Thousands of brave swimmers take to Windermere
Last updated 16:54, Monday, 15 September 2008
THOUSANDS of swimmers braved the cold waters of Windermere on Saturday for the country’s first Great North Swim.
Waves of people of all abilities took to the lake from the Low Wood Watersports Centre on Saturday to complete a mile-long open water course.
Among them was British swimming hero David Davies, who powered home to victory in the Men’s Elite.
The 10km open water silver medalist was delighted to have beaten his Olympic rival, Holland’s Maarten van der Weijden, who claimed the gold in Beijing last month.
The pair followed Olympic bronze medalist Thomas Lurz for much of the race before the German missed the final buoy just 25 metres from the touchpipe.
David Davies, who lost out on the Olympic top spot by just 1.5 seconds to Maarten van der Weijden, stayed ahead to win as hundreds of spectators cheered him to the finish.
Speaking after the race, Mr Davies told the Evening Mail: “It’s great to win at such a fantastic event – especially against Maarten and Thomas after getting the silver at the Olympics. It was cold in the lake but the wetsuits made up for it.”
Female Olympic swimmers Keri-Anne Payne, who claimed silver in Beijing, and Cassie Patten, who came home with the bronze, led from the start in the Women’s Elite race.
But Cassie Patten was eventually announced as the winner after a neck and neck finish.
Joining members of the public for the inaugural swim were a number of celebrities including Spooks actress Shauna MacDonald, GMTV’s Dr Hilary Jones and minister for culture and sport, Andy Burnham.
Toonattik GMTV presenter Jamie Rickers spent longer than most in the water – completing his mile in a little under an hour and a half.
Dr Hilary Jones said he hoped the Great North Swim would inspire more people to take to the water to get fit.
He added: “This is a brilliant and inspiring event. We are four years away from the London Olympics in 2012 so let’s get the nation fit.”
However, Dr Jones conceded the water in Windermere was a bit too cold.
He said: “It took me a quarter of the course to get over the cold and get into a rhythm. But it shows that anyone can have a go – you don’t have to be a fast swimmer to take part.”
The swimmers were all greeted on the finish line by British Olympic flag-bearer and six times world record holder, Mark Foster.
The majority donned wetsuits for the challenge with officials recording the water temperature as just 15.1 degrees.
But some chose to face the cold head-on in swimsuits and trunks – including channel swimmer Nuala Muir-Cochrane, fresh from her successful Dover to Calais feat in August, who completed mile after mile around the course.
Troutbeck Bridge Swimming Club member Christina Jackson, 26, described the event as “good fun”. She said: “It was great just taking part. It was cold without a wetsuit but we got used to the temperature once we got going.”
Simon Berry, co-owner of the Low Wood Hotel, learnt to swim in Windermere.
But he said he had never imagined he would be among thousands of swimmers to complete a mile-long course in cold September water.
Mr Berry went on: “We have done a couple of practice runs in the lake but this seemed easier because the adrenalin was pumping and the atmosphere here is second to none. It’s fantastic to see so many people taking part and we hope the Great North Swim goes on to be even bigger and better next year.”
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