Snorkelling through a bog in Wales
The annual World Bog Snorkelling Championship will be held this year on 31 August in Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales, officially the smallest town in Britain.В This strange competition was first held in 1986 to raise funds for charity, and now attracts competitors from around the world. They come to swim two lengths of a muddy trench dug out of a peat bog on private land on the outskirts of the town.
There are two trenches, each 55 metres (60 yards) long. The competitors have to swim through the bog with flippers and snorkel. No recognised swimming stroke may be used and the rules say that lifting the head is allowed purely for orientation purposes. Each swimmer’s time is recorded. The World Record is currently held by Joanne Pitchforth with a time of 1 minute 35.18 seconds.
The event attracts several hundred competitors each year. The minimum age for entry is 14 but there is no maximum. In 2006, one female snorkeller entered to celebrate her 70th birthday.
The competition site is an Area of Special Scientific Interest because it contains some rare and protected plant and animal life.
World Bog Snorkelling Championship
Waun Rhydd Bog, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys LD7 5LG
Tel: +44 1591 610850
Website: www.green-events.co.uk
April 21, 2009
Posted in: Wales