Swimmers to tough it out
Last year's female and male winners of the Pupkewitz Jetty Mile, Heleni Stergiadis and Phillip Seidler, are firm favourites to win this year's event.
The 13th edition of the Pupkewitz Jetty Mile will take place on 27 December in Swakopmund, with more than 250 participants set to brave the sea.
The money is on Heleni Stergiadis and Phillip Seidler to clinch the titles again this year.
The 17-year-old Stergiadis has won the race for three years running.
“I thoroughly enjoy this event as it brings people together for the love of swimming. Even if it may seem scary to swim in the sea, to do it with your friends and fellow swimmers makes it easier as you know they are also nervous and this is what brings you all together. We make so many memories together through doing this even,” she said.
“I will try to beat my personal best but I honestly do this event for the fun and the love of the sport. When I am in the water I compete with myself rather than with the swimmer next to me and in the end I know I did and gave my best.
“This year I hope for still waters and good weather, which makes this event even more enjoyable”.
In the men's main category, Seidler is expected to lead the pack as he has done for the last six years.
The event, which is sponsored by Pupkewitz Foundation and organised by OTB Sport, starts at 15:30 from the Tiger Reef Bar with swimmers making their way around the Jetty and finishing at the Mole, covering a distance of approximately 1.85 km.
The 600m sprint swim takes place in the more protected waters of the Mole from 16:30, followed by a Kiddies Fun event at 17:00 when children will be accompanied by their parents, or any another competent swimmer, with the option of using a flotation device.
One of the event organisers from OTB Sport, Yvonne Brinkman, said that even if sea conditions were extremely rough it was unlikely that the event would be cancelled.
“Competitors, minors in consultation and agreement with their parents, need to assess for themselves whether they are capable of taking part in the sea conditions on the day.
“Competitors need to be self-sufficient in the water, as sea rescue is very limited and the rougher the conditions, the more difficult or impossible a sea rescue operation is,” she said. All entries and race information are on www.otbsport.com. Online entries close on Wednesday, 25 December.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
The money is on Heleni Stergiadis and Phillip Seidler to clinch the titles again this year.
The 17-year-old Stergiadis has won the race for three years running.
“I thoroughly enjoy this event as it brings people together for the love of swimming. Even if it may seem scary to swim in the sea, to do it with your friends and fellow swimmers makes it easier as you know they are also nervous and this is what brings you all together. We make so many memories together through doing this even,” she said.
“I will try to beat my personal best but I honestly do this event for the fun and the love of the sport. When I am in the water I compete with myself rather than with the swimmer next to me and in the end I know I did and gave my best.
“This year I hope for still waters and good weather, which makes this event even more enjoyable”.
In the men's main category, Seidler is expected to lead the pack as he has done for the last six years.
The event, which is sponsored by Pupkewitz Foundation and organised by OTB Sport, starts at 15:30 from the Tiger Reef Bar with swimmers making their way around the Jetty and finishing at the Mole, covering a distance of approximately 1.85 km.
The 600m sprint swim takes place in the more protected waters of the Mole from 16:30, followed by a Kiddies Fun event at 17:00 when children will be accompanied by their parents, or any another competent swimmer, with the option of using a flotation device.
One of the event organisers from OTB Sport, Yvonne Brinkman, said that even if sea conditions were extremely rough it was unlikely that the event would be cancelled.
“Competitors, minors in consultation and agreement with their parents, need to assess for themselves whether they are capable of taking part in the sea conditions on the day.
“Competitors need to be self-sufficient in the water, as sea rescue is very limited and the rougher the conditions, the more difficult or impossible a sea rescue operation is,” she said. All entries and race information are on www.otbsport.com. Online entries close on Wednesday, 25 December.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
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