other reason is hiding the fact that they achievements struggled to deal with the cold. “It’s harder on circuit swims, every time you pass the start it’s tempting to get out, but I motivate myself by wanting to reach the other end,” said Janet. It’s all about focus, but also practicalities. “I don’t want to have to get into the [safety] boat,” she said, possibly admitting to a concession for age. Motivation could also be provided by your crew on longer swims and as Janet said, “choose your crew carefully.” We then spent a few minutes discussing the values of good crew and how a crew that knows you well will understand when to push you and when to let you feel a bit sorry for yourself. Sometimes, of course, on longer swims it is the crew that can decide that you shouldn’t carry on, even if you think you can. They can only do that if they know you well.
GIVE IT A GO AND GET OUTDOORS We finished our chat by thinking about how to get more people into our sport. How would Janet and Madeleine appeal to their respective peer groups and persuade them to take up swimming and then to swim outdoors? For Janet it was about continuing to do things and be active. Her advice for older would-be swimmers was, “you’ve got to find something that stretches you.” So give it a go, and get outdoors too. While for Madeleine, enjoying her swimming and inspired by Janet’s longevity, she wanted to persuade fellow youngsters of the benefits of swimming. MADELEINE “You might as well try it, you might love it and do it for the rest of your life.” ADAMS, 14
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 53 TRAINING
t’s just the arms and legs that THE STRONGER YOUR CORE THE propel you through the water, right? Well to a certain extent, STRONGER YOUR STREAMLINE but in fact the arm acts as an Ianchor that allows your body to pass POSITION AND YOUR ABILITY it and move forward, and the legs are more about correcting body position, TO HOLD IT FOR LONGER. preventing drag and driving rotation. What many swimmers don’t realise is that it’s the core that is the body’s too. You can build strength using powerhouse: it directly affects your no equipment; doing squats, planks ability, strength and stability. and push-ups for example will build The stronger your core the stronger strength. Alternatively, a suspension your streamline position and your bodyweight trainer works the body in ability to hold it for longer. A strong an unstable environment to improve core also allows you to rotate more strength, balance, coordination, powerfully; if it’s not strong you will endurance and agility all at the same not get the power transfer to drive time! Each exercise places stress on those arms and legs. those core muscles to stabilise the It’s not just building a strong core body. that is the reason to do strength Suspension bodyweight training has training. Generally, age-related muscle been around for thousands of years loss begins once you hit 40 and the and can safely be done at home, in the process accelerates after about the gym, indoors or outdoors, and you can age of 50. Not only do you start to see perform hundreds of different exercises
postural change, your coordination using one piece of kit. Proponents say is also affected by changes in muscle it can be used by all ages and all fitness strength, your gait changes, your abilities, and you will see benefits metabolic rate slows down and you with just three short, 20 to 30-minute lose stability and balance; weak sessions a week. Body Intensive
muscles also make you feel tired and Trainers (BITs) are available from response times can be affected. bodyintensivetrainer.com. The good news is that exercise,
especially strength training, can help to keep muscle loss at a minimum
^ and improve bone health. It can even Suspension reverse age-related muscle loss – a study at the Center on Ageing at Tufts bodyweight training: University, Boston, US revealed
that people in their 70s, 80s and 90s ^ managed to double their muscle Improves core strength strength during a 10-week training 1and joint and muscular stability period. Increases whole body strength, To build lean muscle, aerobic 2both larger muscles and smaller ^ exercise such as swimming isn’t stabilising muscles enough, you need to do specific Improves strength training exercises and using 3flexibility
STRAIGHT TO THE CORE your own bodyweight is one of the Reduces safest and cheapest methods out there. 4injury You can easily do strength training Uses muscle groups together at home or outdoors and you can 5as opposed to isolated muscles effectively use your bodyweight as that fixed weight machines use. resistance to create a leaner more This way of working is more closely functional body. associated to everyday movements Swimming is a whole-body exercise and sporting practices. and your land training should be
Combat age-related muscle loss with these strength training exercises from Body Intensive Trainer Ali Phesse 54 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXCEL
Strength training exercises For any exercise it is so important to get the technique right first, then consistently get it right, and only then increase intensity. Bodyweight exercises (no equipment) SQUAT (strengthens the lower body) – with the feet shoulder width apart, the action is just like sitting back into a chair as you keep your knees behind your toes. Keep the head and chest up as you squat parallel to the chair, then push the heels into the floor as you return to the start. 12-15 reps, up to 3 sets
➜ outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 55 TRAINING
➜ PUSH-UP (strengthens the upper body and core)– Beginners can begin pushing up onto a wall, you can also begin with knees on the floor. Push-up is a plank variation whereby you want to keep the body as horizontal as possible throughout the exercise. For a wide push-up begin with hands wider than shoulders and fingers facing forward (a narrow push up targets the triceps more than the chest). Engage your core and squeeze your glutes as you lower the body to the floor. Ensure your chest touches the floor to do a full push-up, push the ground away as you return to the start. 12-15 reps, up to 3 sets
Strength training has multiple benefits: Helps speed up 1metabolism and keeps you lean Improves bone 2health & muscle mass Helps prevent injury 3and disease and it is very effective for arthritis Helps menopausal 4women increase bone density Increases flexibility 5and stability Improves mood 6and energy levels
PLANK (strengthens the core as well as upper and lower body) – Place hands under shoulders with the arms straight, legs behind you with the feet together, engage your glutes and core and maintain a flat plank position throughout (from heels, hips, shoulders and head). Start with 10-15 second holds, repeat 5-10 times and increase this time gradually as you become stronger BIT Body Intensive Trainer have a wealth of experience in the swimming world and provide strength and conditioning at the Mark Foster Swim Academy. BIT have developed an easy to use system and online support for its users. Videos of exercises, step by step instructions and useful programmes for beginners through to elite athletes are available. bodyintensivetrainer.com
56 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXCEL
Suspension Bodyweight ROW Trainer exercises For each exercise below do 12-15 reps of up to 3 sets. Ensure you have the correct technique before increasing the intensity (this is done by increasing the angle or number of reps/sets)
ROW (strengthens back, arms, core) Stand facing the straps, feet shoulder width apart, knuckles facing up. BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT Engage your core as you pull your hands to your chest, squeeze shoulder blades together. Control the body back to the start.
BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT (strengthens quads, glutes, hamstrings, lower back and lower core). Face away from straps with foot straps at knee level, place one foot in the strap, drive the foot backwards as you squat with the standing leg (keep knee behind toes), return to the start
SUPERMAN (strengthens core, chest, SUPERMAN upper back, arms). With the straps over your shoulders engage core as one arm bends into a push-up, the other arm goes straight out in front. Keep the body flat and don’t twist. Return to start, alternate arms.
