Entries open for British Gas Great Swim Series 2010

Entries have opened for the 2010 British Gas Great Swim series to coincide with the launch of the Great Swim TV series which will be shown on Channel 4 this winter.



The UK’s leading outdoor swim series proved to be a huge success over the summer with 10,000 swimmers of all abilities taking the plunge across the four-part event series.



The one-mile public swimming events took place in various lakes, lochs and docks around the UK, attracting swimmers of all shapes and sizes from a 36 year old mother or three with a fear of deep water to an 86 year old Grandad . In addition to the masses, many of the world’s top swimmers and Olympic heroes battled it out to take the honours in the elite races.



The “relatively new sport” of open-water swimming will be televised on Channel 4 in a series of four one-hour programmes.



The British Gas Great London Swim is the first programme in the series and will be televised this Sunday (29 November) at 8.00 am.



The other swims will be shown as follows:



British Gas Great Scottish Swim-Sunday 6 December at 8.00 am on Channel 4



British Gas Great North Swim-Sunday 13 December at 8.00 am on Channel 4



British Gas Great East Swim- Sunday 3 January (time to be confirmed) on Channel 4



Building on the success of 2009, Great Swim will return to London, Scotland, Windermere and Suffolk next summer.



The 2010 series includes the British Gas Great East Swim (Saturday 19 June); British Gas Great London Swim (Saturday 3 July 2010); British Gas Great Scottish Swim (Saturday 21 August); and British Gas Great North Swim (Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 September).



There are limited places available and organisers urge those interested in taking part to enter soon to avoid disappointment. Last year the North Swim reached its entry limit of 6,000 swimmers in less than two months.



Great Swim is open to swimmers of all abilities aged 16 years and over. For more information and to enter online go to www.greatswim.org