Swimmers Unite
In 2009, the Guinness Book of World Records finally confirmed what many South African swimmers had suspected already – that KwaZulu-Natal’s annual swimming race, The Midmar Mile, was indeed the World’s largest open water swimming event.
But for many of the 16,000 swimmers who showed up on the day, the decision to participate in the race had less to do with record-breaking attempts than with taking part in an event which has become something of a rite of passage for swimmers across the country.
As the saying goes, inspiration is often born of desperation; so when three friends – Mike Arbuthnot, Dick Park and Brian Glover – found themselves unable to scratch together enough petrol money to compete in the Buffalo Mile in East London, they simply created their own race in their home province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Deriving its name from its location at Midmar Dam (in Howick, just outside of Pietermaritzburg), and the average distance swum, the first Midmar Mile was staged in 1973 with a respectable 153 competitors. By 1981, the entries had topped 3,000; in 1999 over 10,000 swimmers finished the Midmar Mile for the first time in the race’s history; and in 2004, the race had its largest field of competitors ever – 16,124. What started out as a provincial tradition, soon caught the attention of top competitors across the country, with Springbok swimmers, and later Olympic contenders such as Ryk Neethling and Terence Parkin, vying for the top honours. But whether they are professional competitors or just recreational swimmers, the race seems to hold a special place in most swimmers’ hearts.
Paul Bushell, a KZN local, has taken part in several Midmar Mile events and says there is definitely something special about this particular race. “For most swimmers, there is a magical sequence of emotions involved in taking part in an event like this. There are the early morning nerves and doubts. Then there is the sudden increase in heart rate as the race begins, followed by a swirl of experiences as you make your way from one side of the dam to the finish on the other. By the end, your legs are like jelly and your fingers are all wrinkled, but there’s a silly smile and a swimming cap mark on your face – success!”
With so many thousands of competitors, Bushell explains that the odd kick in the face or grab of the leg are inevitable, but while competitiveness is certainly an element of the race, “for the most part, the Midmar Mile is a wonderfully silent and personal race”. It is “a voyage that every South African should make at least once in their swimming lives,” he concludes.
This year’s Midmar Mile will take place on 13th and 14th February 2010. For more go to www.midmarmile.co.za.
Facts and Figures
- Mike Arbuthnot (one of the race’s originators) and Mike Pengelly have the distinction of having competed in every Midmar Mile since the race started in 1973.
- Gail Bristow holds the women’s record, having competed in every race, bar one.
- Natasha Figge became the first person to achieve a hat-trick of wins when she won her third consecutive women’s race in 1992. She has now won the race a total of six times.
- While many came close, it would take the men another nine years before someone could also claim a hat-trick for the men’s race, when Ryk Neethling won his third (though not consecutive) men’s title in 2001.
- During its 37 year history, the race has only been cancelled once – in 2007, due to poor weather conditions.
Story by Nicky Furniss
