held on Saturday 2nd July 2011
THE 2011 EVENT
TOOK PLACE UNDER CLOUDLESS SKIES ON SATURDAY 2ND JULY.WITH A WATER TEMPERATURE
OF 14 CENTIGRADE AND AN AIR TEMPERATURE IN EXCESS OF 24 CENTIGRADE THE
MAIN CONCERNS FOR BOTH SWIMMERS AND CANOEISTS WERE SUNBURN AND DEHYDRATION.
THERE WAS VERY LITTLE WIND AND SEA CONDITIONS WERE PERFECT WHEN THE 27
STARTERS ENTERED THE WATER AT MEADFOOT TO LINE UP FOR THE STARTING SIGNAL –GIVEN
BY THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF TORBAY COUNCIL.
IN THESE CONDITIONS
WE EXPECTED SOME GOOD TIMES AND WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED WITH THE TURNBOAT
BEING REACHED IN JUST OVER 1HOUR 28 MINUTES BY NICOLA FRASER WITH LEE
PORTINGALE JUST 20 SECONDS BEHIND.
NUALA MUIR COCHRANE WAS THE FIRST VETERAN TO REACH THE TURN WITH SIMON LEE
SECOND VETERAN JUST OVER 1 MINUTE BEHIND.
THE RETURN LEG
WAS SLIGHTLY MORE TAXING AS THE BREEZE COMBINED WITH THE INCOMING TIDE
TO PUSH THE SWIMMERS FURTHER INTO THE BAY.
FIRST BACK AT MEADFOOT WAS NICOLA FRASER WHO HAD PULLED AWAY FROM LEE PORTINGALE
AND WAS FOLLOWED HOME BY DEE LLEWELLYN TO RETAIN THE LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP
LEE PORTINGALE WAS NEXT TO FINISH LEADING OLLY WHITE BY JUST OVER 3 MINUTES.
ALL 24 SWIMMERS WHO HAD CONFIRMED THEIR INTENTION TO SWIM THE FULL COURSE FINISHED
ALTHOUGH CHRIS GREEN WAS OUTSIDE OF THE 5HOUR 30 MINUTES TIME LIMIT.
THE 3 SWIMMERS WHO INDICATED THEY WERE SWIMMING THE VETERANS COURSE ALL FINISHED
WITHOUT PROBLEM.
THE TORBAY SWIM IS TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON HAVING SUFFICIENT CANOEISTS TO GIVE ONE TO EACH COMPETITOR.IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE SWIM WE WERE LOOKING AT A SITUATION OF NOT HAVING SUFFICIENT KAYAKERS AND EVEN AT THE BRIEFING MEETING WE WERE STILL 5 CANOEISTS SHORT.DESPITE THIS CRAIG KELLY FROM TEIGNMOUTH CANOE CLUB KEPT TELLING US NOT TO WORRY AS HE HAD MORE KAYAKERS EN ROUTS.SURE ENOUGH 7 MORE CANOEISTS ARRIVED BEFORE THE START AND WE ENDED UP WITH 3 “SPARE” KAYAKERS-A FIRST IN RECENT TIMES.
JOAN AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO HELPED PUT THIS SWIM ON, PROVIDING SAFETY COVER, ACTING AS OFFICIALS AND GIVING HELP AND ADVICE IN SETTING THE EVENT UP
JOAN AND BRIAN METCALFE
