The 2011 British Gas Great North Swim is the first open water swimming event in Great Britain to go over the 10,000 mark.

Not meters.

But participants.

The majestic Lake Windermere, the crown jewel of Britain’s Lake District, will host at least 10,000 swimmers of all shapes, sizes, ages, backgrounds and abilities on June 17th – 19th. The three-day extravaganza will feature a half-mile, one-mile and two-mile races.

Colin Hill, head of the five-event British Gas Great Swim series, said, “The response has been magnificent and it’s going to be a truly amazing weekend of open water swimming in Windermere. The atmosphere will be brilliant. There are very few places left now and so anyone still thinking of entering should do so as soon as possible as we are expecting a sell-out. We are delighted with the response and it just goes to prove the rising popularity of outdoor swimming.”

Like the world’s largest mass participation races from Taiwan to South Africa, the swimmers of the British Gas Great North Swim set off in a series of (appropriately named) waves – each comprising of around 300 people – throughout the weekend.

In addition to the thousands of fitness and recreational swimmers, the British Gas Great North Swim will also showcase elite men’s and women’s races where all six of the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim medalists have participated.

May the games begin.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source