Super fit duo dives right in
ANY 2km open- water swim seems like a gruelling way to spend a Sunday morning.
But when you’ve completed an ironman triathlon like Townsville couple Claire Ferguson and Mark Genge, this Sunday’s qualifying race for the Magnetic Island to Townsville Swim on July 29 must seem like a walk in the park.
Ferguson and Genge first met a few years ago completing the swim, which offers 1km, 2km and 4km courses between Strand Park Pool.
They completed the Cairns Ironman 70.3 earlier this month, a half- ironman event featuring a gruelling 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride and 21km run, and have accomplished double that before.
“Basically, the first time we did the swim, we started training together and vaguely knew each other beforehand and started going for coffees afterwards,” Ferguson said.
“We’ve both done teams a couple of Beach and Tobruk it as times since, and this time we’re doing it as a team of two.
“We both do triathlon and our current training for that keeps us going for these events.
“The Townsville swim series is great for training for triathlon as well.”
The Strand Swim Qualifier is the third of five events in the Townsville Open Water Swimming Association’s race series for this year. Sunday’s swim will start from the Strand Beach Park, with registrations taking place on the day from 6.30am.