The Guernsey Swimming Club staged its 3rd bay swim of the year on Sunday 3rd July. Over 30 swimmers checked in with Directors Jo Norman and Karen Girard at Portelet. Swimmers gathered on the beach before racing across the bay, covering around 750m, finishing at the slipway at Fort Grey.
First to complete the swim was Kevin Penney in a time of 11 minutes and 22 seconds. A mere 3 seconds behind was Paul Mason closely followed by Becky Simmons. Amy Ryan came in 4th with a time of 12 minutes and 40 seconds and Martin Chapman 5th, two seconds behind. All thirty-one swimmers completed the course.
The Closed Castle swim was held the Sunday after, which saw club swimmers swim from the Slaughter House slipway to the Gents pool and then back across to the slipway at Castle Cornet. This swim measures over 800 meters. The weather had progressively gotten worse throughout the week meaning sea conditions were far from ideal but that didn’t stop the Guernsey Swimming Club from staging another highly successful swim.
Mason battled the other swimmers to the end, finishing in a time of 8 minutes and 35 seconds. Simmons and Penney came in together in 8.55. Gareth Andrews landed in fourth place with Rosie Williams and Ryan close behind in 10 minutes and 30 seconds. The final three swimmers were Tony Wenlock, Sue Chapman and Chris Bran finishing in 18.17, 18.42 and 19 minutes respectively.
All swimmers who completed this grueling swim did so with ‘their heads held high’ said Director Jo Norman. ‘The conditions were a lot harder than in previous years and all that swam did themselves proud’.
Seven days later, the club held its final bay swim of the season. The weather had considerably improved and made the Perelle bay swim the best the club had seen in years. Sea temperatures were up and spirits high. The swim covers approximately 1,500 meters and with all thirty-three swimmers checked in, the whistle was blown and the swimmers were off.
Mason quickly took the lead with Penney not far behind. They finished in times of 19.32 and 20.04. National’s swimmers, Laura Le Cras, finished the swim in third place with a time of 20 minutes and 40 seconds, closely followed by Callum Penney, four seconds later. Nadine Chapman and Millie Wenlock made up some of the younger swimmers who took the plunge for the Perelle swim and finished the challenge in 37 minutes and 25 seconds.
The Guernsey Swimming Club would again like to thank all the volunteers who give up their own time to help out at these events. Also thanks go to Louvre Group, who are this year sponsoring the ever popular club series.
