MORE than 60 competitors made a giant splash when they dived into the River Wye for a charity race.

Monmouth School Sports Club’s fifth Great Wye Swim saw swimmers enter the water at Dixton Church and race either 2km or 1km to the finish at the school rowing club steps.

Michael Lewis and Lydia Stratford were in excellent form, winning the male and female wetsuit categories of the 2km swim in 20 minutes 26 seconds and 20min 56secs respectively, which included a tough 500m upstream section, before swimming back a metric mile.

Emily Harper triumphed in the female 2km non-wetsuit event in 28.25, as a total of 65 hardy souls braved the River Wye on Sunday, May 13, as part of the Wye Valley River Festival.

The 1km course downstream saw Leon Meek take first place in the male wetsuit class in 13min 28secs, with Katie Allen taking the women’s honours in a faster 13.15. 

Killian Walley won the male 1km male non-wetsuit discipline in 13min 18secs, with Josie Parkinson taking the plaudits in the female category in 15min 6secs.

Two other main award winners were Bill Parry and Sharon Neville, who each collected the greatest endeavour medals for male and female swimmers.

The Great Wye Swim was the brainchild of Teresa Tranter, who works at Monmouth School Sports Club, and this year the event raised more than £1,000 for the Forest of Dean Inferno Explorer Scouts. 

Organiser Iain MacDonald, who manages the sports club, said: “Forest of Dean Inferno Explorer Scouts are a particularly worthy cause because they have helped us run the event safely every year by supplying and manning the safety boats on the river since the swim was started.”

Mr MacDonald also thanked Aqua Sphere Swimming Equipment and Clothing Company for supplying all the swimming caps and prizes for the annual event.

He added: “We were very proud to be part of the Wye Valley River Festival this year and the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty office were helpful in marketing the swim and donating some special prizes for the swimmers.”