FEATURES
In-depth features that celebrate the vibrant outdoor swimming community, spotlighting extraordinary individuals and their stories.
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What goes through an Olympic swimmer’s mind during the open water marathon?
Watching the men’s marathon swim at the Tokyo Olympics, I wondered what was going through the minds of the swimmers…
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9 tips for planning a sea swim
With more of us heading to UK beaches this summer, it is more important than ever that we know how…
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Interview: Adam Knight – Zoggs Learn to Swim Ambassador
Swimming teacher Adam Knight is a Zoggs learn to swim ambassador. We caught up with him to seek his advice…
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Jellyfish: the definitive guide for open water swimmers
Few things in the world of open water swimming generate the same level of confusion, contradictory information and fear as…
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Swimming in the rain: is it safe?
Making the most out of a rainy swim all comes down to the right kit and preparation “Swimming in the rain, just…
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What is a tow float? – and why you need one
What is a tow float and why do you need one? In recent times, tow floats have become an essential…
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Diary of a wandering swimmer – Clova returns
Kate Gillwood enjoys her release from lockdown with a campervan trip, exploring a new swim spot and meeting up with…
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Understanding currents – and how they affect swimming conditions
Author William Thomson on how currents work and knowing when it’s safe to swim in the sea In my previous article, I explored how tides…
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2021 – Adventures Await
Just when you thought things were getting better… Boom. A virulent new strain of coronavirus coupled with Brexit. But we…
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The innocent truth of skinny dipping
Is skinny dipping legal in the UK – and where can you do it?
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Why does swimming in cold water make you feel good
Science suggests plausible mechanisms but not the full story One morning in March, I stood, shivering, on the banks of…
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Diary of a Wandering Swimmer – an urban gem behind a sea wall
Kate Gillwood was born in Galashiels, Scotland, raised from three years old in Yorkshire, found herself in London for 30…
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Should you sign up for a long-distance open water swim this summer?
Event companies have started opening entries for this summer. I’ve seen some chat on social media from swimmers wondering if…
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Trends in Outdoor Swimming
Understand the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on outdoor swimming and what the implications are for 2021 and beyond. Two…
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Surfacing an Aquatic Diaspora
Contrary to the enduring myth, Africans have always been expert swimmers. By Elaine K Howley Kevin Dawson grew up a…
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What is it like to swim an English Channel relay?
One year late – because of Covid – plus the 17 hours and 18 minutes it took to swim across,…
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FINA must reverse their decision and do more to promote diversity in swimming
FINA reject SOUL CAP application to certify their swimming caps for elite competition
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Should safe diving boards be installed at rivers?
Simon Griffiths suggests putting diving boards at rivers to offer youngsters an alternative to jumping from bridges and lock structures.…
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Swimming wild in the city – our favourite urban swim events
Think of wild swimming and your first thought might not be a dock in east London. But our capital city…
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Taming the Hudson – the 20 Bridges Swim, New York
Diego Cantillo reflects on swimming around Manhattan and how he “provoked the god of the waters” to complete the 20…
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The mystery of the missing silver rose bowl trophy
Michael Jennings hadn’t seen the silver trophy he was awarded for swimming the English Channel in 1960 for over fifty…
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Outdoor swimming is back, but not as we know it
Outdoor swimming is back, but it will look very different to anything we have seen before, says Simon Griffiths. Amid…
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Lifeguarding outdoors in winter: a chat with an open water lifeguard
We chat to Francesca Ridgard, a lifeguard at London Royal Docks, to find out what it’s like to lifeguard outdoors…
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Inspire the adventure: my life in outdoor books
The story of new nature writing goes hand in hand with the contemporary upsurge in wild swimming. Indeed, my own…
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My First Post-Lockdown Swim
I know I’m not the only person imagining my first post-lockdown swim. Sometimes when I can’t sleep, taking my thoughts…