PIKES (strengthens core, legs, arms, chest, back) either do a bent or straight arm plank with feet in straps. Engage the core as you drive the glutes into the air, tuck head under and keep legs straight as you bring chest to the thighs, aim to get the glutes on top of your shoulder and then return to the start PIKES
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 57 TRAINING
SCHOOL Immersion technique with a level of excitement she had not felt before, developing her understanding further. SWIMMING: “I needed to be absolutely certain this was going to work in a traditional school environment,” she says. The Total Immersion way AQUATIC MAMMALS In September 2013, she put away the were children across all age groups still floats and introduced Total Immersion A school with its own 25m unable to swim.” onto the school curriculum. First, pool is no guarantee pupils During her first year at the school the children had to start ‘thinking’ Susan attended a workshop by Total differently about how humans swim. will learn to swim Immersion, founded by the late Terry “We made little reference to pulling and Laughlin, to help improve her own kicking,” says Susan. “After all, aquatic stroke. “Having been a competitive mammals don’t have arms or legs.” usan Cheshire is head of swimmer, the workshop transformed The first lessons, regardless of ability, swimming at Bancroft’s, a my swimming,” she says. “The logical concentrated on the pupils finding co-educational school with sequence of learning absolutely made their balance and comfort in the water 1,000 pupils aged 7-18. When sense.” Susan knew instantly this and learning how to manage their Sshe joined the school in 2011, the wasn’t just for adult swimmers, but for breath. These skills replaced the sinking pupils were taught swimming using everyone. sensation with the sense of being the traditional methods taught to Following the workshop, Susan ‘weightless’ and supported by the water. her during her ASA training. It soon continued to practise the Total “The children immediately became became obvious, however, that the pupils were finding swimming difficult to master. THE FIRST LESSONS, REGARDLESS OF ABILITY, “Instruction focused on pulling and kicking and many were struggling to CONCENTRATED ON THE PUPILS FINDING complete a length,” says Susan. “There THEIR BALANCE AND COMFORT IN THE WATER
58 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXCEL calmer and more relaxed in the water,” SUSAN’S says Susan, “which allowed them to SWIMMING focus on swimming skills.” Lessons became an opportunity for LESSONS the mindful practice of the ‘skill’ of swimming. Distance and speed became One of our Y5 swimmers. an outcome and not the focus. As the Swimmers developing a pupils grew in confidence and became relaxed, balanced and aligned more engaged in lessons, they began body position with well asking questions and discussing the integrated body movements. science of swimming. “The children were improving faster than I had anticipated,” says Susan. “Taking apart my stroke and One of the biggest rebuilding it step by step, as well as things that we have understanding the science behind introduced over the the technique, has transformed my swimming and allowed me to compete,” last few years for says Year 10 pupil Eleanor Channer. “I our Y7+ swimmers feel so confident in my swimming that I is working in pairs now swim in the sea on holiday.“ to take the role of swimmer and COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT coach. This has Today Susan is a Level 3 Total really allowed Immersion coach and the programme continues to evolve. “The vast majority them to cement of pupils are now comfortable and their learning and confident in the water,” says Susan. understanding. “They are more efficient swimmers Helped improve their and the overall standard of swimming communication and continues to improve.” observational skills. Jonty Pollard, head of physical education at the school, agrees. “We were failing pupils previously,” he says. “We had numerous, quite often athletic, Stroke Timing pupils unable to swim 25m or who to help swimmer remained in fear of the water, even up maintain a patient to Year 10. We put this down to lack of lead arm as they time and resources. Total Immersion post their front arm swimming has been the most significant encouraging front development to the PE Curriculum that I have witnessed in 20 years of teaching.” quadrant timing The number of swimmers attending early on in their after-school training has increased development significantly and last year 97% of Bancroft’s Year 4 pupils achieved 25m and 61% of Year 6 pupils swam 200m. Torpedo – this “I look back at a career of ‘splash and teaches balance, dash’ teaching with nothing but regret,” says Jonty. alignment and core As well as increased participation in stability inter-house galas, pupils continue to swim outside of school, taking up open water swimming, triathlon and joining local swimming clubs. ‘Total Immersion is a significant and brilliant progression in teaching swimming and I value it as one of the most important things in school,” says Kemi Ogunremi, a 2017 Sixth Form leaver. “I am still improving and I hope to swim a lot more in the future.” More info: susancheshire.co.uk totalimmersion.net outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 59 Puffin-ad-July-notext-final.pdf 1 19/06/2018 15:14
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INSIDE 62 Azores 66 Alicante
h2openmagazine.com H2OPEN | JUNE/JU LY 2016 61 FAMILY FUN IN THE AZORES 62 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXPLORE
Susanne Masters explores the island of São Miguel in Portugal’s volcanic archipelago
oliday time is precious At Capelas the railing along steps into and finding a place for the sea pool was bent out of shape swimmers that also works from rocks that storm waves had for non-swimming family hurled up against it a couple of days Hand friends can be tricky. Our recipe earlier. One of the rocks thrown up for a family holiday was sunshine from the sea wall was nearly the size for my mum, somewhere safe for my of a car, a spectacular demonstration niece to swim, and somewhere a little of how powerful the Atlantic is. Waves unknown for me. With only a few days spilled into the entrance of the pool, available, long flights and jet lag were but the water remained calm. We could to be avoided. São Miguel – part of the have swum long lengths across the Azores, Portugal’s volcanic archipelago pool that we had to ourselves. Instead – ticked all our boxes. A mild climate we dived down to look at fish hiding in with geothermally warmed seaweed. water was a winter Our next salty swim antidote, forest springs was reached via the and sea pools precipitously steep would be sheltered THE SALTY road to Ferraria. swimming spots Just before a for my niece, MINERAL WATER path from the and an island car park leading wrapped by the POOL WAS A across black Atlantic Ocean PLEASING SHADE OF rocks reached the sounded great to sea we could see me. CELADON GREEN steam rising up. Swimming There is a channel history has alighted cut into the rocks. At in the Azores. In 1998 one end cool seawater Benoît Lecomte took a break surges in. At the other from swimming 3700 miles across seawater heated by geothermal energy the Atlantic and spent seven days on that seeps out of Sao Miguel percolates the Azores, where he recovered his into the channel. As the waves were will to swim, and went on to complete strong we decided to enjoy the view, his Atlantic crossing. Covered in lush but did not climb down the ladder to vegetation, it is certainly a place for find the sweet spot between hot and restoration of the mind as well as cold in Piscina Natural da Ponta da fuelling the body with tropical fruits, Ferraria. Instead we walked back along fresh farm produce and excellent the path to Ponta da Ferraria thermal seafood. baths. We found ourselves incredibly buoyant in the salty mineral water pool VOLCANOES AND SALTY SWIMS that was a pleasing shade of celadon Our first stop was a black sand beach green. At the most westerly point of at Vila Franca do Campo. Volcanic São Miguel it was perfect for a sunset rocks, pounded over time into dark swim. sand, framed the clear blue sea breaking at the edge of the beach. THERMAL BATHS Some spear fishers were diving around In the botanical gardens at Terra a rock stack, while we dabbled in the Nostra in Furnas there is a muddy sheltered cove. In spring, summer and looking pool. Day and night autumn a small ferryboat goes to Ilhéu steaming hot water tumbles out of de Vila Franca – a collapsed volcano fountainheads, the pool’s muddy crater that is now a circular sea pool, tinge is due to minerals in the water. which is perfect for snorkelling. If you stay at the hotel that owns A local variation of sea swimming is the gardens they provide two sets of in ‘piscina natural’, pools or sheltered towels. One is standard issue pristine bays built out of rocky shores, which white towels for use after showering, offer protection from Atlantic waves. bathing or swimming in your ➜ outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 63 EXPLORE
THERE WAS SOMETHING INCREDIBLY TONIC FOR THE MIND AND BODY OFFERED BY SITTING IN UNCHLORINATED WARM WATER Terra Nostra SURROUNDED BY thermal pool LUSH GREEN FOREST bathroom or the indoor swimming wild spa, with the very small pool. Coloured towels are provided price tag of €4. for using after enjoying the thermal Thermal pools within a pool’s murky water. Too hot for forest setting make Caldeira swimming energetically it provides a Velha look like a tropical large arena for bobbing around and fantasy. It is worth going swimming head-up breastroke with a in to the environmental view of flowery gardens and the Ruddy interpretation centre. Caldeira shelducks that also paddle there. Hotel Velha is one of the geosites in guests are welcome to enjoy the pool the Azores UNESCO global at night time too, when a path through geopark. Its interpretation the garden to the pool is illuminated. centre explains the geology as Ferraria pool A short walk from Terra Nostra is well as the wildlife in the park Poca da Dona Beija. Here the thermal and surrounding area. A little pools brim with clear water. We further up in the forest are started in the coolest pool at the top changing huts and the pools. A of the terraced garden where water waterfall emerging from lush greenery Under a hot waterfall from a stream mingled with hot water feeds one of the pools. At a relatively seeping over rocks. At the next terrace cool 26 degrees Celsius it is great for we soaked in a pool overlooking the splashing around in. In contrast the stream. In another pool a bench was other pool is 38 degrees. We enjoyed DISCOS AND MARVELS tucked behind an artificial waterfall. its cosiness while watching frogs in the My niece’s favourite swim was in the Cocooned in the noise made by falling edge of a cool stream that ran below disco pool on the rooftop of Hotel water with a blurry view of the pools it our warm pool. Talisman, conveniently close to the was like a private retreat in an elegantly airport for our early morning flight home. After the hot springs it felt ➜ cold, but my niece loved the lights that illuminated it through pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, red and back again. We could see it glowing as our plane ascended away from São Miguel. I suspect that in the longer term it will be the warm forest pools that create longer lasting memories. There was something incredibly tonic for the mind and body offered by sitting in unchlorinated warm water surrounded by lush green forest. Apart from swimming we enjoyed an assortment of marvels. We went to Furnas to see crocks of meat and veg left in hot ground to turn into Azorean stew, and were entertained by cats warming themselves by sitting in warm Ferraria pool patches of sand. My mum said she had seen funny birds. Funny because they
64 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXPLORE
BAHAMAS NOVEMBER 2018 FEBRUARY 2019
Franca do Campo
IF YOU GO l Hotels can be half price outside of peak season, which is in summer. September – April the water is still great and it is less crowded. l Take a swimsuit that is not your favourite and/or is a dark colour for the murky hot pool at Terra Nostra as minerals in the water can stain pale fabric l Hiring a driver with their car in the Azores does not cost much more than hiring a car, and also means you can concentrate on enjoying the scenic views. Nelson and Nuno who both speak English did a great job taking us to every place we wanted to get too, answering all our questions with their local knowledge, and they also suggested super places to visit that we had not heard of. Get in touch with them via email: [email protected] l São Miguel also has good bus services and a variety of hiking trails The ultimate way to experience The looked like bats but it was the middle of the day. We all went to look at the Bahamas: stay in our funny birds, and we all thought they looked like bats. It transpires that the luxury villa on Great only day-flying bats in the world live in the Azores. We got a panoramic Guana and explore the view of the island by climbing up to the rooftop of an abandoned five-star hotel. Abacos with us in style. A rummage in the market at Ponta Delgada filled our luggage with locally grown passion fruits and tamarillos www.swimquest.uk.com to take home. Azorean volcanic soils nurture very good wines. São Miguel provided plenty of entertainment for all three generations on our holiday. And yes, the waters were lovely outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 65 SWIM CAMP SPANISH LESSONS Jo Jones brushed up her technique at a Total Immersion swim camp in Alicante
hen was the last time you thought about your technique? For me, even though most Saturdays you’llW find me on poolside teaching, it may have been a good decade since my swim style had been looked at and improved. I’d been fairly confident of IT FELT my technique; it got me across INDULGENT TO the Channel last SWIM AND DEVOTE summer, and I didn’t think it MY THOUGHTS TO would be too far TECHNIQUE, WITH Tabarca Island to practise and enjoy from the stroke I the 20 degree Celsius water and views. try to teach. FEEDBACK ON Mid May I had the CHANGED PERSPECTIVE opportunity to go and HAND It was in the sea that I realised the swim with Rafa Vives in efficiency of TI swimming. While Alicante for a Total Immersion most of the group disappeared into swim camp. The weekend started by the horizon on a 12k swim, I was dissecting distance Olympians’ strokes, happy to swim a shorter 8k loop and focussing on timing, hand entry, head tried to keep the technique points position, arm recovery, etc. We then in mind. As I was swimming alone, went to the pool to rebuild our own each with our motivations to learn Rafa joined me for a time. For around strokes with these points in mind. and improve. Swimming brings people 2k I felt I was keeping up with him from all walks and stages of life, but easily, but apparently it looked like I ODD HABITS wanting to improve, and enjoying the was working quite hard to do so. Rafa In the pool, I was quickly humbled by water was common to us all. then said he’d meet me back at the watching my swim technique – I’ve It was lovely to be able to swim beach, and zoomed off in the distance some odd habits to say the least! In without a distance agenda and to have – effortlessly – leaving me to plod 1-1 feedback sessions Rafa mentioned the luxury of time, secure that there behind in his wake. Rafa clearly swims that my stroke was pretty but could be was nothing pressing to fit a swim in the way he teaches others to, and this more efficient. It seems that I’d taken around. It felt indulgent to swim a little highlighted its effectiveness. the drills my coaches had asked me and devote my thoughts to technique, I went on the swim camp intrigued to do to exaggerate technique points, with feedback on hand and video by TI and looking forward to some but not scaled them back and this analysis too. time focussed on swimming and to had become my ‘normal’ swimming As well as the pool swims and video enjoy the sun. I came away with a technique. sessions we also swam along the Santa changed perspective of my own stroke, There were five of us on the camp; Pola coastline, and had a swim around and in swims since I’ve continued to
66 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EXPLORE
5 TAKE-AWAYS FORMENTERA OF SWIM CAMP You don’t swim how you 1think you do – video analysis objective feedback is important SEPT 29 - OCT 5 2018 Be mindful of how you’re 2swimming, not just how far you’re swimming. Take time out and swim 3without time pressure. Keep Join guest coach Ray 4learning. Swimming is your Gibbs for an 5common ground – don’t be afraid to go somewhere intensive week of you don’t know anyone, you’ll have at least technique coaching in swimming in common. Jo about to set off on both the pool and in the an 8km swim Rafa crystal clear Balearic Sea. demonstrates TI technique Leave with an understanding of how to improve your technique at home over winter.
