Enter now for Lake Eland swim
The event is also about promoting the sport among disabled swimmers.
THE Lake Eland Mile open water swim is a fund-raiser with community development very much in mind. This year it will take place on Sunday, November 3 from 9am to 4pm, and has a celebrity in RiAnne Hall who was Ms World Fame Fitness 2009 and Ms Toned Bikini in 2012. A former lifesaver who competed in the swimming section at the 1993 world champs in Spain, she will be assisting during prize-giving.
Events are as follows: Event 1 – 9am 3000m men’s and women’s open; Event 2 – 10.30am 500m disabled/12 and under boys and girls; Event 3 – 11.20am 500m 13 and over boys, girls, men and women; Event 4 – noon One Mile disabled/13 and under boys and girls; Event 5 – 1pm One Mile 14 and over boys, girls, men and women; Event 6 – 2pm 500m team swim (family, corporate, club or school).
The original motivation behind hosting the event was to create an awareness of water safety. Margate Swimming Club coach Cheree Dufner took on this task three years ago. Part of the initiative has been to develop swimming at St Martin de Porres School in Port Shepstone, and a number of swimmers with disabilities have excelled.
Due to the success of the Lake Eland fund-raiser, Cheree has been able to expand the project at St Martin de Porres and additional coaches have been brought in, and this has, in fact, become the main motivation behind the swim. Many children at St Martin de Porres have benefited, with five representing their school and the Margate Swimming Club at the KwaZulu-Natal Multi Disability Championships at King’s Park pool in Durban two years ago. Two of the swimmers, Sipho Ngceleka and Nicole Gouws, were selected to represent KZN at the 2011 SA Games in Polokwane.
This year there is an admission fee of R20. You will drive on preserve roads used for game viewing and will get to see the animals on the way down to the dam where the swim takes place. All finishers will receive a medal upon completion of the race. There will also be medals and prize money for the main category winners.
Bring your own braai and food and drinks or visit the food stalls on the day or browse the stalls. And get an autograph from RiAnne Hall while you are there. Entry forms, and loads of other information, are available online at www.margateswimmingclub.co.za. Alternatively, contact PJ Botha at 082 4654089 or Samantha Botha at 082 9787962.
