250 swimmers participate in the inaugural 5.25-mile point-to-point Chillswim Coniston on September 14th. Participants vary from experienced English Channel swimmers to swimmers taking on such a challenge for the first time after super-sizing up from events such as the Great North Swim.
The event is a one way swim the full length of Coniston Water either with or without wetsuits. “Traditionally open water swimming has been by tough endurance swimmers under the strict ‘channel swimming rules’ of a standard swimming suit and a single silicon hat. In recent years the sport has developed to welcome wetsuit swimmers and many events now only offer open water swimming events to wetsuit swimmers. We are delighted to have a mix of approximately 30% non wetsuit and 70% wetsuit swimmers, and using the tow-floats” says race director Colin Hill.
For a large community of swimmers who don’t want to wear a wetsuit in any temperature, the fact that many events have compulsory wetsuit rules is very frustrating for them. Hill provides a hybrid to meet the needs of both bioprene and neoprene-clad swimmers.
Hill further explains, “The reason why a lot of race organisers in the UK have implemented a wetsuit compulsory rule for their events is that wetsuits provide buoyancy for swimmers as well as reducing any risk of hypothermia. From an event organisers point of view this means less risk in their event, which can, at the end of the day, affect their insurance premium. Chillswim are taking an innovative approach to their event by showcasing the Chillswim tow-floats and providing one to each swimmer in their event. We have seen events cancelled in the past due to adverse weather conditions, which has affected the risks of the swim from both a water safety and evacuation perspective. By having each swimmer wear a Chillswim Tow-Float, a new device by Chillswim, those risks are greatly reduced.
Essentially the tow-floats are designed to give the swimmer greater visibility to other water users, which is fantastic in a mass participation event in open water as if the wind picks up and there is a bit of chop on the water, our safety kayaks will still be able to see the swimmers. Likewise if a swimmer is in trouble, they can rest on the float until assistance arrives. Though not a swimming or buoyancy aid as the tow-float is attached to the swimmer via a waistbelt and short leash, the float sits out of range of the swimmer’s stroke, but is within reach in case the swimmer needs a rest.”
Chillswim sees long distance open water swimming as not about swimming around buoys in a loop– but rather about the journey. Travelling the length of a lake from one end to the other, swimming across a channel, or completing a swim from one set point to another gives the swim meaning. “Being a linear swim we obviously have to ensure that swimmers are taken care of the whole way down the lake, and we need to have separate start and finish areas, at opposite ends of the lake. “ says Hill, “Yes, it is a huge challenge – but we want to show swimmers that these kind of events are possible, and offer a genuinely unique swim in a superb location.”
Four amputee swimmers will take part in Chillswim Coniston as part of their training for a Channel relay in 2014. Craig Howarth, Conrad Thorpe, Jamie Gillespie, and Steve White are swimming in aid of the British Limbless Ex Service Men’s Association, the national charity for limbless serving and ex service men and women and their dependants and widows. Next year will be the group’s 100th anniversary, so the group are planning on swimming the Channel to commemorate the anniversary and to raise money for the charity.
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