Bog snorkelling
Encyclopedia
Bog snorkelling is a sporting event that consists of competitors completing two consecutive lengths of a 60 yards (54.9 m) water filled trench cut through a peat
bog
, in the shortest time possible. Competitors must wear snorkel
s and flippers, and complete the course without using conventional swimming
strokes, relying on flipper power alone. Wet suits are not compulsory, but are usually worn.
, Wales
, United Kingdom
. It began as a result of an over-the-bar conversation in The Neuadd Arms between Gordon Green and a few regulars.
at the dense Waen Rhydd peat bog, near Llanwrtyd Wells
in mid Wales
. It now attracts more than 200 entrants each year and is currently sponsored by Fun Swim Shop. The 2007 and 2008 events were not sponsored; the previous sponsor was London
-based IT consultancy company SPMK in 2006. Andrew Holmes is the world record holder with the time 84 seconds. Andrew Holmes is the current men's champion, Dineka Maguire is the current women's champion, and Johnathan Hilliard the current champion junior bog snorkeller.
Other bog snorkelling events take place, particularly in Wales (but also in Australia and the island of Ireland) including the associated mountain bike
bog snorkelling (where competitors must ride through the bog on specially prepared mountain bikes), and the Bog Snorkelling Triathlon
.
Proceeds from the championship go to a local charity each year. Charities include the Cystic Fibrosis Trust
(2005) and the Motor Neurone Association (2006). The 2006 charity was chosen in memory of the Green Events Treasurer, Ron Skilton, who died in December 2005.
Women
Junior
Local Men's
Local Women's
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
, in the shortest time possible. Competitors must wear snorkel
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
s and flippers, and complete the course without using conventional swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
strokes, relying on flipper power alone. Wet suits are not compulsory, but are usually worn.
History of Bog Snorkelling
The activity of bog snorkelling was started in 1976 near Llanwrtyd WellsLlanwrtyd Wells
Llanwrtyd Wells is a small town in the parish of Llanwrtyd in Powys, mid Wales, lying on the River Irfon.With a population of 601 people , it claims to be the smallest town in Britain, although Fordwich in Kent has a smaller population...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It began as a result of an over-the-bar conversation in The Neuadd Arms between Gordon Green and a few regulars.
World Bog Snorkelling Championship
The World Bog Snorkelling Championship, first held in 1985, takes place annually every August Bank HolidayBank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
at the dense Waen Rhydd peat bog, near Llanwrtyd Wells
Llanwrtyd Wells
Llanwrtyd Wells is a small town in the parish of Llanwrtyd in Powys, mid Wales, lying on the River Irfon.With a population of 601 people , it claims to be the smallest town in Britain, although Fordwich in Kent has a smaller population...
in mid Wales
Mid Wales
Mid Wales is the name given to the central region of Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the National Assembly for Wales covered the counties of Ceredigion and Powys and the area of Gwynedd that had previously been the district of Meirionydd. A similar definition is used by the BBC...
. It now attracts more than 200 entrants each year and is currently sponsored by Fun Swim Shop. The 2007 and 2008 events were not sponsored; the previous sponsor was London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based IT consultancy company SPMK in 2006. Andrew Holmes is the world record holder with the time 84 seconds. Andrew Holmes is the current men's champion, Dineka Maguire is the current women's champion, and Johnathan Hilliard the current champion junior bog snorkeller.
Other bog snorkelling events take place, particularly in Wales (but also in Australia and the island of Ireland) including the associated mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
bog snorkelling (where competitors must ride through the bog on specially prepared mountain bikes), and the Bog Snorkelling Triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
.
Proceeds from the championship go to a local charity each year. Charities include the Cystic Fibrosis Trust
Cystic Fibrosis Trust
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust, founded in 1964, is the United Kingdom’s only national charity dedicated to all aspects of cystic fibrosis . It funds research to treat and cure CF and aims to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people with cystic fibrosis.-Objectives:Its objectives are:*To...
(2005) and the Motor Neurone Association (2006). The 2006 charity was chosen in memory of the Green Events Treasurer, Ron Skilton, who died in December 2005.
Results
Men- 2011 - World champion: Andrew Holmes : ~ 1m 24s (New World record)
- 2010 - World champion: Dan Morgan : 1m30.06s (New World record)
- 2009 - World Champion: Conor Murphy : 1m42.30s
- 2008 - World Champion: Conor Murphy : 1m38.09s
- 2007 - World Champion: Rob Liscoe : 1m42s
- 2006 - World Champion: Haydn Pitchforth : 1m41.42s
- 2005 - World Champion: Iain Hawkes : 1m46.03s
- 2004 - World Champion: Phillip John : 1m38s
- 2003 - World Champion: Phillip John : 1m35.46s
- 2002 - World Champion: Phillip John : 1m45s
- 2001 - cancelled due to foot and mouth disease
- 2000 - World Champion: John Cantillon : 1m39s
- 1999 - World Champion: Peter Owen : 1m52s
- 1998 - World Champion: Craig Napper : 1m53s
- 1997 - World Champion: Peter Beaumont : 1m44s
- 1996 - World Champion: Jonathan Maiden : 2m12s
- 1995 - Cancelled due to drought
- 1994 - Stephen Madelin
Women
- 2010 - Female World Champion: Dineka Maguire : 1min31 .90
- 2009 - Female World Champion: Laura Smith : 1m51.00s
- 2008 - Female World Champion: Kirsty Brown : 1m53.12s
- 2007 - Female World Champion: Joanne Pitchforth : 1m35.18s
- 2006 - Female World Champion: Alexis Howe : 1m45s
- 2005 - Female World Champion: Heidi French : 1m48.65s
- 2004 - Female World Champion: Terry Avery
- 2000 - Female World Champion: Joanne Wallace
Junior
- 2009 - Junior World Champion: Beccy Lord : 1m41.56s
- 2008 - Junior World Champion: Laura Smith : 1m51.21s
- 2007 - Junior World Champion: George Murphy : 1m35s
- 2006 - Junior World Champion: William Schofield : 1m48s
- 2005 -
- 2004 - Junior World Champion: Gareth Madelin
- 2003 - Junior World Champion: Gareth Madelin
- 1999 - Junior World Champion: Joanne Wallace : 1m53s
Local Men's
- 2010 - Local Champion: Tony Bain
- 2004 - Local Champion: Nick Bridgeman
Local Women's
- 2010 - Local Women's Champion : Kelly Fuller
- 2004 - Local Women's Champion: Becky Jones
External links
- Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling
- The more recently established Bog Snorkelling Triathlon
- Bog snorkelling images (BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
News) - Online Bog Snorkelling Challenge (BBC News)
- New champion for bog snorkellers (BBC News)
- Bog snorkellers take the plunge (BBC News)