Big crowds turned up at Serps to watch the annual Serpentine Swimming Club all-clothes swimming race on Saturday. Many spectators remained to watch the world triathlon championships which were taking place elsewhere in Hyde Park.
Antipodean Chris won the 110 yard race wearing a full set of clothes. The serious element regarding this race, one of the oldest swimming races to take place on the Serpentine, is to encourage the discipline of life-saving. Each swimmer has to wear a full set of clothes to simulate what might happen when being involved in the art of life saving.
As the photos reveal, the style of dress is open to interpretation, and as ever, the cross-dressers upheld the fine history of the Serpentine. In 1864, the all-clothes race report referred to the display "of a piece of swimming intending to show the use of the art, and how it may be practised even in full attire. . Mr. Purfurst appeared dressed in his ordinary costume, while Humphery was attired as a female, which seemed to create some merriment. The swimming, however, of both was excellent, but especially that of the latter; and altogether it abundantly showed that which was intended - the utility of the practice, more particularly in cases of accident."
[JohnTierneyswim at live dot com]