try and incorporate the focus points taught into my existing stroke. I think my Spanish may have improved slightly too www.swimquest.uk.com Rafa runs regular swim camps in Elche, Alicante for up to six The indoor swimmers at a time. pool for video More info: naturasport.es analysis [email protected] outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 67 BE YOUR GREATEST
HALF MILE, 1 MILE, 2 MILES, 5K & 10K SATURDAY 25 AUGUST 2018 LOCH LOMOND, SCOTLAND GREATSWIM.ORG/SCOTTISH EVENT ZONE
INSIDE 70 Hokey Cokey 72 Event Listings
Credit: James Street h2openmagazine.com H2OPEN | JUNE/JU LY 2016 69 DO THE HOKEY Jude Palmer took on the challenging COKEY! Hokey Cokey swimrun in Cornwall earch for a UK based swimrun and you may be forgiven for thinking that the Hokey Cokey Long Course with 13.8km run Sand 5.2km swim would be an easy choice. Not so. Factor in an elevation gain of 1275m, the rugged south west coastal path, rocky entries and exits, refreshing long sea swims and a calf busting 2.3km run along a sandy beach and you are in for a seriously rewarding event. The start takes place in the historic port of Charlestown. A canon signalled our start and off we ran through the old town and down onto the beach watched by bemused holiday makers wondering what on earth we were doing. My partner, Sarah, on her first foray into swimrun was thinking the same. The first swim was only 600m, yet the entry was slippy and the sea choppy which You put your served well to spread the pack out. left leg in... Shallow beaches made all the entries
70 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EVENTS
swim, 1.7km, would take us along the Big smiles coast to Carlyon Beach. I knew this swim would test Sarah in terms of cold but hadn’t banked on it testing me so much. I found it difficult to sight and the swell made it feel like we were in a washing machine at times. The face of a swimrunner exiting the water is particularly special. A mix of relief, numbness, concentration and spotting the event photographer makes for an interesting contorted expression. It’s no wonder the beach crowd stared back in wonder and disbelief as we staggered out the sea.
BAYWATCH USING THE How on earth and exits tricky, Pamela Anderson as we had to BUNGEE I WAS ABLE made running decide at what TO ‘ENCOURAGE’ on sand look ourselves up rocky outcrop again and point swimming effortless, I will headed up to the coastal path to make became more SARAH TO KEEP never know. I our way to Charlestown. I always love effective than GOING suspect had she the last run back. Time to empty the wading. Exiting worn a wetsuit, water tank and go for it. Time to make a the water for the start logged shoes and had lasting impression on the golfers of of the 5km run was no a foam pull buoy strapped Cornwall and especially on the lovely exception. Being the short arse to her leg it would have been a couple exchanging their vows. I really in our team, I got to call the shots and different story. We looked like a pair hope you can edit out the rubber clad often it felt like I may as well actually of octogenarian zombies as we lurched idiots and the expletives from your swim up the sand. forward with each step, trying to avoid wedding video. The run started with a hideous steep punching through the dry sand crust. The feeling when we ran back road climb up through the village and Add in a rocky outcrop in the middle into the village and over the finish along back country lanes. Using the that we had to climb up, and I never line, cheered on by locals and official bungee cord that tied us together I was wanted to see a sandy beach again, so Madhatter John was fantastic. We had able to ‘encourage’ Sarah to keep going, tired were my legs. planned a rendition of the Hokey Cokey despite us going only slightly faster than A rest came in the form of the last but I got confused over which my left the children riding horses. swim of the day back to Polgaver Beach. arm was. So we settled for cake, a medal Back out onto dry land we launched and big smiles on our faces TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION Others had fared better and as the road levelled out, one runner took the chance EVENT INFO to sprint past us. Like a dog after a juicy Name: Hokey Cokey CORNWALL bone, I was off. That was until I heard 26 May 2018 Sarah snort “If you are going to chase Date: him down I’m not going to be with Total race distance: y ou .” 20k (long course), St. Austell And there is the beauty of swimrun – 10k (short course) teamwork and communication are vital. Running: 15k Several sets of energy sapping long 5k steep steps later and we were back at the Swimming: beach. Flat the course is not and I was Swim sections: 6 very glad of the regular hill training I Run sections: 7 get as a trail running coach. From the Longest swim: 1.7km expletives coming from Sarah, I was 5.2km ST AUSTELL BAY sure she was loving it too. Longest run: sea The swim back to Charlestown was Water type: a welcome relief to the heat of the run, Run type: road and trail SWIM but after a short scramble up the beach, RUN over the harbour, jelly babies from the More info: aid stop stuffed into our mouths, we madhattersportsevents.co.uk
Credit: Garland illustration created by Freepik/Photography: James Street Freepik/Photography: created by Credit: Garland illustration were back into the sea. The longest outdoorswimmer.com EVENT LISTINGS LET’S SWIM! UK AND INTERNATIONAL EVENT LISTINGS
Event organisers, if your event is not listed please email details to [email protected]
ENGLAND & WALES JULY 1 Henley Classic (2.1km), Henley-on-Thames, henleyswim.com 1 rgActive Swim Race (750m, 1250m, 2250m, 3200m), Richmond, rgactive.com 1 Drakes Island Swim (1.5km), Plymouth, chestnutappeal.org.uk 1 Seahorse Swim (2km, 3.8km), Studland, BLDSA Champion of Champions North Dorset, dorsetseaswim.club 1 Waveney River Swim (11.5km), Beccles, Suffolk, broadsswimming.co.uk 4 Dinton Starlight Swim (750m, 1500m), 8 Derwent Epic Lakes Swim (500m, 1 mile, henleyswim.com Hurst, Reading, barnesfitness.co.uk 3.8km), Keswick, epicevents.co.uk, NS 21 Castle Howard Swim (5km, 2.5km, 1 mile), 5 MAD Open Water Series – Round 2 (250m, 8 The Hever Long Distance Swims (1.9km, York, castletriathlonseries.co.uk 500m, 1500m), Matlock Bath, madswimming. 3.8km), Hever, castletriathlonseries.co.uk 21 Club to Pub (1.5km), Henley-on-Thames, org.uk, NS 8 Cambridge Picnic Swim (2.5km), Cambridge, henleyswim.com 7 Boulter’s to Bray Swim (1.4km, 2.8km), hamiltonsfitness.co.uk/camswim.html 21 TENFOOT Swim (5km), Tenby, Maidenhead, boulterstobrayswim.org, NS 13 Zone3 Wales Swim (1.2 miles, 2.4 miles), tenfootswim.co.uk 7 MediaCityUK Swim Challenge (1500m, Tenby, thewalesswim.com, NS 22 10k Lock to Lock Swim (10km), Eynsham, 5km, 10km, 15km), Salford Quays, Salford, 14 Swim Your Swim Coniston (1 mile, 5.25 Witney, swimoxford.co.uk uswimopenwater.com miles), Coniston, swimyourswim.com 22 The Fix Splash #2 (750m, 1.5km, 3km), 7 The Big Cotswold Swim (1 mile, 2 miles), 14 The Bantham Swoosh (6km), Kingsbridge, Hackney, London, capitaltri.com, NS Shorncote, Cirencester, triferris.com outdoorswimmingsociety.com, NS 22 Windermere Wild Swim (1500m, 3.8km), 7 Swims at Paddle Round The Pier (1.5km, 14 The BIG Welsh Swim (1.3km, 3km, 6km, Newby Bridge, sleekerswim.co.uk 2.5km), Brighton, paddleroundthepier.com 9km), Llanberis, loveswimrun.co.uk 22 Dartmoor Open Water Swim (2.5km, 5km, 7-8 BLDSA Bala (1km, 3km, 6 miles, 3 miles), 14 The Humdinger Swim (6 hrs), Pingewood, 10km), Lifton, Devon, dartmoorswim.co.uk Bala, bldsa.org.uk Reading, thehumdingerswim.co.uk 26 Hillingdon Triathletes Open Water 7 Salty Sea Dog Long Swims (2.5km, 3.8km), 15 Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim (1.4 miles), Swim - Race 2 (1000m, 2000m), Denham, Boscombe, Bournemouth, votwo.co.uk Bournemouth, bhf.org.uk hillingdontriathletes.co.uk 8 Goodrington Beach Swim (750m, 1500m), 15 rgActive Swim Race (750m, 1250m, 2250m, 26 Shepperton Open Water Swim Race Torbay, Devon, sportivaevents.co.uk/ 3200m), Richmond, rgactive.com #3 (750m, 1.5km, 3km), Shepperton, goodrington-beach-swim/ 15 Henley Mile (1 mile), Henley-on-Thames, sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk
