Rattlesnake Island Swim delayed by storm
Thunder and lightning delayed the start of a cross-lake swim, and then unpredictable currents presented challenges for the 200 participants.
It was one of the most memorable Rattlesnake Island swims on Saturday morning in Peachland.
“It was quite stormy, so we had to have a discussion, along with the RCMP, Search and Rescue, and the Peachland Fire Department, about when it would be safe to go ahead with the swim,” organizer Ann Stanley said Sunday.
Eventually, competitors for the two different routes — a 3.1-kilometre swim from Rattlesnake Island to Peachland, and a seven-km there-and-back course —were allowed into the water.
“The lake was fairly smooth on the surface but there were quite strong undercurrents of changing direction that made it a real challenge, particularly for the longer course swimmers,” said Stanley, who has completed the swim 11 times.
Teenager Erin Epp, who won the short course last year, was a first-time participant in the longer route on Saturday.
She was cheered on by her 18-year old sister Emily, who last year became the youngest British Columbian to swim the 34-km wide English Channel, raising about $100,000 in the process for Canuck House.
On Saturday, Erin finished third in the seven-km course with a time of 2:00:14, behind winner Tony Clevenger (1:57:03) and second-place Finisher Cameron McInnes.
In the 3.1-km race, which draws the most entrants, the winner was Glenn Carlsen (44:47), Aiden Kirk was second with a time of 47:49, and David Kirk was third with a time of 48:34.
Proceeds from the race are put toward teaching Grade 3 and 4 kids how to swim.