Big Ricks Swim Team: (B.L.D.S.A.) Champion of Champions 2013

Wednesday, 4 September 2013

(B.L.D.S.A.) Champion of Champions 2013

Welcome to Dover for
The British Long Distance Swimming Association (B.L.D.S.A.)
Champion of Champions Race...
15th June 2013..

Its only now our double channel swim stuff has been sorted and put to bed, that we can finally do some swim events reports that we have been at this summer , Ricks are not just about channel swims , far from it...most of our swims are done at events all over England...the 4th big swim of year was The British Long Distance Swimming Associations Champion of Champions Race held at Dover,s Famous Swimmers Beach ...

Short Video taken when we 1st got to Dover , its around 8.30 on Saturday morning..

(just click on the arrow in the picture above to listen )

Venue for todays Champion of Champions Race...The Port of Dover...

we do the event towards the left corner of the Harbour

starting from the famous Channel Beech.

The swimmers starting arrive , getting changed and warmed up..!!!

which is funny as we are about to dive into a freezing cold sea,

how cold we have yet to find out......

we all gather in huddle to keep warm , it may look sunny,

and it was , the wind was blowing, so as you stand near the sea edge with just

trunks or costume it gets a bit fresh

The Safety Briefing, important in any race,

but for this one , everyone was listening..

Details....

the event...

1st Race...a 5 mile swim. ( 10 laps )..rest then its

2nd a 3 mile swim (4 laps) rest then its

3rd a 1 mile swim.(1 lap) and finish.

okay water temp...12 to 12.5 degrees..! , the wind is going to be strong today ,so conditions could be difficult , so we have the course a triangle shape, to try as best we can to protect the swimmers from wind by using the harbour wall..., there are Jelly Fish out there today , and they will sting..but its only a small sting so should be little or no problem..so with that , enjoy your swims today....and good luck.

Its time...

around 9.30 am we enter the water..!! a bit of swearing ..mainly from the older swimmers..as to the coldness of water ..we swim out about 600m from the beach ,

form a pack..wait for the horn to start,..

All the swimmers almost in line.!!! ...and we are off....

the section of the event is a 5 mile swim..!! however as the wind was strong on the day , the marker buoys were not doing as they were told and keep moving in the wind , when finally they were anchored , the course had grown a little , so the 10 laps done by all was not the 5 miles planned but more like 6.5+ miles...which is tough in 12 degree water...for anyone..

this is Ricks Basher Bates , rounding the last buoy on lap 9...Paul after the this section of the race said it was hardest swim he had ever done , it took him 2hrs 55 to complete it..by this lap i wanted to get out, could not feel my hands or feet, been stung a few times on the face and arms..no wonder this is called the champion of Champions race..., the fastest time was around 2hrs 35 ,slowest over 4 1/2 hrs....and we still had to more swims to do......

After some rest , a few hrs for the fast swimmers , maybe less than 30 minutes for others ..we made our way back into the water for the 2nd part of the event a 3 mile swim , however as the 1st swim distances were now known ,(thanks to gps watches ) the 2nd swim would only be 4 laps , which worked out to roughly 2.6 miles...yippee...

Not sure why, but the 2 section was the toughest ..maybe as i was still freezing cold from the 1st..had all but nothing to eat after swallowing so much sea water...could have been any number of reason i guess.....but most swimmers managed to complete the 3 miles...from the fastest swimmer in just over the hour to the slowest in 1hr 53....

Because time was not on our side any more, it was pushing 5.45 in the evening now , the last section of the race was shorted to 1 sprint lap (0.66 miles ), all the remaining swimmers plus some who had retired from other parts of the race came back in to finish the champions race of in style

last lap of the races.,was you can guess was the best lap of the event...having started swimming at 9.30 this morning, and to be finally approaching the end some 8 1/2 hrs later was reason to smile for everyone...

Sian Mark and Zoe crawl up the beach to touch the finishing buoy
which means they can call themselves Champion of Champions swimmers
its something not many OW swimmers can claim..

Just a little video of the final few swimmers coming into shore to finish the champions races.
(simply click on the arrow to hear the report at the end of a long day )

Ricks verdict from Paul...

Tough...Very tough..., I cannot believe I finished it... it was only down to the amazing swimmers on the day , that encourage me and others like me to give it another chance , saying you can finish it .!!! ( for me ,especially after doing almost 3hrs for the 1^st swim I just wanted to give up ) ., on reflection I just had not done enough cold water swimming this yr , before doing this race, i had done my 1^st swim of the yr in open water only 3 weeks before, and was only up to hr in 12 degree water , before trying to what end would be almost 4 ½ hrs of swimming in the sea,..having said that i,m glad i did it and somehow finish , this is a great event...full of wonderful open water swimmers of all standards who look out for one another , encourage , help and support everyone swimming, sure it’s a race for some ,but for most it’s a personal challenge to overcome the cold and exhaustion to call themselves champion of champions ...will I be back....?? mmmm I think I might..Paul

The Race is Finally finished , not all swimmers managed all 3 swims, but everyone returned safe and sound , and ready to try the champions race another time, time now for a chill on the beach to reflect on memorable day ..