Bog snorkelling

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Bog snorkelling is a sporting event that consists of competitors completing two consecutive lengths of a 60-yard (55 m) water filled trench cut through a peat bog, in the shortest time possible. Competitors must wear snorkels and flippers, and complete the course without using conventional swimming strokes, relying on flipper power alone. Wet suits are not compulsory, but are usually worn.

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[edit] World Bog Snorkelling Championship

The World Bog Snorkelling Championship, first held in 1985, takes place annually every August Bank Holiday at the dense Waen Rhydd peat bog, near Llanwrtyd Wells in mid Wales. The 2007 event was not sponsored, the last sponsor was London-based IT consultancy company SPMK in 2006.[1] Joanne Pitchforth of Heckmondwike is the current world record holder with the time 1m35s, having shaved fractions of a second off the previous record set in 2003. Rob Liscoe is the current men's champion winning on August 27, 2007. Joanne Pitchforth is the current women's bog snorkelling champion, and George Murphy the champion junior bog snorkeller. Interestingly, all three champions this year regularly play Underwater Hockey. Other bog snorkelling events take place, particularly in Wales, including the associated mountain bike bog snorkelling (where competitors must ride through the bog on specially prepared mountain bikes), and the Bog Snorkelling Triathlon.

Proceeds from the championship go to a local charity each year. Charities include the Cystic Fibrosis Trust (2005), Motor Neurone Association (2006)[2]

[edit] Results

MEN

  • 2007 - World Champion: Rob Liscoe : 1m42s
  • 2006 - World Champion: Haydn Pitchforth : 1m41s
  • 2005 - World Champion: Iain Hawkes
  • 2004 - World Champion: Phillip John :
  • 2003 - World Champion: Phillip John : 1m35.46s
  • 2002 - World Champion: Phillip John : 1m45s
  • 2001 - cancelled due to foot and mouth disease
  • 2000 - World Champion: John Cantillon : 1m39s
  • 1999 - World Champion: Peter Owen : 1m52s
  • 1998 - World Champion: Craig Napper : 1m53s
  • 1997 - World Champion: Peter Beaumont : 1m44s
  • 1996 - World Champion: Johnathan Maiden : 2m12s
  • 1995 - Cancelled due to drought

LADIES

  • 2007 - Ladies World Champion: Joanne Pitchforth : 1m35.18s >>>CURRENT WORLD RECORD TIME<<<
  • 2006 - Ladies World Champion: Alexis Howe : 1m45s
  • 2005 -
  • 2004 - Ladies World Champion: Terry Avery

JUNIOR

  • 2007 - Junior World Champion: George Murphy : 1m35s (with allowed stops)
  • 2006 - Junior World Champion: William Schofield : 1m57s
  • 2005 -
  • 2004 - Junior World Champion: Gareth Madelin
  • 2003 - Junior World Champion: Gareth Madelin

LOCAL MEN'S

  • 2004 - Local Champion: Nick Bridgeman

LOCAL Women's

  • 2004 - Local Women's Champion: Becky Jones

SLOWEST

  • 2004 - Slowest: Jason Bailey
A photo of the World Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling Championship
A photo of the World Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling Championship

[edit] World Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling Championship

The World Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling Championship first took place in 2000. Although no event was run in 2001, since then, it has been a yearly event. The special preparation for the bikes consists of the tires being filled with water and the bike frame with lead.

The Bog Snorkelling Triathlon was inaugurated in 2005. The first event took place on 10 July, and was sponsored by Young's Bitter. The event consists of a run of approximately 12 miles (19 km), a bog snorkel of approximately 120 yards (110 m) through the "Bog Trench" and a 25-mile (40 km) mountain bike ride. There is both an individual and a team relay event.

A Northern Ireland bog snorkelling championship takes place in Dungannon, in County Tyrone.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ World Bog Snorkelling championships website
  2. ^ The 2006 charity was chosen in memory of the Green Events Treasurer, Ron Skilton who died in December 2005.[1]