MTC Conquers Coniston 100%!

Report by Dave Quartermain

On a windy and rain lashed Friday 6th July, eight members of MTC boldly went where few swimmers have gone before. Their challenge was to swim the length of Coniston Water in the Lake District in temperatures of less than 17 degrees centigrade.

Escorted by individual boat crews, the magnificent eight swam from South to North and ploughed through five and a half miles of choppy water being battered by strong cross and following winds.

Some of the sensible swam with wetsuits and some, who have either swum the English Channel (Jane), or who have tentative aspirations to do so in the future (Hannah and Sarah) swam without. Respect!

After being blown all over the Lake, as their fellow boat crews will testify, all eight swimmers eventually succeeded staggering onto the beach at the north end of the lake to rapturous acclaim from the assembled crowds (of ducks!) and, in the process, recording a variety of excellent times (see below).

A big shout out to Tracey Hemmerdinger who raised over £1500 towards a charity working with disadvantaged young people in Miles Platting, Alex for swimming without feeding breaks (not advisable!), Hannah for a predictably rapid time, Steve for hardly training but still completing and Sarah 'where's the end' Pitt for sticking it out when it hurt. To the five Lake swim "virgins", congratulations!

Roll on the 7.25 mile Ulswater swim in August in 13 degrees of heavenly fresh water. Register interest with Dave Q now to avoid disappointment!

Coniston Times

Hannah Lancashire	2:03
Alex Young (Wetsuit)	2:31
Jane McCormick	2:32
Jo Harvey (Wetsuit)	2:44
Tracy Hemmerdinger (Wetsuit)	2:44
Una Martin (Wetsuit)	2:50
Sarah Pitt	2:50
Steve Clayton	3:13

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