A slight brake in the weather allowed the Guernsey Swimming Club annual Herm swim to take place Saturday 25 July, a lovely sunny day with the wind dropping sufficiently for the swim to go ahead safely. Although not perfect conditions with calm seas for the beginning of the swim changing to choppy water in the 3rd section making the swim quite a challenge for some of the swimmers. They then had to navigate around and through the inner and outer Herm reefs where once through the water was again calm with the tide running south for the finish at the harbour beach.
21 swimmers lined up for the start of the swim at the slip way next to the reclamation site behind St Sampson’s Harbour. Right from the start of the swim the faster swimmers broke away from the main group following their kayakers who were navigating their course to Herm. With this years swim on a very small neap tide with only a 3.3m movement in the tide the north running tide had little effect on the faster swimmer with the slower swimmers as expected having to contend with the tide taking them north before slacking off and then running south.
Becky Simmons and Kevin Penney battled it out as in previous years, at the start of the swim Becky had said that she was trying to go under 1 hour 10 minutes which was achieved when she arrived first in Herm in a time of 1:07.23 with Kevin Penney finishing second in 1:10.14 just in front of Gareth Andrews 1:10.52. The youngest swimmer of the day 15 year old Amy Ryan finishing 4th in 1:16.02. Roger Allsopp who was the oldest male finishing 14th in 1:49.53 and Christine O’Meara was the oldest female finishing 13th in 1:49.15 a personal best time for her.
Unfortunately due to a bout severe sea sickness Eveline Harrison had to abort her swim and Sue Chapman concluded the swim by finishing in a time of 2:13.32. The Herm swim could not take place without the help of all the safety boats which are essential for these swims and the Guernsey Swimming Club would like to thank Jon Vankatwyk, Pete Rowland, Dave Wakeford, John Chandler, Paul Fernando, Alan Hill, Mick Simon and Chris Bran for supporting the swim. We would also like to thank all the Kayakers and Travel Trident for their support.
Results to be confirmed:
| Becky Simmons | 1.07.23 | Sylvia Jouhning | 1.45.52 | |
| Kevin Penney | 1.10.14 | Christine O’Meara | 1.49.15 | |
| Gareth Andrews | 1.10.52 | Roger Allsopp | 1.49.53 | |
| Amy Ryan | 1.16.02 | Wendy Andrews | 1.49.59 | |
| Adrian Bott | 1.18.01 | Vanessa Marsh | 1.50.09 | |
| Callum Penney | 1.22.19 | Bridget Yabsley | 1.53.39 | |
| James Harrison | 1.22.37 | Trudy Casbolt | 1.58..57 | |
| Paul Mason | 1.23.56 | Patricia Mc Dermott | 1.59.10 | |
| Heather Chapman | 1.26.52 | Sue Chapman | 2.13.32 | |
| Liz Williams | 1.40.00 | Eveline Harrison | D.N.F | |
| Rosie Williams | 1.40.29 |