72 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com PROMOTED EVENT
The River Spey 10km Whisky Swim
18 August 2018, Speyside, Scotland SWIM DETAILS new swim for 2018 sees Travelling down the River Spey Name: The River Spey us travelling to the River towards Loch Insh through the RSPB 10km Whisky Swim ASpey. The River Spey is Insh Marshes nature reserve there River a river in the northeast of Scotland. It is ample opportunity to encounter Water type: is the ninth longest river in the United some of Scotland's resident birds (10km), loch (shorter Kingdom and the third longest and and wildlife including ospreys and distances) fastest-flowing river in Scotland. salmon. Distances: 10km, 5km, It is important for salmon fishing The finish will be at Loch Insh 3km, 1km and whisky production. This unique Watersports Centre which is set in 14
swim takes swimmers through acres of stunning native woodlands Wetsuit policy: the RSPB Insh Marshes nature reserve. situated on the shores of Loch Insh in Optional, with separate the heart of the Cairngorms National results classifications THE SWIM Park. The Centre has something to Swimmer safety: The swim will start in Kingussie, the offer all types of adventure seeker Tow floats on loch capital of Badenoch in the Scottish or to be able to relax and enjoy the Highlands. It’s a small, lively town scenery. swims only. right beside the famous river Spey in If the 10km swim is a bit on the long Expected water the midst of the glorious Cairngorms side for you we will be holding 1, 3 and temperature: 13 degrees Celsius National Park and almost exactly in the 5km swims at Loch Insh Watersports Further information: vigourevents.com centre of Scotland! in the afternoon. outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 73 EVENT LISTINGS
27 Padstow to Rock Swim (1 mile), Padstow, padstowtorockswim.org.uk, NS 27 Full Moon Swim (social swim), Maidenhead, fullmoonswim.co.uk 28 Dock 2 Dock (5km, 10km), London Royal Docks, bit.ly/dock2dock 28 BLDSA Coniston Veterans (3.25 miles), Coniston, bldsa.org.uk, NW 28 Big Swim Nottingham (1500m, 2500m, 5000m), Holme Pierrepoint, osbevents.com 28 6.5k River Arun Swim (6.5km), Bury, West Sussex, swimquest.uk.com/rivers/ 29 6.5k River Arun Swim (6.5km), Bury, West Sussex, swimquest.uk.com/rivers/ 29 Fugitive Open Water Swim (1.5km, 3.0km), Marlow, f3events.co.uk, NS 29 Brownsea Island Swim (4.5 miles), Poole, rlss-poole.org.uk 29 BLDSA Coniston (Junior and Senior) (5.25 Chillswim Coniston End to End miles), Coniston, bldsa.org.uk, NW 29-30 Swim England National Open Water Festival 2018 (1.5km, 2km, 3km, 5km, 2km team event), Rother Valley Country Park, 11 6.5k River Arun Swim (6.5km), Bury, West 19 Topsham to Turf Swim (1.5 miles), Sheffield, swimming.org/openwaterfestival Sussex, swimquest.uk.com/rivers/ Topsham, estuary-league-of-friends.co.uk 12 The Big Brutal Swim (2.5km, 5km, 10km), 23 The Big Dog & Doggy Paddle Swims AUGUST Llanberis, brutalevents.co.uk (1500m, 3800m), Reading, bigdogswim.co.uk 4 Aspire Solent Swim (2.5 miles), Gosport, 12 BLDSA Derwentwater (2 miles, 5 miles), 23 Shepperton Open Water Night aspire.org.uk Keswick, bldsa.org.uk Swim (750m, 1.5km, 3km), Shepperton, 4 Aqua Sphere Snowman Swim (1 mile, 1/2 12 Aspire River Arun Swim (4 miles), Bury, sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk mile), Betws-y-Coed, alwaysaimhighevents. West Sussex, aspire.org.uk 25 Mass Start 3 (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km), com, NS 12 Dedham Vale Mill 2 Mill Swim (2.3km), Kempston, Bedford, galeforce-events.com 4 Salty Sea Dog Long Swims (2.5km, 3.8km), Dedham, bit.ly/Mill2Mill 25 Polkerris Swim Festival (1km, 2km, 3km), Boscombe, Bournemouth, votwo.co.uk 12 SwimRutland (500m, 2km, 4km, 8km), Polkerris, madhattersportsevents.co.uk 4 Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim (2km), Whitwell, Oakham, bit.ly/SwimRutland, NS 26 Swim Your Swim Windermere (10.5 miles), Ferryside, wowes.co.uk 12 'Freestyle for smile' Distance Swim (1.5km), Newby Bridge, swimyourswim.com 4 Dee Mile (1km, 2km), Chester, events. Littlehampton, tribalsportsevents.co.uk 26 Windermere Wild Swim (1500m, 5km), chestertri.org.uk 16 MAD Open Water Series – Round 3 (250m, Newby Bridge, sleekerswim.co.uk 4 Bewl Open Water Swim Races (1.9km, 500m, 1500m), Matlock Bath, madswimming. 30 Shepperton Open Water Swim Race 3.8km), Lamberhurst, bewltriathlon.co.uk org.uk, NS #4 (750m, 1.5km, 3km), Shepperton, 4 Swim to The Edge (0.8 miles, 2.5 miles), 18 Aspire Solent Swim (2.5 miles), Gosport, sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk Solva, Haverfordwest, man-upuk.com aspire.org.uk w/c 4 (date tbc) Aspire Loch Ness Relay (22 18 Semer Water Swim (1.5km, 3km), SEPTEMBER miles), Fort Augustus, Highland, aspire.org.uk Countersett, epicevents.co.uk 1 Arena Chillswim Coniston 5.25 Miles End to 5 Thames Marathon (14km), Henley-on- 19 The Long Reach Swim (8.3km), Wallingford, End (5.25 miles), Coniston Water, Cumbria, Thames, henleyswim.com longreachswim.co.uk chillswim.com 5 Plymouth Breakwater Swim (2.2 miles), 19 Cotswolds Swims (1.5km, 3.8km, 5km, 1 Wild Dart Swim (2.5km, 5km), Totnes, Plymouth, chestnutappeal.org.uk 10km), Ashton Keynes, lpsevents.co.uk wildrunning.co.uk 11 Wargrave & Shiplake Regatta Swim (1km, 19 Coniston Epic Lakes Swim (500m, 1 mile, 1 Team Relay Open Water Swim Race (3200m), 2km), Shiplake, wsregatta.co.uk, NS 3.8km), Coniston, epicevents.co.uk, NS Richmond, rgactive.com 11 BLDSA Ullswater (7 miles), Glenridding, 19 Brighton Pier Open Water Swim (1.2km), 1 BLDSA Windermere (10.5 miles), Newby bldsa.org.uk, NW Brighton, brightonsports.co.uk/brighton-pier- Bridge, bldsa.org.uk, NW 11 St Michael's Mount Swim (1 1/2 miles), swim 1 Fin Swim River Adur (5km), Shoreham-by- Marazion, chestnutappeal.org.uk 19 Fritton Lake 10km Marathon Swim Sea, rawenergypursuits.co.uk, NS 11 Pub2Pub Aquathon - The Smugglers' Challenge (10km), Fritton, Great Yarmouth, 1 SwimRutland Night Swim (250m, 750m), Revenge (2.5km), Bantham, pub2pub.co.uk frittonlakeoc.co.uk Whitwell, Oakham, bit.ly/SRnight, NS
74 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EVENTS
