The Big Splash Mile for Sport Relief challenge was launched as part of the Swimathon Weekend over 27 – 29 April 2012.

The launch took place in 10 pools across Great Britain with swimming ambassadors Duncan Goodhew and Jodie Kidd swimming the first two lengths at London’s Oasis Sports Centre.

There were also features across national and regional television through Big Splash partners, the BBC.

Ronan Keating and Jenny Frost led a 10-man relay team across the treacherous 56 miles of Irish Sea to raise money for Cancer Research UK last week.

The team – a mixture of celebrities and ‘everyday swimmers’ – reached Dublin in 35 hours and 18 minutes after setting off from Holyhead, North Wales at 9pm on 30 August 2011.

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.

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.

14 August 2011 - Southbourne

In the 3.8km Long Swim, Mark Harris (3rd Veteran, 01:04:09) and Mark Richardson (01:08:34) finished 7th and 12th respectively. Emily Gall (Abbott) came 2nd in the Female Senior category in 01:15:10. In their respective Super Vet categories, Tony Harris (01:16:49) came 3rd, Jonathan Easterbrooke (01:19:37) 4th, Simon Gregan (01:20:10) 5th and Margaret Rouse (01:56:46) 3rd

Winner of the Seahorse Swim 2011, Mark Forrester (male Veteran) clocked up another win in the 1 mile swim (00:22:10). Club members Paul Morrison (00:27:08, Male Senior) and Ali Budynkiewicz (00:46:32, Female Super Vet) came first in their respective categories.

Click to view results.

Ann and Thomas McGrath would like to thank all who attended and donated to the charity non-wetsuit evening at EDOWSC on 9 August 2011:

“It was a lovely evening with a superb table of food and wine. To all those who left their comfort blanket at home, I am proud of you all for joining in the fun and trembling afterwards. Watching the wine jump out of the cups was quite entertaining!

“But on a more serious note a big THANK YOU for the generous donations. A total of £107 was received for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. Many thanks to everyone for their support”

Join the CP Sport team to be part of the UK’s largest outdoor swimming event - the British Gas Great North Swim 2011, which takes place in Lake Windermere on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June.

They are able to offer a limited number of guaranteed places on a first come served basis, so don’t delay, sign up today! Click for more details.

The Swimming Trust still has guaranteed places available for this year’s iconic Great North Swim.

The swim, which takes place over a 1 mile course in the beautiful Lake Windermere in Cumbria over the weekend of 18 & 19 June 2011, is open to anyone over 16 years of age on the day of the event.

Each Swimming Trust place costs £37.00 and you will need to agree to raise at least £150 for the charity.

5 September 2010

The Solent Swim is a challenging open water swim. The distance is approx 2.5 to 3 miles depending on the tide / wind.There are kayaks and RIBs supporting the swimmers and also the Solent Coastguard on one of the RIBS.

Last year the swim went from Hampstead ledge on the Isle of Wight to a small beach at the end of Tanners Lane, in Lymington. They took 45 swimmers across, with around 6 swimmers not completing the swim. This year’s event is supported by Austin Fraser and organised by a charity (Champion Behaviours) and Race New Forest.

Swimming champion and Speedo sponsored athlete, Rebecca Adlington, has become the next elite swimmer to register for this year’s World Swim Against Malaria.

Rebecca Adlington – 2x Olympic Champion, will take to the water on 25 June 2010 as part of the world’s largest participatory swim event. Organised by the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF), the swim aims to attract up to a million participants, with every penny raised spent on the purchase and distribution of protective nets which prevent the spread of one of the world’s most deadly diseases in Africa and other affected regions.