Bude Surf Life Saving Club — No Guts No Glory — 2km Open Ocean Swim — Sunday, July 8

BUDE Surf Life Saving Club ran their inaugural open ocean swim race from Northcott Mouth to Crooklets beach, Bude on Sunday, July 8.

This event has taken the place of the much-loved Poldark Fair which had for many years been the club’s main summer fundraising event. As times have changed it’s been harder and harder for the club to run a successful fete and so this year it was decided that the club should look at organising an extreme challenge that uses the skills within the club itself.

With Bude having a reputation for hosting triathlons and extreme events, the idea of the club to run an open water swim event was obvious despite the fact that at times the coastline can be too extreme!

The club came up with a plan that involved three options depending on the conditions on the day but they couldn’t have asked for more amazing weather and sea conditions.

Over the last few months, open water swimmers and surf life savers from around the country booked into the 100-swimmers race.

After registering at Bude Surf Life Saving Club, the swimmers walked along the cliff tops to Northcott Mouth beach. At the water’s edge, swimmers were given their final safety briefing before taking to the water.

Surf life savers from the Bude club supported the swimmers with rescue boards and the inflatable rescue boat as they swam 200-metres out towards Menachurch Point before turning south and heading for Crooklets beach.

Most of the swimmers elected to wear swimming wetsuits but with the water temperature being amazingly high for the North Atlantic, there were a good number who elected to swim in just their trunks or swimsuits. The surface conditions were close to flat with a slight northern chop making this a near perfect sea for this swim.

Competitors ranged in age from 16 to 72 with the most popular category being the Over 40s Women.

As well as providing safety cover, many of Bude’s surf life savers took part with Mel Bardsley doing particularly well by being the first woman to finish in 29 minutes and 27 seconds — 14 seconds ahead of Chantal Harp who took the Senior Women’s title.

Woolacombe’s Nick Thorn was the fastest man on the day completing the race in just 23 minutes and six seconds.

The winners of the separate categories were: Si Cowen (Senior Men) — 25.00; Chantal Harp (Senior Women) — 29.41, Nick Thorn (40 men) — 23.06; Mel Bardsley (40 Women) — 29.27; Ray Paulding (50 Men) — 25.00; Alison Chatterjea (50 Women) — 31.30; Steven Munday (60 Men) — 34.23; Lesley Cook (60 Women)?— 34.34

To see a full set of results, go to the events section of Shoreline Extreme Sports’ website at www.shorelineactivities.co.uk/bude.surf.life.saving.open.water.swim

The organising team from Bude Surf Life Saving Club thanked all of their members who turned up and made it such a success as well as all the competitors whose overwhelming feedback was what a great event and what are the dates for next year.

Thanks were also expressed to Aspect Holidays for providing the pink swim hats worn by every competitor.