The Planet Earth’s pristine seashores, especially in the Pacific Ocean, are decreasing year by year. But there are still plenty of clean places to enjoy.
Doug Woodring utilizes the Clean Half of Hong Kong to conduct his 15km Clean Half Extreme Marathon Swim annually in October.
Last weekend’s 6th annual Ocean Recovery Alliance Clean Half extreme marathon swim race was the most competitive race yet. The normally beautiful October weather in Hong Kong did not fail to delight, giving 260 swimmers excellent conditions to handle a number of different swimming challenges along the course.
One of the world’s top 100 swims, 51 teams and 9 solo swimmers from 6 countries had to brave the winds, ocean swells and tricky conditions to finish the 15 km course.
Stretching from Stanley to Deepwater Bay, the relay course runs along Hong Kong Island’s most stunning views.
Woodring, never one to pass up an opportunity to encourage others to become stewards of the ocean in their own way, explained, “We are looking for leaders and ambassadors within the water sports community to help spread the word about the importance of ocean protection, and swimmers are perfect for this role. The more we use the water, the more we should all think about giving something back to it.”
The race was established to bring a new type of ocean swimming to Hong Kong, along with an appreciation of its waters and coastline. With plastic pollution growing as a global issue, the race highlights the needs to use less disposable plastic, encouraging all swimmers to use re-useable drink containers during the event instead of plastic bottles.
Each team had 5 members and an escort boat. Each swimmer raced 20-minute shifts for the first rotation with 10-minute intervals thereafter until the race finishes in Deepwater Bay.
Some of the proceeds from the event were donated to the Ocean Recovery Alliance, a non-profit organization which is focused on reducing the impact of plastic waste in our ocean, and on our planet in general, which is proven to impact over 270 species of wildlife in the ocean environment alone.
As The Clean Half grows, it will be limited by the number of support craft and paddlers who are available to be with swimmers, so early applications are strongly encouraged for the October 5th 2013 event.
Men’s Results
1. LRC Morays 3.12.22
2. Jaspas Tritons 3.14.48
3. Harry Wright Intl 3.15.49
4. 26 Coaching 3.32.36
5. LTC Belugas 3.41.06
6. HKFC Men’s A Team 3.43.35
7. Triton Men’s 2 3.46.27
8. Orca 4.04.43
9. Wan Chai Express 4.05.40
10. Triton Cruisers 4.09.21
11. Half Clean 4.10.11
12. Budgy Smugglers 4.14.19
13. 131 Argyle Street 4.18.18
14. SG Black 4.20.25
15. Faster Than We Thought 4.26.41
16. Affordable Escorts 4.34.32
17. LRC Tridents 4.35.55
18. Ap Adventure 2 4.49.45
19. The Tri Boys 5.04.32
20. SG Red 5.32.12
21. Wah Yan Old Boys & Friend 5.57.09
Women’s Teams
1. LRC Dragon Ladies 3.41.52
2. HKFC Women’s A 4.01.28
3. Triton Women’s 1 04:03.4
4. Third Time Lucky 4.39.12
5. Flying Coconuts 4.42.28
6. Triton Women’s 2 5.11.56
7. LRC Wahoo 5.38.40
Carbon Neutral Category (use of outriggers not motorized craft)
1. Team Ocean Recovery 3.31.57
2. Budgy Smugglers 4.14.19
3. SG Black 4.20.25
4. Flying Coconuts 4.42.28
5. Sea Lynx 5.12.49
6. SG Mixed 6.30.45
Mixed Team Results
1. LRC Dream Team 3.30.24
2. Team Ocean Recovery 3.31.57
3. Harry Wright Young Guns 3.38.58
4. Tritons Mixed 1 4.09.21
5. LRC Braat Pack 4.16.56
6. Team Mac Bank 4.18.10
7. Team Cam 4.20.25
8. LRC Andy and the Cuttlefish 4.27.55
9. LRC Sirens 4.28.44
10. Sports World 4.34.17
11. Tritons Mixed 2 4.41.58
12. Floatsome and Get Some 4.54.29
13. Half Baked Groupers 4.57.44
14. Jaws 4.59.09
15. HKTR – U 5.02.11
16. HKFC Mixed Team 2 5.04.32
17. LRC Red Herrings 5.05.01
18. HKFC Mixed Team 1 5.05.48
19. Sea Lynx 5.12.49
20. LRC Yellowtail 5.24.40
21. AP Adventure 1 5.26.40
22. Team Titanic 5.38.17
23. 6 to 8 6.07.28
24. SG Mixed 6.30.45
Additional photos are here and here. Race program and interviews on the Clean Half are here.
Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source