The Waterfront Canal Challenge is set to take place in the Battery Park Canal at the V&A Waterfront on Saturday April 6.
The event consists of a one mile (1600m) and a half-mile (800m) open water swimming session starting at Battery Park, following a circular route past the One & Only Hotel and finishing back at Battery Park.
All funds raised go to support the Waterfront Rotary Club projects, including the Christine Revell Children’s Home in Athlone, and the Salesian Institute in Green Point.
The swim offers categories for both wetsuit and skins swimmers of all ages.
Para-swimmers and their guides are also invited to take part in the challenge.
Some of South Africa’s top swimmers including Rotary Club Waterfront ambassador, Michelle Weber – who recently broke the South African women’s record for swimming across the English Channel – will be participating in the invitation-only Elite 1-mile swim.
The winner of the invitational swim will be awarded the Waterfront Canal Challenge Theodore Yach Elite Mile Trophy in honour of the late open-water swimming mentor, who was the Waterfront Canal Challenge’s inaugural ambassador in 2018.
At the time, Mr Yach held the record for the highest number of Robben Island Crossings at 108.
Swimmers from the Roxy Foundation (para swimmers) will corporate in a SUP “wave” to support this fundraising event.
“Now in its fifth year, the Waterfront Canal Challenge is a fun family event for the swimming community and has been supported by the V&A Waterfront since the beginning.
“The funds that we raise will be designated for the various projects that the Rotary Club of Waterfront supports to help at-risk youth find meaningful employment aimed at breaking the poverty cycle,” said Mymoena Ismail, Rotary Club Waterfront president.
“We aim to create a society and economy that promotes the well-being of all. As an example, last year we founded a Smart Work Centre at Salesians Institute, which provided more than 150 at-risk learners with access to digital skills and work-integrated learning opportunities at local companies. We strongly believe that together we can make a difference in the lives of many.”
The invitation-only Elite 1-mile will begin at 10.30am and the remaining waves of 1-mile and 800m swims will begin at 8.30am. Awards will be presented during the morning with the final Theodore Memorial Trophy at noon.
Participants can enter at www.waterfrontcanalchallenge.co.za .
