The Daily Telegraph - Splash out -- without smelling the chlorine
January 29, 2011
Michelle Jana Chan, a recent convert to open-water swimming, suggests where others may take the plunge.
I stood on the eastern bank of the Bosporus and looked downstream towards the white buoys at the finish – four miles away. I winced. I had had no real sense of the distance until now. I leapt in, but felt almost paralysed with anxiety. It took the next row of swimmers landing on my head to get me kicking. I forged my way out , was caught by the current and began to find my rhythm.
Halfway along, I found myself smiling. I even stopped to tread water and gaze at Istanbul's grand palaces on either bank. The Bosporus was blue, the sun was warm on my face. Remember this, I thought. The last few hundred yards were as hard as the start. The current was pushing me backwards and I had to fight to finish. I hauled myself out of the water shaking.
Finishing had been the goal but I came in 244th, out of 800 participants, with a time of just over an hour.
Emboldened, I signed up for another swim – this time in New York on September 11.
It was a glorious autumn day, as dazzling as that same date nine years earlier. Looking towards Lower Manhattan, I joined 400 other swimmers on the Brooklyn side of the East River. This was a mass start, so we trod water until we were all in line.
On the whistle, there was a frantic push forwards. Flailing limbs. Kicking feet. I swallowed several pitchers of East River water and took a few knocks to the head. But I did not forget to glance up at the towering skyscrapers glinting in the sunlight.
This was a fast and frenetic race, but it will not be my last open-water swim. I love the camaraderie between swimmers, the exertion, the fresh air and the beautiful views between breaths. Open-water events also offer a new way of exploring the world. Fiji, anyone?
Swimming the world
January
Cole Classic, Sydney, Australia.
From Shelly Beach to Manly Beach, this has become the biggest ocean swim in Australia. However, not only the fastest are rewarded: the Mr and Mrs Average prize goes to the man and woman whose times are closest to the average. Distance 1km and 2km (0.6 and 1.2 miles) ; www.coleclassic.com.
February
Midmar Mile, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
About an hour from Durban, this freshwater swim is a point-to-point race across the Midmar Dam. A record 14,000 swimmers finished last year. Distance 1 mile ; www.midmarmile.co.za.
April
Travessia dos Fortes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
From Copacabana, Brazil's most beloved stretch of sand, 2,500 swimmers dive into the surf. This will be the site of the 10km race at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Distance 2 miles; www.travessiadosfortes.com.br.
June-September
Great Swims, Britain.
Thousands take part in five one-mile Great Swims – starting with the Great East Swim at Alton, Ipswich, and finishing with the Great Salford Swim in Greater Manchester. In 2010, swims at Strathclyde Park and Windermere were cancelled because of toxic algae and low water temperatures. Distance 1 mile ; www.greatswim.org.
July
Bosporus Cross-Continental,Istanbul, Turkey.
With the aim of swimming from Asia to Europe, hundreds dive into the Bosporus, which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Distance 6.5km (4 miles); www.bosphorus.cc.
English Channel.
Only about 1,000 swimmers have successfully crossed the Channel – the fastest in just over seven hours, and the slowest in nearly 27 hours. The season is usually July-October. Distance 21 miles ; www.channelswimmingassociation.com.
Summer Brooklyn Bridge Swim, New York.
Starting in Brooklyn Park, more than 400 swimmers tear across the East River towards the shingle beach by South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan. Distance 1km (0.6 miles) ; www.nycswim.org.
September
Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival, Taiwan.
One of the world's most popular open-water events, with more than 20,000 participants. The swim is not timed, and many use flotation devices. Distance 3.3km (2 miles) ; www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/EN/03002048.aspx.
Sandycove Island Challenge, Ireland
This circumnavigation in cold water and rough conditions is ideal training for anyone planning a marathon swim or a crossing of the Channel. Distance 1,800m (1.1 miles) ; www.corkmasters.ie/rapid/index.php/sandycove-island-challenge.
October
Fiji Ocean Swim Festival, Malolo Lai Lai Island.
Warm clear waters and coral reefs make this one of the most beautiful open-water swims. There are two short loop courses and a longer swim around Malolo Lai Lai Island. Distance 1.5km, 3km and 10km, (0.9, 1.9 and 6.2 miles) ; www.pacificswims.com.
December 25
Peter Pan Cup Christmas Morning Handicap Swim, London.
A short but shockingly cold swim (usually below 39F/4C) in the Serpentine in Hyde Park. This 100-yard burst has been a tradition since 1864, with some swimmers donning Father Christmas hats. Distance 100 yards ; www.serpentineswimmingclub.com/christmas_day_race.htm.