PROMOTED EVENT
The Big Brutal Swim 12 AUGUST 2018 LLANBERIS, NORTH WALES
he Big Brutal Swim will take place at the stunning, glacially Tformed Llyn Padarn in Llanberis, North Wales. The lake is known for being the sixth deepest in Wales and the course is a 1.25km lap The distances available are 2.5km, 5km and 10km and there is an aid station on the lakeside providing hot and cold drinks and snacks. This is a super friendly, low key event. Great for swimmers of all abilities, from channel swimmers in training to first timers. SWIM DETAILS Every swimmer gets a The Big Brutal Swim finisher t-shirt. Name: Also, this is held at the Water type: same venue as The Brutal Glacially formed lake Extreme Triathlons and Distances: 2.5km, 5km and 10km therefore great preparation Wetsuit policy: This event for that event. is open to wetsuit and non-wetsuit swimmers. There will be separate categories for wetsuit and skins swimmers. Tow floats:No Water temp: 16-18 degrees
brutalevents.co.uk outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 75 EVENT LISTINGS
2 Oxford Classic 1 Mile Swim (1 mile), Oxford, swimoxford.co.uk 2 Aspire Solent Swim (2.5 miles), Gosport, aspire.org.uk 2 Windermere One Way Swim (10 miles), Newby Bridge, windermereoneway.co.uk 8 All Out Swim - Letchworth Outdoor Pool (2km, 5km), Letchworth, macmillan.org.uk/ alloutswim 8 Neon Night Swim (750m, 1.5km, 3km), Salford Quays, Salford, uswimopenwater.com 8 6.5k River Arun Swim (6.5km), Bury, West Sussex, swimquest.uk.com/rivers/ 9 6.5k River Arun Swim (6.5km), Bury, West Sussex, swimquest.uk.com/rivers/ 9 Fritton Lake Big Swim (1500m, 3km, 5km), Fritton, Great Yarmouth, frittonlakeoc.co.uk 9 Looe Island Swim (1 mile), Looe, chestnutappeal.org.uk Macmillan All Out Swim 9 Buttermere Open Water Swim (5km, 10km), Buttermere Village, highterrainevents.co.uk, NS 9 The Raedwald Swim (5.5 miles, 2.75 miles), Woodbridge, Suffolk, raedwaldswim.uk King's Lynn, bldsa.org.uk, NW NOVEMBER 9 Great Grimsby Dock Swim Challenge (1 22 Polkerris Sea Swim (5km), Polkerris, 7 Fireworks 500 (500m), Capernwray, mile, 2 miles, 4 miles, 10km), Grimsby, gcyc. madhattersportsevents.co.uk epicevents.co.uk co.uk/water_rats/swim_challenge/swim_ 22 6.5k River Arun Swim (6.5km), Bury, West 11 Swim to Remember (1km), Derwentwater, challenge.html Sussex, swimquest.uk.com/rivers/ Lake District, bit.ly/swim2Remember 15 All Out Swim - Pells Pool (2km, 5km), 23 Wild River Swim (River Cuckmere) (6km), Lewes, macmillan.org.uk/alloutswim Alfriston, swimquest.uk.com/rivers/ 15-16 Scilly Swim Challenge - 2 Day (15km), St 23 Burgh Island Swim (1 mile), Bigbury-On- Mary's, scillyswimchallenge.co.uk Sea, chestnutappeal.org.uk SCOTLAND 15 The Big Cotswold Swim (1 mile, 2 miles), 23 Conquer the Chilterns River Swim (1.5km, Shorncote, Cirencester, triferris.com 3.0km), Henley-on-Thames, f3events.co.uk, NS JULY 15 Mass Start 4 (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km, 25 GLOW Swim (750m, 1.5km, 3km), Upper 1 YeAABA Monifieth (3.25 miles), Dundee, 10km), Bedford, galeforce-events.com Vobster, Radstock, bit.ly/GLOWswim, NS yeaaba.org, NW 15-16 OSS Dart 10k (10km), Totnes, 29 All Out Swim – Parliament Hill Lido (2km, 8 YeAABA Harbour Relay (4 miles), Dundee, outdoorswimmingsociety.com, NS 5km), London, macmillan.org.uk/alloutswim yeaaba.org, NW 15 Llangorse Swim (1.5km, 3km, 4.5km, 6km), 29 The Hurly Burly (10km), Barmouth, 22 YeAABA Veterans Single Tay (1 mile), Llangorse, llangorsetri.com outdoorswimmingsociety.com Dundee, yeaaba.org, NW 16 Aspire Solent Swim (2.5 miles), Gosport, 30 Exmoor Swim (2km, 4km, 6km), Dulverton, 28 YeAABA Double Tay (2 miles), Dundee, aspire.org.uk Somerset, exmoorswim.co.uk yeaaba.org, NW 16 Weston Super Mare Open Water Series – 3 29-30 Aberdovey Swim (1.5km, 4km, 6km, 29 YeAABA Woodhaven (4.5 miles), Dundee, (1km, 2km, 3km, 5km), Clevedon, Somerset, 8km, 13km), Gwynedd, aberdoveyswim.co.uk yeaaba.org, NW goo.gl/forms/XUoicrZnEwqdkavj2 30 The Fix Splash #3 (750m, 1.5km, 3km), 18 Scilly Swim Challenge - 1 Day (15km), St Hackney, London, capitaltri.com, NS AUGUST Mary's, scillyswimchallenge.co.uk 4 Loch Lubnaig Swims (1km, 2km, 3km, 22 Hever Castle Swim (5km, 2km, 1 mile), OCTOBER 5.8km), Callander, vigourevents.com Edenbridge, castletriathlonseries.co.uk 5 Dip in the Dark (250m, 500m), Newby 25-26 BLDSA Loch Lomond (21.6 miles), 22 Swim Serpentine (1 mile), London, Bridge, sleekerswim.co.uk Arrochar, bldsa.org.uk, NW swimserpentine.co.uk 7 rgActive Swim Race (750m, 1250m, 2250m, 18 The River Spey 10k Whisky Swim (10km), 22 All Out Swim – Guildford Lido (2km, 5km), 3200m), Richmond, rgactive.com Kingussie, vigourevents.com Guildford, macmillan.org.uk/alloutswim 13 All Out Swim – Sandford Parks Lido 25 Great Scottish Swim (1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 22 Aspire Solent Swim (Two Way) (5 miles), (2km, 5km), Cheltenham, macmillan.org.uk/ miles, 5km, 10km), Balloch, greatswim.org, NS Gosport, aspire.org.uk alloutswim 26 YeAABA Loch Earn (6.5 miles), 22 BLDSA Lynn Regis (1km, 1.5km, 4.5km), Lochearnhead, yeaaba.org, NW
76 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com EVENTS
(2.7km), Newry, clwf.eu 12 Grounded Coffee Dock Morning (Dip, 750m, 1500m), Newry, clwf.eu, NS 12 Michael O'Hare Championship Cup (10km), Newry, clwf.eu 12 Maria Murphy Championship (5km), Newry, clwf.eu 25 GaddinAbtGarnish (1km, 3km, 5km, 7km), Glengarriff, ossischmidt.wix.com
SEPTEMBER 8-9 Glendalough National Park Swim (750m, 11.5km, 3.9km), Glendalough, openwateropenwaterswimmer.ie
OCTOBER 6 The Great Fjord Swim (750m, 2km, 3.9km), Leenane, thegreatfjordswim.com Long Reach Swim UK SWIMRUN 26 YeAABA Crannog Isle (1 mile), Lochearnhead, yeaaba.org, NW IRELAND EVENTS
SEPTEMBER JULY JULY 1 Night Swim at Bardowie (500m, 750m, 1km), 1 Rostrevor to Warrenpoint (3700m), Rostrevor, 6-7 Breca Gower (swims 6km, runs 40km), Bardowie, Milngavie, vigourevents.com clwf.eu Gower, Wales, brecaswimrun.com 1-2 Coll to Tiree (3.7km), Caolas, Tiree, 1 Slip to Shore Swim (1.9km), Ballyheigue, 15 SwimRun Fritton Lake – Summer Edition highlandopenwaterswim.com ballyheigue.ie (swims 1800m, runs 8.2km), Great Yarmouth, 8 BLDSA St Mary's Loch (1km, 3 miles, 6 3 RNLI Myrtleville - Church Bay Swim (2km), frittonlakeoc.co.uk miles), Selkirk, bldsa.org.uk Myrtleville, myrtlevilleswimmers.com 8 End to End of Loch Earn (10.8km), 7 The Sheephaven Bay Swim (3.5km), AUGUST Lochearnhead, vigourevents.com Portnablagh, on.fb.me/1FwUHtw 10-11 Breca Buttermere, Standard (swims 6km, 8 YeAABA Club Senior Championship (4 21 Hodson Bay - The Hodson Mile (1/2 mile, 1 runs 38km), Sprint (swims 3km, runs 15km), miles), Dundee, yeaaba.org, NW mile), Athlone, openwaterswimmer.ie Buttermere, Lake District, brecaswimrun.com 9 YeAABA Stannergate Championship (), 21 Frances Thornton Memorial Galway Bay Dundee, yeaaba.org, NW Swim (13km), Galway, galwaybayswim.com SEPTEMBER 19 River Spey 10k (10km), Kingussie, 28 Grand Dublin Swim (750m, 1500m), 8 Breca Jersey, Standard (swims 6.5km, runs vigourevents.com Dublin, bit.ly/2k4AiND 47km), Sprint (swims 4.6km, runs 14.2km), 22 Firth of Forth Swim (1.4 miles), Jersey, Channel Islands, brecaswimrun.com