Edinburgh Open Water Swimming Festival

[Bob Jefferson]

From today's EN:

Swimmers to make splash at Portobello

[Bob Jefferson]

Sunday saw the first Edinburgh Open-Water Swim Festival held on Portobello Beach. Competitors came from far and wide to take part – there was even one couple from South Africa. Open-water swimming has become increasingly popular in Scotland, especially in relatively calm waters like these on the Firth of Forth. The organisers now hope to turn this into an annual event.

Missed the event? Watch the video.

[wangi]

And the Edinburgh Open Water Swimming Festival is back for 2011, tomorrow. A rather modern tent thing has just been put up on the beach in preparation for the event. The main race is 2k from Fisherrow to Portobello Beach (outside the Dalriada).

http://www.edinburghracing.co.uk/?page= ... 20Festival

In an effort to help promote open water swimming for all, Edinburgh Racing together with the Triathlon section of Edinburgh Road Club are putting on this years Open Water Swim Festival which will be open to swimmers of all abilities.

The event will be based at Portobello Beach, which is a long sandy beach located a few kilometres East of downtown Edinburgh and is easily accessible by bus, bike, and car. Many groups regularly swim in the sea during the warmer months and the beach bustles with people and activity on a sunny day.

The Open Water Swimming Festival will have three separate races. With races ranging from a short 400m sprint to the much more challenging 2km sea swim crossing from Musselburgh Quay back to Portobello Beach. With a range of distances available there should be a distance for most swimming abilities. The distances available this year are:-

1. 400m Portobello Beach
2. 800m Portobello Beach
3. 2km swim from Musselburgh to Portobello
...
Event Timetable - These are approximate times and may change slightly.

10:00-12:30 Registration
11:00 Tristars Aquathon race start
13:00 Transport to 2km race start
13:30 2km race start
15:30 800m race start
16:15 400m race start
17:00 Prize giving Portobello Beach
19:00 Post Race Ceilidh St Philips Church Hall Portobello
...

EDIT: looks like the races are earlier than advertised; first at 12.30 - last race at 1.30.