The 2nd annual RotarySwimarathon more than doubled the number of teams and swimmers that took part in the 2018 RotarySwimarathon. 47 teams and 274 swimmers swam a total of 7,038 laps (175.95 kilometres, or the equivalent of Auckland CBD to Tirau) and pledged almost $16,000 in sponsorship.
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As with the 2018 RotarySwimarathon, final returns are expected to increase that figure, hopefully to around $20,000. Rodney MP Mark Mitchell led Team Platypus, comprising family members, and also swam later in support of a young team that was short of swimmers. Mark Mitchell said, “I salute these great Rotarians for all they do on an ongoing basis for our local charities. We are surrounded by water, so it is particularly appropriate that the named charities (Red Beach Surf Life Saving Club, Orewa Surf Life Saving Club, Orewa Sea Scouts and Hibiscus Coast Guard) are the principal recipients of the money raised.”
Chair of the Generation Homes Rotary Swimarathon, Rotarian Brian Mullan, added. “We have received applications from two other local charities and we will be announcing at the Awards Evening, which will take place at Rotary House on the evening of 10th August, how much all of these charities will receive. We will also award the Basil Blackham Memorial Challenge Cup to the Orewa Sharks team, as they swam 185 timed competitive laps in the 45 minutes, beating next best team Charlie’s Angels by 11 laps. There are shields being awarded in two categories for the teams that raised the most in sponsorship; adult or mostly adult, and youth or mostly youth – and awards in other categories, too.”
Generation Homes came on board this year as the event naming sponsor and provided event tee shirts for all swimmers, plus polo shirts for the organising Rotary team, and also provided the two shields for the best fundraising teams. Generation Homes additionally donated $3,000 in cash to the event. Lane Sponsors were Hopper Developments, OPSM Silverdale, Silverdale Family Dentists, Forrest Funeral Services, Clarkson Electrical, Maygrove Village and Bayleys Real Estate. Medals were co-sponsored by Whangaparaoa Dental Services and Inmarsat Global plc; and community sponsors were New World Whangaparaoa and Love Travel. Signpost Signs of Silverdale provided sponsored signage.The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board of Auckland Council generously provided use of the venue free of charge, with professional photography and videography being provided gratis, respectively by Paul Conroy (Portraits by Design) and Dave Coles (Oveflo)
Images (and video will appear soon) on the event website www.rotaryswimarathon.org.nz
Just follow the heading ‘Teams’ and ‘Event’