Queensferry, Edinburgh, vigourevents.com AUGUST 16 Lock to Lock SwimRun, Half stump (swim 4 Lough Erne & ILDSA National 1.2km, run 7km); Full stump (swims 3.8km, OCTOBER Championships (750m, 1.5km, 5km, 10km, runs 13.45km), Eynsham, Oxfordshire, 20 Glencoe Lochan (At Night) (425m), 17km, 25km), Enniskillen, bit.ly/ILDSANC18 swimoxford.co.uk Glencoe, highlandopenwaterswim.com 10 GLOW Night Swim (750m), Carlingford, 23 SLSC Swimrun 2 (swims 1km; runs 8.8km), clwf.eu Tooting, London, slsc.org.uk/swim-run/ NOVEMBER 11 Gartan Swim Challenge (300m, 750m, 29 Breca Loch Gu Loch, Standard (swims 17 Connel Falls of Lora (600m), Connel, Oban, 1500m, 3800m), Letterkenny, on.fb. 7km, runs 49.5km), Sprint (swims 2.7km, runs highlandopenwaterswim.com me/1FwUHtw 15.8km), Loch Ness, Scotland, lochguloch.com/ 11 Grounded Coffee Dock Morning (Dip, 750m, 29 Love SwimRun Holy Island (swims DECEMBER 1500m), Newry, clwf.eu, NS 2.74km, runs 15.61km), Rhoscolyn, 8 Prince’s Cairn (1.4km), Lochailort, 11 weeGIANT Swim (250m, 500m, 750m), Anglesey, North Wales, loveswimrun.co.uk/ highlandopenwaterswim.com Warrenpoint, Newry, clwf.eu loveswimrunholyisland 11 Joe McElhaw Lord and Lady of the Lake
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 77 EVENT LISTINGS
OCTOBER 5-6 Breca Coniston (swims 5km, runs 38km), Coniston, Lake District, brecaswimrun.com 7 SwimRun Fritton Lake – Autumn Edition (swims 1800m, runs 8.2km), Great Yarmouth, frittonlakeoc.co.uk
SWIM AROUND THE WORLD JULY 1 Oceanman Oitylo Bay (2km, 5km, 10km), Oitylo, Greece, oceanman-openwater.com 1 Open Swim Stars Strasbourg (1km, 3.5km), Strasbourg, France, openswimstars.com 7 Fifth Annual King Wolf Swim (5km, 11km), Open Swim Stars Kingston, Ontario, Canada, kingwolfswim.com 7 Gran Fondo Venezia (15km, 2km), Cavallino Treporti, Venice, Italy, circuitogranfondoitalia.it 7 Open Swim Stars Lac de Medine (1km, Värnamo, Sweden, vidosternsimmet.com Spain, marnatonedreams.com 2.5km, 5km, 10km), Lac de Madine, France, 11-19 NEK Swim Week (9 days, 8 lakes, 18-22 Five Islands Swims (27km), Upolu, openswimstars.com 46 miles, 4 marathons), Vermont, USA, WSM, samoaevents.com 7-8 St Lucia Channel Swim Challenge (1km, kingdomgames.co/nekowsa-swimming-the- 19-23 Gran Fondo Bocche Bonifacio 3km, 5km, 34m), St. Lucia, facebook.com/ kingdom/ (15km), Santa Tersa Gallura, Sardinia, Italy, SLUChannelSwim/ 25 Chateau de Chantilly Swim (5km, 2km, 1 mile), circuitogranfondoitalia.it 14 Swim the Arctic Circle (2000m, 3000m), Chantilly, France, castletriathlonseries.co.uk 22-23 Cruce Golfo Dulce 2018 (1.5km, 5km, Juoksengi, Sweden, swimac.eu 25 TrygFonden Copenhagen Swim 14km, 21km), Puerto Jiménez, Puntarenas, 21 Gran Fondo Porto Conte (17km, 4km), (Christiansborg Rundt) (2km, 4.5km relay), Costa Rica, aventuras-golfo-dulce.co/home Alghero, Sassari, Italy, circuitogranfondoitalia.it Copenhagen, Denmark, copenhagenswim.com 23 TRB Caldes d’Estrac (1,5km, 4,0km), Caldes 28 Tenth Annual Kingdom Swim (25 km, 25 Gran Fondo Sanremo (15km), Sanremo, d’Estrac, Barcelona, Spain, tunaracebalfego.com 10 miles, 10 km, 5 km, 1 mile, 0.5 miles, 100 Italy, circuitogranfondoitalia.it 29 Alcatraz Invitational (1.27 miles), San yards), Vermont, USA, kingdomgames.co/ 26 Rondje Pampus (900m, 1800m, 2700m), Francisco, California, USA, serc.com/alcatraz- nekowsa-swimming-the-kingdom/ Amsterdam, Netherlands, hetblauwehart.org/ invitational/ 28 Triatlon Cluj (1.5km), Cluj-Napoca, zwemevent/ Romania, club-orca.ro/triatlon/triatlon-cluj 26 Hana Greenfield Memorial Swim (500m, OCTOBER 29 Traversarea Tarnitei (6.5km), Cluj-Napoca, 1km, 3km), Kolín, Czech Republic, bit. 6 Spetses Mini Marathon (3km, 5km), Spetses, Romania, club-orca.ro/inot/traversarea-tarnitei ly/2IEXPga Attica, Greece, spetsesmarathon.com 30-31 Pacific Open Water Challenge SAMOA 21 Oceanman Benidorm (2km, 5.5km, 10km), (15km, 10km, 5km), Apia, WSM, samoaevents. SEPTEMBER Benidorm, Spain, oceanman-openwater.com com 2 Crown the King (1.6km, 4km, 10km), Saskatchewan, Canada, bit.ly/crowntheKing NOVEMBER AUGUST 8 Gran Fondo Naviglio Grande (24km), Milan, 7-11 Barbados Open Water Festival (1.5km, 2-4 Samoa Swim Series (3 swims in 3 days), Italy, circuitogranfondoitalia.it 3.3km, 5km, 10km), Carlisle Bay, Bridgetown, Savai'i, WSM, samoaevents.com 8 Oceanman Odessa (2km, 5km, 10km), Barbados, swimbarbadosvacations.com 5 Oceanman Cozumel (1.5km, 5km, 10km), Odessa, Ukraine, oceanman-openwater.com Cozumel, MEX, oceanman-openwater.com 22-23 Prom'Swim Traversée de Nice à la Nage List of events compiled by Outdoorswims.co.uk. 5 Open Swim Stars Douarnenez (1km, 2.5km, (500m, 1km, 2km, 5km, 10km), Nice, France, All UK & Ireland events are regularly updated at 5km), Douarnenez, France, openswimstars.com promswim.com outdoorswims.co.uk and can also be accessed 11 2nd Annual Swim for Kids (1.5, 3km), 9 Open Swim Stars Toulouse (1km, 2.5km, using the related Android app. Lake Ontario, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, 5km), Toulouse, France, openswimstars.com NW = No Wetsuits Allowed swimforkids.org 15 VII Copa Marnaton eDreams – Cadaqués NS = No Skins Allowed (Wetsuits Compulsory) 11 Vidösternsimmet (21+km, 6km, 0.5km), (2.5km, 4.5km, 6.5km), Cadaqués, Gerona,
78 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com TRIED & TESTED GEAR TRIED & TESTED ALL THE LATEST GEAR, KIT, NUTRITION PRODUCTS AND BOOKS
One of the best things COSTUMES about the summer is meeting our readers at The latest swimming costumes, trunks and jammers for kids events, and that often includes whole swim families and groups, whose members span the generations. This month we have a selection of the coolest togs for your little outdoor swimming super heroes. Top We also explore the choice! best in land and water Zoggs Zoggs Zoggs kit combos –’swim Boys Batman Jammer Boys Batman Hip Racer Batman Junior Girls Sprintback to gym’ clothing and £20 Sizes Age 6-15 Years £18 Sizes 3-6 Years £22 Sizes Age 6-15 Years swimrun kit. I prefer Jammers for swim training and Big smile when our son saw these. A great sporty cut swimming these were really comfortable. Matches brilliantly with the goggles. costume. zoggs.com Whether you’re on zoggs.com Great fun. zoggs.com land or sea, it’s always helpful to see where you’re going and our team of testers also put a selection of goggles through their paces. Goggles are an individual thing of course, but happily there are an array of sizes, shapes and lenses out there, so you can find your best fit. Big thanks to Zoggs Maru Maru Jonathan, Helen, Junior Girls Wonder Woman Ariel Fly Back Gothic Pacer Jammer Mandy, Red, Lisa, Kerrawa Strikeback £24.99 Sizes 22-34 £22.99 Sizes 22-32 Bronwen, Mick, Sue, £22 Sizes Ages 8-15 years Pastel colours and mermaid-esque Really like these – nice fit and design Sporty and fun. My daughter loves print in a sporty design. Comfortable. – will wear them regularly for swim Katie and all the crew this (and so do I). zoggs.com maruswim.com training. maruswim.com for their insights. Alice Gartland outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 79 GEARGEAR TRIED & TRIEDTESTED & TESTED
COSTUMES
The Galapagos Overall is useful for cycling as well as swimming!
