70-year-old event needs more history
Considering there have been 69 Across the Lake Swims with thousands making the 2.1-kilometre crossing, organizers have very few historical photos and details of the event.
So, for the upcoming 70th anniversary swim July 14, the campaign is on to gather as much information as possible.
“We really don’t have any information about the inaugural swim (in 1949),” said race director Peter Rudd.
“But (we) can assume the number of participants would be very few, probably less than 20 swimmers. (In 2018) we’re expecting 1,500 to swim the 2.1 kilometres across Okanagan Lake on July 14.”
Now with a Ànancial institution sponsor, the annual event is called the Interior Savings Across the Lake Swim Kelowna and it has the distinction of being Canada’s largest and longest-running open-water swim.
As such, it attracts local, as well as international distance swimmers interested in doing something challenging and special.
“We’re asking people to send historical photos, stories, articles, pictures or past awards of our event or related lake activities,” said Across the Lake media volunteer Alexis MacMillan.
“We would also love to talk to swimmers, or their family members, who were part of earlier swims.”
Photos, articles and stories can be sent to media@acrossthelakeswim.com.
To jog people’s memory, organizers distributed a grainy colour photo of the Ànish line on Kelowna’s City Park Beach from a past Across the Lake Swim. They believe it’s the earliest photo they have of swim. If you know what year it might have been taken, let them know.
And, of course, if you have better and/or older photos, forward them, too.
“Very few Canadian events have this kind of longevity and success,” said Rudd.
“We now draw visitors from around the world to swim across Okanagan Lake. It’s something Kelowna should be proud of.”