Dear fellow swimmers We had another tragic reminder this week that Channel Swimming is an extreme sport. Firefighter Iain Hughes disappeared on Tuesday morning off the coast of France prompting a search by French authorities, which has now been called off. While I didn’t know Iain, I do have many friends who have swum or who want to swim the Channel. That something like this could have happened to one
of them brings home the enormity of it. We are not in a position to speculate about how this happened but our thoughts are with Iain’s family and friends. As often happens in these circumstances, people express their shock and sympathy through donations, and Iain’s fundraising page on JustGiving has already almost doubled his original fundraising target. If you want to contribute, you can do so here. Despite the dangers of outdoor
swimming, I’m sure most of you reading this believe, like us, that the benefits far outweigh the risks. If you’re thinking about taking part in an open water event this summer then scroll down for some advice on how to prepare and choose the right kit. We’ve also got some good news stories about Ware Priory Lido reopening and the return of the Great British Skinny Dip.
|
PRODUCED WITH SUPPORT FROM |
| In this sneak preview of our rivers themed July issue, Ella Foote shares her love for
river swimming, which "developed like a slow-burn romance, unlike the spark of chemistry [she] instantly felt for the sea." Read more... |
| The Great British Skinny Dip is back!Do you like a cheeky dip in the nip? Then why not add the Great
British Skinny Dip to your calendar? Read more... |
| Having an understanding of how water moves in rivers and how to use that to your
advantage will help you in any river swimming races you do and boost the fun of your recreational swimming. (Premium content). Read more... |
PARTNERSHIPGo further with dryrobe® Lite |
The new dryrobe® Lite is the latest cutting-edge innovation from the makers of the original outdoor changing robe.
Extremely portable and made with high-performance eco fabrics, dryrobe® Lite is perfect for those who want to get out there
and explore more. Super-lightweight, it easily packs into its own 38cm stuff-sack, making it the ideal changing robe for swimming in remote locations, or for travelling to events. |
STAY INFORMED & SWIM RESPONSIBLY |
|
|
NEWS Ware Priory Lido in Hertfordshire reopened this week following a £1m refurbishment.
|
|
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
GEAR Editor Ella Foote reviews the latest swimsuits for plus-size swimmers.
|
|
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
NEWS The Pickie to Pier Swim takes place in Bangor this Saturday, 24 June, with a very special contestant in the water!
|
|
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
NEWS Children’s author Ellie Jackson is donating her new life-saving books to schools for Drowning Prevention Week.
|
|
Read More
|
|
|
| READ OUTDOOR SWIMMER: SWIM BETTER – LIVE BETTER Expand your swimming
horizons and achieve your swimming dreams. Read Outdoor Swimmer on digital or in print from anywhere in the world. Purchase a single issue or subscribe to a monthly magazine and save up to 20% each month. |
PRODUCED WITH SUPPORT FROM |
|
|
COACH With the water getting warmer, it’s time to take your training back to the open water, says Jonathan Cowie.
|
|
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
HEALTH Planning to swim in an event abroad or in the UK? Read our guide to protect your skin from UV exposure while in the water.
|
|
Read More
|
|
|
PARTNERSHIPLet's conquer the sea! Join Swim Cascais 2023 in Portugal For the first time ever, we will stage the biggest open water swimming event in mainland Portugal, celebrating the Tagus river and the ocean. Are you ready to swim in the most breathtaking places, alongside historical monuments, fortresses and a beautiful
shore?
We have a distance for everyone, from a 20k crossing (Lisbon to Cascais, to several other distances: 10k, 5k, 3.8k, 1.9k, 1k and kids races). Extend your season and enjoy our sunny shore in a huge swimming celebration, this September!
|
EVENTS COMING SOON
(Sponsored content) |
JUNE THE WALES SWIM (1.2 miles, 2.4 miles)
30 June 2023 | Tenby
Find out more... JULY OUTDOOR SWIMMER HENLEY SWIM FESTIVAL (200m, ½ mile, 1 mile, 4 mile) 9 July 2023 | Henley-on-Thames
Find out more... THE WALES SWIMRUN (Full 7km swim, 26km run; Sprint 4.7km swim, 14km run)
22 July 2023 | Freshwater East,
Pembrokeshire
Find out more... RD5 – ROYAL DOCKS 5K SWIM
(5km)
22 July 2023 | London Docklands
Find out more... AUGUST LA TRAVERSÉE DU LAC TREMBLANT (1km, 2km, 3km, 5km, 10km, 15km)
3-8 August 2023 | Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada Find out more... THAMES MARATHON & HALF MARATHON (5.5km, 13km)
13 August 2023 | Marlow Find out more... BEAT THE TIDE 4K (4km)
19 August 2023 | Aberdovey Find out more... THE DYFI (13km)
20 August 2023 | Aberdyfi Find out more... GO SWIM LOCH TAY (250m, 750m, 1.5km, 3km, 5km, 10k)
19
August | Kenmore, Aberfeldy Find out more... SEPTEMBER GO SWIM LOCH LOMOND (250m, 750m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 10000m)
2 September | Loch
Lomond, Balloch Find out more... THE BIG BRUTAL SWIM (2.5k, 5k and 10k
10 September | Llanberis, North Wales, Find out more... SWIM CASCAIS '23 (1km, 1.9km, 3.8km, 5km, 10km, 20km)
23 September |
Cascais, Portugal Find out more... ULTRASWIM 33.3 #2 MONTENEGRO (33km, 6 swims over 4 days)
29 Sep-3 Oct | Herceg Novi, Montenegro Find out more... SWIMTHEISLAND – GOLFO DELL'ISOLA (800m, 1.1km, 1.8km, 3.5km, 6km)
30 Sep-1 Oct |
Bergeggi, Italy Find out more... OCTOBER GREAT BARRIER REEF OCEAN SWIM SERIES (1km, 3km, 5km)
21 October | Port Douglas,
North Queensland Find out more... COOL MILE, TAL Y LLYN (1 mile)
28 October | Gwynedd, North Wales Find out more... Find an event on our website. To promote your event here, please email stuart@outdoorswimmer.com. |
| ENTER NOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN: |
UNTIL NEXT TIME...Talking about events, last weekend I did back-to-back swimruns in North Wales with Love Swimrun and WeSwimRun – two amazing races in beautiful locations. If you want an
idea of why people take on these challenges, take a look at all the smiling faces in the event pictures (Llanberis and Tal-y-Llyn). After two consecutive weekends of racing, I’m looking forward to resting this weekend but I’ve just agreed to take on the 4x Challenge at the Outdoor Swimmer Henley Swim Festival and the weekend after I’m doing the Brownsea Island swim. I hope to see some of you there. Simon Griffiths
Founder & Publisher P.s. If you enjoy The Dip, remember there’s much more in Outdoor Swimmer magazine. Our rivers themed July issue is currently on its way to print subscribers while digital editions on Pocket Mags are already available.
Main photo: Roger Taylor Photography |
|
|