Sun safe
Reima Reima Reima Galapagos Overall Calamari Bikini Top Atolli Bikini Bottoms £38 Sizes 92-140cm (Age 2-10) £17 Sizes 92-140cm (Age 2-10) £23 Sizes 92-140cm (Age 2-10) Fantastic cossie. Also doubles up as a UV 50 sun protection and quick Bikini bottom with skirt incorporating cycling suit! (see left) Really great that drying. reima.com UV 50 sun protection. It’s quick drying it offers UV50 protection. reima.com and great in the water but also for playing on the beach or by the pool. reima.com
HATS
Super hero! Born to Swim Zoggs Zoggs Junior Silicone Swim Cap – Fish Batman Silicone Cap Wonder Woman Silicone Cap €5.95 Colours: Yellow, Pink, £8 £8 Turquoise Pretty sure I swam faster with this on. Wonderful! Love these. Good fun, and easy to spot zoggs.com zoggs.com in the water. borntoswim.com
80 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com TRIED &TRIED TESTED & TESTEDGEAR GEAR
GOGGLES AND FINS WARMERS Fun and practical children’s goggles and fins Robes & onesies
Zoggs Zoggs Born to Swim Charlie McLeod Batman Goggles Wonder Woman Goggles Junior Swim Goggles Wild Onesie £14 Sizes Ages 6-14 £14 Sizes Ages 6-14 Leopard £49.95 Sizes XS – XL Awesome. Our son loves these and Love these and so does my daughter. €12.95 Toasty, and a slimmer fit than some wears them to swim class with his Makes swimming really fun for her. All Bright, cool and comfortable. onesies, which I liked. Good for post matching batman racers. zoggs.com her friends want them now too! borntoswim.com swim but also for lounging on the sofa. zoggs.com charliemcleod.co.uk
Fun colours
Born to Swim Swim Freak Born to Swim Junior Swim Goggles Wild SharkFin (Aqua) Goggles Swim Fins Camouflage £12.99 €21.95 Junior €19.95 Child Booikids Changing Towel Robe €12.95 Neat fit, easily adjustable – great Nice, bright and a comfortable fit. Our £25.99 Size 7-10 Our daughter wore these with her training goggle. And comes with daughter really enjoys using them – a Versatile and great post swim for swim fins and really likes the bright matching nose clip and ear plugs – really fun addition to our swim sessions drying off quickly and keeping our funky designs. borntoswim.com nice touch! together. borntoswim.com son warm – especially with the hood. swimfreak.co.uk Colours: Royal Blue, Aqua, Pink, Lilac. thebooicorestore.com
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 81 GEARGEAR TRIED & TRIEDTESTED & TESTED
rom swimrun SWIMRUN KIT Fspecific wetsuits that are comfortable All you need for a swimrun race to run in to shoes, ropes, calf sleeves and paddles, we test a range of swimrun gear for your next race.
Race day suit Lots of pockets!
Head Head Zone3 Swim Run Race Swim Run Aero Men’s Evolution (Men’s) £495 Sizes S-XL (Women’s) £360 Sizes S-XL £345 Sizes S-XL Stripped back suit for race day. 1.5mm Fast and lightweight suit. Nylon- A really versatile suit for both sprint neoprene on arms is super flexible and covered neoprene from the waist and long-course races. Three pockets comfortable. Good buoyancy for the down was soft and flexible – felt for nutrition and mandatory kit – and swim. Two inner pockets for nutrition almost like my usual running tights. it includes compass and whistle. or mandatory kit. Nylon loop is great No pockets but this wasn’t a problem, Sleeves come with marked lines for attaching tow rope without need I stuffed my paddles, hat and goggles where to cut so reduces the stress for belt. A fast and light suit. inside the suit. I would say there’s of cutting up your brand new suit. head.com minimal buoyancy so use a pull buoy Blue and orange colour is really eye- or neoprene calf sleeves to keep catching. Stretchy legs make running your legs buoyant. My body felt in comfortable. zone3.com a good position and swimming was comfortable with no chafing. head.com
Zone3 Head Women’s Versa Towing rope £169 Sizes XS – XL £16 I like the fabric on the back and Seven metres of 6mm high quality underarms – breathable and bungee cord and two 60 mm comfortable.. Two internal pockets and carabiners. Bright colour for high one large on the back. Great design. visibility underwater. Needs belt loop Makes me even more excited about my on wetsuit to attach. head.com first swimrun season! zone3.com
82 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com TRIED &TRIED TESTED & TESTEDGEAR GEAR
All you need for a swimrun race
Super buoyant
Head Zone3 Head Flex Calves Calf Sleeves Flat paddle Head Pull buoy £36 Sizes S-L £45.00 Sizes XS – XL £13 £18 Less buoyant than the Zone3 calf Super-buoyant calf sleeves made of Lightweight, durable and provide Large and lightweight with bright, run- sleeves so more suited to athletes 8mm neoprene – so buoyant that you greater stroke power. Not too large so friendly design. You will need to punch using a pull buoy or those with more might not need a pull buoy. Also give less danger of fatigue. I raced in these your own holes to attach to your thigh natural buoyancy. Wear with neoprene support while running. Designed for without trying them beforehand and – but that is part of the fun! head.com to the front for increased buoyancy, use in conjunction with the Evolution really liked them! head.com to the back for more comfort. Swim Run suit. zone3.com Comfortable and supportive while running. Didn’t fall down! head.com
Vegan
Head VivoBarefoot Safety buoy Stealth II Otillo Swimrun CEP £36 £110 Sizes 7-14 Arm Sleeves £34.99 Sizes S-L Bright coloured, inflatable buoy with Stripped back and minimalist, these I found these great for recovery waist belt. Did not interfere with my are for the experienced barefoot – all that swimming with paddles swimming. head.com athlete. Lightweight but rugged can take it out of you. I also wear enough to cope with the rigours of these in winter while running to swimrun, quick draining and with keep my arms warm while wearing toggled laces. A fast, minimalist shoe. . a t-shirt. cepsports.co.uk vivobarefoot.com
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 83 GEARGEAR TRIED & TRIEDTESTED & TESTED
GOGGLES The latest goggles for adults
Editor’s choice
Zoggs Zoggs Maru Nabaiji Predator Flex Titanium Reactor Predator Flex Titanium Groove Polarised Mirror Goggles Spirit (Mirror) £60 £35 (yellow) £11.99 Size L/S Excellent field of vision, hard wearing Zoggs’ Predator are the go-to goggles £20.99 Very comfortable and curved frame and the sun-reactive model is for many open water swimmers. This Comfy, broad fit with a good field of provides wide field of vision. Easy to great – clear in dark conditions and latest upgrade doesn’t disappoint. I vision. Easy to adjust. adjust and they also look very smart. darken when the sun comes out. I am swam Lake Bala with them as well as maruswim.com decathlon.co.uk swimming lake Windermere and they two aquathlons. Hard wearing and low- will be perfect for the early start and profile design with wide field of vision. swimming into the day. zoggs.com zoggs.com
Top value
Nabaiji Nabaiji Nabaiji Nabaiji BFIT Goggles B-Fast Goggles Spirit Nabaiji Active Mask Mirror £10.99 £16.99 £9.99 Size L/S £12.99 Size L/S I normally don’t choose smaller framed I’ve always avoided smaller googles Great for swim training. Nice range of Curved tinted lens gives great field goggles, but these were a great fit, because I was worried about fit and vision. The small was a good fit for my of vision and excellent on a sunny day. looked cool and was surprised by the water leaking in. The great thing with narrow features. Soft, secure seal is very comfortable price – excellent value. these is they come with a nose piece decathlon.co.uk and no leaking. The small was a great decathlon.co.uk you can adjust, so I got a snug fit fit for my smaller features. without any adjustments. decathlon. decathlon.co.uk co.uk
84 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com TRIED &TRIED TESTED & TESTEDGEAR GEAR
LAND TRAINING The latest goggles for adults Kit for dry land training
Eco friendly
‘Swim to gym’ clothing
Speedo Speedo Funkita H20 Active Stormza Capri Pant H2O Active Stormza Rash Top Mint Scribble Tank Top £45.00 Sizes XXS – L £50 Sizes XXS – L £19.95 Sizes 8-16 Soft but not too tight. Flattering A rash guard for activities in and A loose fitting singlet top. 100% design and nice bum lift. Combined out of the water. Beautiful material, cotton. Nice to throw over a sports with the rash top, this is a pretty cool stylish crop top that’s great for sun bra/crop top, or bikini. Loose fitting, confidence boosting set for a multi- protection. Lovely for land training, so good for a variety of sports – I like it sport adventure. Sizing smaller than SUP and other water adventures. for my regular yoga sessions. other brands. Look forward to X and Sizing smaller than other brands. funkita.com XXL sizing. speedo.com speedo.com
Funkita Funkita Alpkit So Vane: Rapid Racer Tights A Bit Vane: Meshed up 3/4 Koulin Trail Tights (Men) £49.95 Sizes 8-16 Tights £25 Sizes S-XXL Mid-rise double layered waistband, £52.95 Sizes 8-16 Great for the run training of swimrun. secure zip pocket, secret internal Excellent. Flattering fit, love the back All the essentials (zipped back pocket pocket, and reflective logo for night pocket for keys etc. Sculpts your body. and reflective trim for visibility), runs. Flattering fit and great for a Great for a variety of sports. I’ve worn plus stash pockets (not zipped) and variety of sports. funkita.com them running, yoga and cross training. Polygiene technology that helps funkita.com reduce odour. alpkit.com
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 85 SUNDAY 15 JULY 2018
H E N L E Y m i l e H E N L E Y m i l e H E N L E Y m i l eH E N L E Y m i l e H E N L E Y m i l e est. 2011 est. 2011 est. 2011
THE OUTDOOR SWIMMER SHOW AT THE HENLEY MILE H E N L E Y m i l e H E N L E Y m i l e SIGN UP TODAY AT HENLEYSWIM.COMest. 2011 H E N L E Y m i l e est. 2011 OUTDOORH E N L E SWIMMER Y m i l e SHOW est. 2011 H E N L E Y m i l e The Outdoor Swimmer Show returns in 2018 and will once again take place alongside the fantastic Henley Mile. Visitors will again have the opportunity to complete a scenic mile swim along the Thames and take part in suits versus skins challenge as well as checking out the latest kit or taking time out to listen to one of our expert speakers. Free parking for Outdoor Swimmer subscribers*.
