Little Britain star and swimming supremo David Walliams is set for his biggest challenge yet – to swim 140 miles of the Thames for Sport Relief.
The challenge is part of the UK’s largest swimming campaign, the Big Splash, and will see the 40-year old swim from Lechdale in Gloucestershire to Big Ben in London.
Outdoor swimming author, Kate Rew, has become the latest swimmer to share the story of her love of the water as part of Speedo’s ‘Unforgettable Swims’ initiative.
Giving like-minded swimmers a forum to share real life stories about their memorable moments, www.unforgettableswims.com is an online community aimed at celebrating swimming.
Share your next Unforgettable Swim for a chance to win £500 to spend at speedo.com.
A 70-year old retired breast cancer surgeon who swam in July’s ASA SW Region Open Water Competition at Weymouth is preparing to become the oldest person to swim the English Channel in August.
Roger Allsopp will start his record breaking swim on 23/24 August 2011, hoping to raise £750,000 for the purchase of cutting edge cancer research medical equipment at the University of Southampton.
Allsopp is no stranger to pushing his body to the limit, having run the London Marathon 10 years ago and completed a successful Channel crossing in 2006.
Marcus Wadsworth and Stephen have successfully swum the Channel in 14 hours 29 minutes, with support from their invaluable crew, Scarlett and Ian.
Their swim is in aid of raising money for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.
“It was a tough week waiting to swim with the weather being terrible but the first chance we had, we were in the water.” said East Dorset Open Water Swimming Club member Marcus. “Thanks to everyone who has donated. With your help we have raised just under £700 for such a worthy cause.”
The British Gas GBR Open Water Swimming Team that will take on the best swimmers from the continent at the Open Water European Junior Championships in Spain, has been announced.
The six-strong Team which features, World Championship finalist Thomas Allen and former European Junior Champion Eleanor Faulkner, will take part in the two day event from the 12th August as they compete in the 5km races.
Congratulations to East Dorset Open Water Swimming Club members who successfully swam around Brownsea Island nr Poole on a beautiful summer’s day. A special well done to club members Steve McCarthy, who is blind, and his guide Ann McGrath who is preparing for her second Channel relay swim in August.
We would like to thank RLSS Poole Lifeguard who organised the annual event with the support of many volunteers from various lifeguarding groups, the John Lewis Partnership, the National Trust and our Club.
Emily Gall (1.32.29) and Stuart Purcell (1.32.46) came second in their respective wetsuit and non-wetsuit categories.
More than 50 eager young swimmers gathered on the bank of Rother Valley Country Park to take part in the Championships.
The overcast conditions did not deter swimmers tackling two distances from 1750 metres - 15/16 Yrs Age Group through to a 2000m - 17/18 Yrs Age Group.
Fastest person to swim the English Channel, Peter Stoychev (Bulgaria) won the Men’s 25km race in 5:10:39.8. Vladimir Dyatchin (Russia) was 35.8 seconds behind in 5:11:15.6 and Csaba Gercak (Hungary) third in 5:11:18.1. The water temperature hit 31 degrees.
In the Women’s 25km race, Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) won gold in 5:29:22.9. Angela Maurer (Germany) was 2.1 seconds behind on 5:29:25.0 for the silver and Alice Franco (Italy) was third in 5:29:30.8.
Swann Oberson (SUI) won the sprint finish to secure Women’s 5km gold medal in 1:00:39.7. Aurelie Muller (FRA) was second in 1:00:40.1 and Ashley Grace Twichell (USA) third in 1:00:40.2.
Thomas Lurz (GER) won the Men’s 5km in 56:16.6 with 10km winner Spyros Gianniotis (GRE) second in 56:17.4 0.8 and Evgeny Drattsev (RUS) third 56:18.5.
Britain’s open water swimmers Dan Fogg and Tom Allen showed determination and grit as they battled their way through the Men’s 10km event at the World Championships in Shanghai in slightly cooler conditions.
Gold went to Spyros Goanniotis of Greece in 1.54:24.7, Thomas Lurz of Germany took silver in 1.54:27.2 and Sergey Bolshakov of Russia was third in 1.54:31.8. Fogg finished 15th in 1:54:46.9 with Allen 26th on 1:55:37.4.
