Two swimmers, one memorable weekend

This year Jharna Kumawat set out to swim the length of Lake Annecy in the French Alps, it didn’t always go to plan, but she plunged anyway…

Back in December 2025, Lake Annecy end to end swim was just an idea. I’d originally planned the swim with another swimmer but circumstances changed, and they could no longer make it. That’s when Sarah stepped in. Looking back now, I genuinely couldn’t have found a better person to share not only the swim, but the entire adventure with.

Fast forward to August 2026 and we were flying from Stansted to Geneva, excited and slightly nervous about what lay ahead.

After surviving what felt like the world’s slowest passport control queue in Geneva, we managed to persuade a tour bus driver to take us to Annecy and eventually arrived at our hotel. The town was stunning, with crystal-clear water, mountains in every direction and a relaxed atmosphere that immediately made us feel like we are going to have a fantastic weekend.

That evening we met Thomas, our boat support.

Until then, all our communication had been through WhatsApp. Naturally, Sarah and I had spent weeks joking about whether he’d actually turn up and whether he was really the person from the profile picture. I suddenly had a lot of sympathy for people who go on blind dates!

Thankfully, Thomas was who we’d hoped for and more. Friendly, patient and clearly experienced on the lake. His English was limited, Sarah’s French was catching speed (courtesy to her time living in Geneva) and I relied heavily on Apple Translate, but somehow we understood each other perfectly.

Swim day arrived.

We’d agreed to meet at the start point for 8am but failed to appreciate one important detail – walking there would take nearly an hour (with the swim kit), while cycling would take about 15 minutes. After a frantic battle with a (French) bike hire app, followed by a couple of wrong turns, we eventually arrived and were relieved to find Thomas waiting for us.

The water was calm, the sun was already warming the lake and neither Sarah nor I could wait to get in.

Although our plan was to alternate roughly one-hour swimming slots, we couldn’t resist starting together. We swam the first half a kilometre side by side simply because the lake was too inviting not to (#lakevibes).

After that, the relay began. While one swimmer was in the water, the other rested on the boat, eating, drinking, recovering and enjoying some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable. It quickly settled into a lovely rhythm.

My first hour wasn’t entirely straightforward. There was a bit of wind and a surprisingly strong undercurrent. Thankfully, I had two brilliant supporters nearby. Whether it was Sarah or Thomas shouting encouragement from the boat, there was always someone keeping me going.

Around halfway through the swim, my right shoulder started to become sore; I mentioned it to Sarah, who immediately put things into perspective.

“You’re doing brilliantly. We’re halfway there. Look at the castle on the lake…”

As the hours passed, we were cheered on by tourists, spotted other swimmers on the lake and even overtook a pair who were being supported by a kayak. That gave us both a little (morale) boost.

After more than five hours, we could see the finish line ie the beach ahead. I jumped back in and joined Sarah for the final length. We swam side by side all the way to shore while Thomas stayed back in deeper water.

As soon as our feet touched the lakebed, reality hit.

We’d done it.

There were hugs, photos, smiles and a pair of beautiful silver medals that Sarah had designed (jewellery making is her side hustle). Somehow, we still had enough energy left to climb back on the boat and enjoy a rather splashy ride back. Even now, weeks later, I still find myself thinking about that weekend. It’s one of those adventures that reminds you why you swim in the first place.