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Dover Lifeguard club has a long established Long Distance /Open Water section which is normally active during the summer months.

A number of Sea Swims take place in the Dover Harbour, just in front of our club HQ. To see what's on this year, click the events link below and don't forget to look at the club news (Link above).
Open Water Links:  
Open Water Calendar 2009 Open Water Procedures
2009 O/W Results - Boys - Girls Open Water Records
2008 Channel Crossing Dover Regatta
2008 Open Water Results DLGC Open Water Membership Pack
2007 Open Water Results Keith Gillman Memorial 2007
2007 Away Results Keith Gillman Memorial Results 2007
2006 Open Water Results DLGC Channel Swimming Records
2005 Channel Crossing DLGC History of Channel Swimming
2005 Open Water Results 1 Hour Postal Swim Results 2005
Trophies & Winners 1 Hour Postal Swim Results 2006
Boxing Day Dip Results 1 Hour Postal Swim Results 2007
Boxing Day Dip Procedures 1 Hour Postal Swim Results 2008
   
More Open Water Links

 

Tom Russell's Channel Swim
 Click above to read all about it

Well done Tom!


The DLGC First Ever All Female Relay Team


 Dover Lifeguard Channel Swimming Relay Team,
 Sophie, Tori, Lucy, Mel, Corienne and Laura
completed the swim on the 27th Aug 2005
in a time of 9 hours 47 mins.
Regional & Kent Championships 2006


Dan Seagrove-Castle...1st Regional & Kent junior boy
Laura Austin....2nd Regional & Kent junior girl
Tom Russell...3rd Regional & Kent junior boy

 Successful Channel Relay crossing
in 10 hours 2 mins


Dan Seagrove-Castle, Dominika Szucsova,
Sophie Tills, Tessa Dunford, Danni Pryor,
Katie Brown, Dawn Bissett (Chaperone),
Lee Wakeham (Coach)

What is open water swimming?

  


The definitions:

  • Open water swimming shall be any competition that takes place in a river, lake or sea.
  • Long distance swimming shall be an event in open water competitions up to a maximum of 10 kilometres.
  • Marathon swimming shall be an event in an open water competition over 10 kilometres.

Club organised swims: 

  • Dover Life Guard Club hosts a series of swims from their headquarters on Dover beach from May through to September. (This is the open water season) and a calendar of events will be posted.
  • We travel to events such as Brighton for the Pier to pier race, the Kent & SE Regional Championships at Portsmouth, Junior International & British Championships at the Albert Docks and National Age Groups at Nottingham.
  • We have a history of solo and relay team successes across the English Channel. (escorted by one of the regulating firms)

ASA organised swims: 

  • Grand prix series each year, which consists of 5K races, held in the South, the Midlands, the North and the finals being held at Nottingham.
  • National Age Groups which are held at Nottingham.
  • British 5k & 10k championships.
  • Some ASA Regions organise regional championships and grand prix. The SE Region ASA is one of the regions to do this.

FINA organised events: 

  • FINA organise an International programme. There is qualifying criteria for these swims as there is big prize money.

British Long Distance Swimming Association organised events: 

  • The BLDSA organise their own grand prix which includes approximately 13 swims at different venues around the country.

Please don’t be confused by the definitive word of competition as “open water swimming” is also about personal challenges and achievements.

 



This Photograph was taken at the Southern Counties Long Distance Championships, at the Royal Albert Dock London 1999