News

It’s been in the news – un peu – but, have us Serpentine Swimmers grasped our level of risk of open water swimming in sewage? The scale and context of the number of sewage leaks in English waterways where we swim is bigger than a few thousand Olympic swimming pools full of crud. 

The excellently named Ferry Harmer’s neat solution is to get the House of Commons to debate sewage discharges into waterways. 

Please read on to decide if we Serpies, and any other waterway users need to fret about sewage-filled waters.

Saturday 21 August saw the third of the four fixtures of the Emmi Hunte series of races swum between February and October over varying distances -  February 55 yards (50m), March 110 yards (100m), August 880 yards (800m) with the final 100 yard (90m) race held in late October.

The Andean cup, first presented in 1987 for a team relay, has been used for the third race of the series since 2016 and now celebrates one of our favourite Serpentine families.

Judith Charman pipped Tory Long and Brian Thomas to win the last half mile race of the season.

There was also a special prize for 22nd place -  read on to find out how a surprised Jamal Saad was rewarded with a Kentish treat.

Victory for Kevin Blick in the 3 x 110 yards Individual Medley (backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle but luckily for most of us no butterfly) whilst Will Schuberth won the under 18s 110 yard (100m) race for the Cygnets' cup.  Young Will was the overall moral victor on the morning having first completed the Individual Medley (accompanied by Dad) before putting in a strong 100m swim to win the Cygnets' race.

Fond farewells were also said to Volker Koch prior to his imminent move to the Netherlands.

It was seemingly wetter out than in before, during and after the 880 yard (800m) race for the Percy Clears cup.  First home was Chris Hatcher, followed by Poppy Lenton, Brian Thomas and Mike Harris.

The post-race presentations and speeches are almost back to normal and much cheer and cake (thanks Paddy) enjoyed.  This, though, was tempered by the knowledge that the cup is dedicated to the memory of a club member killed in the final weeks of the Great War.  Clare Doyle, who presents the prizes for this fixture, spoke movingly of sacrifice and waste and of the village war memorials that give testament to a generation of young lives lost.

Congratulations to Nick Adams for completing his 17th solo swim of the English Channel. 

Setting off at 7:13am on Tuesday 3 August 2021, Nick arrived in France in Eleven hours and 35 minutes.

The last day of July saw us complete the 880 yard (800m) Roy Wrey race, our annual tongue twister in memory of a real gentleman and true friend to many medium/ longer-term members.  The race prizes are normally provided by Jon and Laura Tomlinson, who "hooked-up" at the club in 2005 during Roy's presidency.  The Tomlinsons are away on holiday (note to self: don't schedule sponsor's races during school holidays if they have a young family) so President number 29, Alan Mitchell, provided some very much appreciated packets of biscuits.

Tim Outen came in first, followed by Natasha Wake and Brian Thomas.  For Natasha, by coming second she earned her first prize in a Serpentine race.

The late Nick Hungerford won the Rosie George mile + 1 metre cup.  The 1 metre is in recognition of the fact that Rosie has also swum the more difficult France to England crossing (1967) as well as England to France (on 19 July 1961).

The late Nick Hungerford is now so-called because he arrived with only five minutes to spare before his handicap start time, the handicap clock having commenced over 25 minutes earlier at  07.30.  Nick inherits this moniker from "the late Bill Deeley", who was a late arrival for races throughout the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s.  The dawn of the new millennium saw a new Bill who almost always arrived with time to spare.

On Saturday 17 July Jan Farmer won the Bridge to Bridge race, our summer blue ribbon event.  She had to fight her way through a bevy of swans to get to the finish line and claim the cup.  James Lythe was second followed by Brian Thomas, both oblivious to the avian obstacle.

A little bit of history here plus a reminiscence regarding Gerald Forsberg, an all-time long-distance great who always had a special place in his heart for the Bridge to Bridge race.