Swimmers battle jellyfish and blazing heat in record-breaking Torbay Swim

Super swimmer Nils Young set one of the fastest times in recent years for the gruelling eight-mile Torbay Swim at the weekend.

The 49-year-old English tutor and swim coach from Crouch End, North London, completed the out and back course between Meadfoot Beach, Torquay, and Fishcombe Cove, Brixham, in three hours and 15 minutes – more than 20 minutes ahead of the next swimmer and half an hour quicker than his last attempt in 2016.

“The calm conditions this time were very nice, ideal for swimming,” said Nils, who swam the first half with his brother Paul. “I came across some jellyfish and got stung a few times, twice across the face, but overall felt good. Of course, whatever the weather, it is always tough going when you are pushing as hard as you can.”

Nils has swum the English Channel and now spends part of his time training people to tackle the 21-mile crossing, which is generally considered to be the blue riband event of English long-distance swimming.

In second place was David Roche, a 50-year-old Australian lawyer working in London who has undertaken a remarkable medical journey since being diagnosed with epilepsy and suffering a brain hemorrhage in his early years. He believes swimming plays a
vital part in his wellbeing.

“Swimming is a privilege, a wonderful thing in so many ways,” he said. “It helps so much with your physical and mental state. Today was amazing, incredible, beautiful. I feel so fortunate when I am out on the water.” He found the last third of the swim the most challenging.

“It felt like there was a bit of a current against me,” he said David is finalising plans to tackle the English Channel later this summer and then the 20-mile Catalina Channel in Southern California. He will be using these events to raise funds for the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Queen Square, London. He completed the Torbay Swim in three hours 37 minutes.

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About nine minutes further back in third place was Tomas Meca Figueras, 41, from Madrid, who is also planning to tackle the English Channel later this year.

The first woman was Rachel Carter, 41, from Wellswood, Torquay, who finished eighth overall in four hours and 14 minutes. “It’s the longest swim I’ve ever done,” she said.

“The last two kilometres were a bit of a slog and there were quite a few jellyfish, but conditions were good.” Among her next challenges is an ultra-swim in Lake Geneva of more than 33 kilometres in September.

Twenty-eight swimmers from all over the country and further afield, ranging in age from late teens to early 60s, took part in this year’s Torbay Swim which is generally considered to be one of the British Long Distance Swimming Association’s toughest events.

Now known officially as BLDSA Torbay, the event has been running for more than 60 years. Lyndon Dunsbee holds the all-time record with a time of two hours and 40 minutes in 1986. The fastest woman was Karen Toole in two hours and 42 minutes in 1983.

Steve Price, from Wrington, near Clevedon, who organises the Torbay Swim with his wife Helen, was not competing this year though he has completed the event no less than 28 times. “The conditions were perfect, best we’ve had for years,” he said. “I can remember when we’ve had force four or five winds but still gone ahead. In fact, there’s only been two occasions when we’ve had to change the course!”