Siblings jump in deep end for sea swim
Timaru siblings Brodie and Josh Young are set to make a splash in the fourth PrimePort Ocean Swim tomorrow.
The swim’s organiser is hoping to crack 100 entrants at the event catering for every level and held in a working harbour.
New entrants include Brodie, 12, and Josh, 13, who have been avid swimmers since they were five.
Brodie will tackle the 500m while Josh is taking on the 1.5km – so, while they often exercised a bit of sibling rivalry in the pool, not this time.
‘‘I usually do a 1.5km in the pool as part of a squad so I wanted to do it in the ocean,’’ Josh said.
Brodie said she looked forward to ‘‘getting out there and giving it a go’’.
Josh said he enjoyed the atmosphere of competitive swimming.
‘‘You only have to beat yourself, not anyone else.’’
Race distances start with 500m for those just wanting to give it a go in Caroline Bay up to 2.5km for serious open water swimmers.
The 1.5km swim was aimed at those confident enough to get out in the ocean but not wanting to commit to the longer race, a distance suited to triathletes, organiser Rob Naylor said. ‘‘The 2.5km is for all the rest of us who enjoy the challenge of the longer race.’’
It was surprising who turned out last year, Naylor said. ‘‘We had someone in their 70s complete the 1.5km race.’’
The number of competitors had been about 80 for the past two years but Naylor hoped it may grow again.
‘‘Last year, 20 did the 500m race. The other 60 were split reasonably evenly across the 1.5km and 2.5km races.’’
There was a group of swimmers who trained regularly in Caroline Bay on a Saturday morning and others were welcome to join them, Naylor said. ❚ A grey Mazda Atenza was stolen from Wai-iti Rd at 6am yesterday and dumped on Hobbs St at 7am. ❚ Someone broke into the Highfield Golf Course clubhouse on Thursday night and activated the alarm gaining entry. The till was opened but nothing obvious taken. ❚ A 24-year-old man was stopped on SH1 in Washdyke on Thursday night and blew 884 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. He was charged with driving while disqualified, driving with excess breath alcohol, and breach of bail. His vehicle was impounded.