Mick Dicker from www.rawenergypursuits.co.uk reports from the 2013 L Guess Jewellers River Swim.

L Guess Jewellers River Swim

Saturday 8th June 2013 – Littlehampton, West Sussex

(Find more images at www.SussexSportPhotography.co.uk)

An unseasonably cold spring and low water temperatures forced organisers Raw Energy Pursuits to re-vamp their traditional tidal swim in the River Arun in West Sussex so it became a two lap version in Littlehampton Harbour. Fortunately temperatures increased from 12 to 15 degrees in the week leading up to the event and the format not only offered swimmers a safer swim but also a chance for spectators to witness the event from the quay and local footpaths. The Harbour Board and Action Boat provided the safety cover and closed the river to traffic during the race. Three waves started the course which would see swimmers negotiate the current on at least one and maybe two occasions. Get the timing right and maintaining the pace and you're flying! The star performance was that of overall winner 16 year old Chloe Pollard from Bodyworks XTC. She dominated the race and won by more than two minutes in a course record 44:13. Pollard has recently qualified for the British Youth Open Water Swimming Championships to be held at the end of July in Sheffield with a PB over 800m of 9.25. First male and second overall was senior lecturer in exercise physiology at the School of Sport and Service Management Dr Gary Brickley who put his methods to good use with a time of 46.27; two seconds ahead of Worthing's Paul McDavitt.

Despite the Arun being regarded as the second fastest flowing river in the UK the 30 minute period of slack water enabled most competitors to clock similar times to those seen in 2012. Previous course record holder Nick Finch from Horsham Amphibians Triathlon suffered from the cold but still finished fifth in 47:09. Finch's previous course record was 46.35.

New for 2013 was the addition of a 1.5km Swim which saw competitors covering a slightly shorter one lap course. Podium finisher at most of the previous river swims Liz Price from G29 Wild Swimmers dominated the race and finished in 21:16, almost two minutes ahead of Rob Hunter from Littlehampton Swimming Club who finished second in 23:05. This was 15 year old Hunter's first ever experience of open water swimming and no doubt one to look out for in the future.

As usual with this event part of the entry fee goes to supporting the great work of the RNLI and The Swimming Gardeners ‘Splash 4 Cash', who'll be attempting to swim 10 hours in the English Channel and River Arun and asking people to guess how far he'll cover. www.swimminggardener.org.uk.

The Raw Energy Road Show now moves onto the Worthing Triathlon on 30th June and then the River Adur in Shoreham for a 2.5km & 3.5km swim on 11th August.