* Look out in our June and July issues for your free parking voucher. H E N L E Y m i l e est. 2011 H E N L E Y m i l e H E N L E Y m i l e est. 2011 H E N L E Y m i l e est. 2011 H E N L E Y m i l e Brought to you by Henley Swim and Outdoor Swimmer, the magazine for adventurous swimmers
henleyswim.com • outdoorswimmer.com GOOD CAUSES #My75Miles Challenge Karen Weir swam 75 miles in support of the Fire Fighters Charity
o mark its 75th anniversary, the Fire Fighters Charity Tlaunched the #My75Miles Challenge – asking members of the public to take on a 75-mile challenge to help support members of the fire services community in need. Karen and Outdoor swimmer Karen Weir, 46, the Fire a watch manager for Johnstone Fire Fighters Station, Scotland, decided to swim 75 Charity miles (not all in one go!) as a thank mascot you for the services she received from Karen on her way to Blaze Bear the charity. completing 75 miles “I have been lucky enough to funds through any open water benefit from the rehabilitation services logged both indoors and outdoors. She swimming events because sometimes at Jubilee House on a few occasions averaged three miles a week. they may not go ahead as we are at the following a couple of surgeries,” says “In open water in winter the distance mercy of the elements,” says Karen. Karen. “I chose to swim my 75 miles, was limited due to it being not so “This challenge appealed to me more in both the pool and open water. This warm,” says Karen. “I had a few snowy because I could swim the 75 miles over is my small way of paying something swims.” a period of time that suited me.” back.” Karen was joined by outdoor swimming friends on her longer swims BACK ON TRACK SNOWY SWIMS and used her swims as training for Karen had planned to complete the Karen swims outside all year round, but longer summer events. challenge in August, but finished her 75 completed her challenge with swims “I am always wary about raising miles in June. She has so far raised over £1000 for the Fire Fighters Charity. Karen was “The Fire Fighters Charity is an joined by amazing charity. I couldn’t even her outdoor begin to put a price on the support swimming and assistance I received during my friends visits to Jubilee House,” says Karen. “The staff were friendly, helpful and understanding, all of which helped get me back on track, back to work probably quicker than expected and fit enough to swim another day. There are not enough words to say how grateful I am for being able to benefit from just one of the many services the charity provides.”
Donate to the Fire Fighters Charity at my75miles.everydayhero.com/uk/ karen-1 outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 87 CLASSIFIED
WEST COUNTRY WATERPARK, The Lake, Trench Lane, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS36 1RY bristolopenwater.co.uk ○ Tel: 078111 08587 ○ Email: [email protected] ○ Lake for hire ○ Easy access of M4/M5 junction
● 11 acres of clean open water ● Daily and annual memberships ● 4.6 ft deep ● Long-distance training ● Open 7 days (ring in for Mondays) ● Clubs and individuals welcome ● 600m loops
l Located in Reading (just off M4 jct 11) l Cater for all abilities l Host lake for MST events l Group & 1:1 coaching l On site retail store l Wetsuit fitting service l Orca, Huub and blueseventy
Contact details: Tel: 0118 933 2761 or 07917 666 888 email: [email protected]
Dive In Family-owned Friendly welcome to Clean spring water No “Swimmer’s Itch” All abilities and ages Costume & wetsuit Dosthill Quarry Triathlon training Wild, West Midlands Water Resident coach Consistently recommended by swimmers Hot tub recovery FREE online registration at Open 1700 hrs/yr dosthillquarry.com/outdoor-swimming 400m lap
Dive In Family-owned Friendly welcome SWIM to Naturally filtered No “Swimmer’s Itch” All abilities and ages Costume & wetsuit Open Water Swimming at its finest Gildenburgh Water Triathlon training n 500 and 1000 metre course Resident coach n RLSS Qualified Staff Cambridgeshire’s Clearest & Cleanest 80 seat clubhouse n‘Cake on the Lake’ Vintage Café Consistently recommended by swimmers n Mailsports Swim Specialist pop up shop Open 3300 hrs/yr n NOWCA Safety Management System FREE online registration at 400m lap n Just off J13 M25 (B376 Wraysbury) gildenburgh.com/gildenburgh-water/outdoor-swimming 07762 744736 | www.swimheron.co.uk | [email protected]
88 JULY 2018 | Outdoor Swimmer outdoorswimmer.com TALES FROM UP NORTH
THE STORM Pete Kelly braves Storm Hector for the euphoria of some rough swimming
ooking out of my top floor looking boats have come adrift and window taking in the evening are in the process of being slowly but view across Todd Crag, I pick steadily destroyed on the shoreline. I up the tell-tale sign of an can’t resist a swim, even though I’m Lapproaching and significant weather to spend all day guiding later on, and front. The mammatus clouds lead a hesitant start leads to confident and dead to the west, fingers of cloud, exhilarating strokes which take me like lines of cotton grass pointing panting and exhausted to the other accusingly towards the gathering side of the north basin. The geese and storm that will surely arrive within a assorted wildfowl are taking refuge day or so. Despite the heat, the sun there in the lee of the storm and it’s and the stillness of today, they say to comforting to have their company me: “Batten down the hatches, secure while I catch my breath. the boats on the racks and prepare for some rough A TOUCH OF DISBELIEF old swimming”. Later in the morning Sure enough and at a more upon the following respectable hour, I night, the birds go watch as my new unusually silent WAVES ROLL swimming friends and later, when ACROSS FROM go through the all are tucked up same range in bed and fast WRAY, BLOWN INTO of emotions asleep, the wind WHITE SPUME AT that I have begins to moan in enjoyed during the eves – a boreal, THEIR CRESTS my surreptitious primal sound akin to swim. Excited anxiety the howling of wolves. and more than a little It’s the sound that sets the touch of disbelief that we’re hearts of sailors racing, either actually going to do this, leading in fear or excitement, depending on to out and out euphoria, discovering their strength of character. It keeps me the rhythm of the waves and finding awake all night; I love that sound. The joy in the act of moving well through rain it brings will freshen up the water, the water. Mel, our overseer in the gone a touch green from the heat, and kayak, labelled us all “Hectorines” as a revive the land that has become dry salute to our storm swim. A few hours from months of fine weather. later we all walked back towards hot chocolate and dry towels with a little EXHILARATING STROKES bit more of a spring in our step than I slip out of the house before dawn (as is usual, contented, tired smiles on I’m awake anyway) and go to see the our faces and feeling glad to be alive. lake. Windermere is bearing the full Thanks for the good times Hector and brunt of Storm Hector and it looks goodbye for now. like the sea. Cat’s paws darkening the water to black; not playful, but violent. Waves roll across from Wray, blown into white spume at their crests and crashing into the deserted
Credit: Pete Kelly / Swim the Lakes Kelly Credit: Pete shoreline. A number of expensive
outdoorswimmer.com Outdoor Swimmer | JULY 2018 89 TITLE MY SWIM STORY Long-distance dreams You are never too old or unfit to change your life, says Ange Moir
n 18 February 2018 at 3.11am Ange Moir entered the waters of Lake Taupo, New Zealand. Fifteen hours O38 minutes later she crawled out at the other end, having swum 40.2km. Five years ago she struggled to swim 250m in 45 minutes. injury beat her and 11 months later she “When I entered my first ocean swam the 17.5k Epic Epic race. swim of 2.8k, I wondered at times if I “It was an emotional swim to say the was crazy,” says Ange, ‘but I completed least,” says Ange. that swim and was hooked.” After her first race Ange spent two EPIC 2018 years training on her own before she With the support of coach Dan and her Ange on her took a friend’s advice to work with a husband Barry, Ange had a fantastic solo swim coach to help her achieve her long- 2016/17 season, culminating in a 17km across Lake distance dreams. non-wetsuit swim of Lake Kaniere. Taupo “For me this was massive,” says DISASTER STRIKES! Ange, “that wetsuit was a security “For the past three years I have worked blanket and I no longer needed it!” closely with Dan Abel of Fit & Abel Ange’s 2018 season started with and I haven’t looked back,” says Ange. a return to the 17.5km Epic Epic At first she just wanted to get faster, not – this time without a wetsuit. And believing she had the ability to swim this time just a training swim for long distances. her big challenge – swimming “But Dan believed in me 40.2km across Lake and gave me confidence Taupo. First swum by to tell him my dream Margaret Sweeney and we formulated a in 1955, the plan,” she says. lake crossing The first step is one of New in that plan was “I BELIEVE IN Zealand’s most a 10k race at the MYSELF MORE NOW prestigious Epic Taupo event. marathon Melissa descended on Taupo. But soon after THAN EVER IN MY swims. “Epic “It was scary swimming in the dark disaster struck: an LIFE,” Epic was my final for the first time,” says Ange, “but I just old shoulder injury big swim and now got on with it. My body was screaming flared up, followed it was time to wait with pain and fatigue but with the by months of rehab. for Taupo. I waited… support of my crew, I could carry on.” “I spent three months and I waited. I felt very Finally, Ange touched the sand and doing 2km of kick six days a antsy,” says Ange. “Suddenly crawled out to stand triumphant on week along with an intense shoulder I got the call from Dan – my swim the shore of the lake. stabilisation programme,” says Ange. window started in six days.” Ange and “I believe in myself more now than “There were many tears; was something her support crew of illustrious New ever in my life,” says Ange. “You are I loved so much going to be taken away Zealand marathon swimmers Philip never too old or unfit to change your before I even started?” Rush, Mike Cochrane and Dan Abel life if you are ready and prepared to But Ange was determined not to let along with husband Barry and friend make the sacrifices necessary.”
What’s your Swim Story? Email: [email protected]
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