5000 Swimmers Set to Take The Plunge

Saturday 3 July 2010: 5,000 swimmers will take to the waters of the Thames for the British Gas Great London Swim.

The largest outdoor swim in the South of England, the Great London Swim is held on the spectacular setting of the Royal Victoria Dock, and attracts some of the world’s best elite swimmers, including Olympic silver and Commonwealth gold medallist David Davies, and 8-time World Champion Thomas Lurz from Germany, as well as celebs such as supermodel Jodie Kidd, and Radio 1 and TV presenter Vernon Kay.

The British Gas Great Swim Series is the UK’s leading outdoor swimming event and consists of five open water swims in Suffolk, London, Strathclyde, Windermere, and a recently announced new swim in Salford.

The one mile challenge equals 64 lengths of a 25m swimming pool and is a fantastic challenge for all swimming abilities. Over 10,000 swimmers took the plunge in 2009, from an 86-year-old granddad to a middle aged mother of three with a fear of deep water.

The Royal Victoria Dock, venue of the British Gas Great London Swim, is situated in the East End of London near Canary Wharf in the London Borough of Newham. The one-mile course will be set against the magnificent London skyline, with views of Canary Wharf and the rejuvenated London Docklands area, providing the perfect backdrop for a Great Swim.

* The biggest outdoor swim in the South of England with 5,000 participants
* Entries full for 2010
* A one-mile outdoor swim in the heart of the capital at the rejuvenated London Docklands area
* Free for spectators
* Highlights shown on TV
* See some of the world’s top swimmers compete against one another, across the same one mile course as the masses, in the elite race.