Stephen triumphs in great loch swim
Event a huge success
Thousands braved the icy waters of Loch Lomond and plunged into the Great Scottish Swim challenge – the country’s biggest open water event – at the weekend.
An estimated 2700 swimmers of all ages and abilities took on a variety of distances, from the brand new Swim 250, for anyone aged eight and up, all the way through to the gruelling marathon 10K swim.
In the women’s race Maisie Macartney from Thanet Swim Club took first place in a time of 19:56, while Daisy Hill (Kingston Upon Hull Swimming Club) was second in 20:32 and Keanna MacInnes (Heart of Midlothian Swimming Club) clinched third in 21:14.
Stephen Milne of Perth City Swimming Club won the men’s race in 18:16 with Bailey Hairsaine (City of Manchester Swimming Club) second in 18:49. Jamie Scholes from City of Peterborough was third in 19:13.
Gordon Watson, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park chief executive, said: “The Great Scottish Swim has been a huge success and has become a key annual event in the National Park.
“Combined with the success of the European Championships also held in Loch Lomond this month, it’s been a great showcase for open water swimming.”
The event marked the culmination of the 2018 Great Swim Series, which gives thousands of enthusiasts the opportunity to participate in events across the UK including the Great North Swim at Windermere, Cumbria, and the Great East Swim at Alton Water in Suffolk.
For information about the 2019 event, sign up to the Great Scottish Swim reminder service at: Greatswim.org/Scottish