Why holiday on the Costa del Sol ???

Mon 23 January 2012

I found myself discussing the merits of all
inclusive / organised holidays to Mombasa
in the staff kitchen this week and eventually the
conversation changed to:

-you planning a holiday?!

just had one.

-where to?

Latvia

-where?, was it organised?

sort of, it was for the Winter Swimming World
Championships…

-you what!?*!@

There are always two things I find hard to explain.
Firstly how I can swim in cold water to a colleague
whose knowledge of Tooting Bec Lido is limited to
it being a landmark on their Saturday afternoon
run (they then claim they can’t even get into the
water in the summer) and secondly why I’d prefer a
long weekend in Latvia compared with two weeks
in some resort in Mombasa or the Caribbean.

The vast majority of readers of the newsletter will
understand the first problem – we can all swim
in cold water – but words always escape me to
adequately describe the feeling of meeting up with
50 friends and team mates in a hotel abroad to
join in a WSWC event. The optimism, enthusiasm,
hopes and expectations, the common purpose –
the smiles. Being part of an event where dozens of
people are cheering for each other is very special
and an experience I can only recommend to
anyone half thinking about it.

This was an amazing weekend, my fourth World
Championships (including the one at Tooting Bec),
and I still enthuse about them. Was it the best?
Who knows. But they are all almost like a pinnacle
in mixed ability swimming – we have some
incredible swimmers in the Club – but to watch
each heat where someone may take 16 seconds
and the next lane 45 seconds underlines how
inclusive, and somehow friendly, these events are.

Having experienced Oulu, Bled and Jurmala, and
maybe bored a few people to death talking about
them, it is especially pleasing to experience it over
again and realise it still lives up to expectation.

To share it with those whose first WSWC it is
– after all our almost evangelistic enthusiasm for
the event, to hear that that there are now more
converted to the experience, is just rewarding in
itself.

If you haven’t tried one yet, don’t think about it –
do it. You’ll enjoy it, thanks to our fantastic Club
members who make these weekends so special.
Thank you, each and every one of you.

By Chris Gore

Here is a taste of the WSWC2012