Swim race will pit me against Father Time

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5: So at what age do we bow to the rigours of age and the arrogance of youth?

I ask because I will compete in a relay race of some note this Saturday morning at the BASA Pool in Hamilton. This time it’s not just me against Olympian Roy Allan Burch, it is three Masters’ Teams — masters are athletes over 30 — against the best teenage swimmers on the island in a one-off, winner-take-all 4 x 50m freestyle relay swim race — the Exhibition Challenge Race.

As a collective group of over 30-something swimmers, we want to prove our sell-by date is not up. I for one can still zip across 50m of a pool in the same time I did 25 years ago...and my colleagues can do so, too.

We need to do this for all athletes who are still going strong past the age of 30, 40 and 50. And do not be surprised if we win...or at least one of the masters’ teams does.

As the official press release for this huge event states: “This is the first pure sprint swim meet of the season, traditionally conducted by the Sharks Club, and will be held in the same pool the burgeoning Masters Swimming squad mostly train in. They themselves are preparing for the World Masters Games in Riccione, Italy mid next year, and have decided to flex their ageing muscles against the best of the teenagers this weekend. [I will be on the team representing Bermuda in Italy].

“The Masters entries when they arrived for this meet came as a real, but pleasant shock,” said BASA Head Coach Ben Smith. “But we welcome the challenge, as do the clubs and their teenage swimmers who do not want to be beaten by old people. This event can only be good for swimming in general and the Masters’ programme, and I know it will spur the young guys on, too.”

Three of the four recognised swim clubs on the island quickly responded when the old guard threw down the gauntlet, and Dolphins, Sharks and Harbour will all field teams.

“It’s being billed as the Masters vs the Teenagers, the experienced vs the exuberant,” confirmed Nick Strong President of the masters’ movement in Bermuda. “And there is a real feeling among the masters’ teams that they will not only be competitive, but one of them actually can win this thing.”

The masters’ movement will field three mixed-gender teams against the cream of the Bda swimming crop. A squad with a combined age of just over 200, another with a combined age of 160, while the other team’s combined age is 125. The teenagers from the local clubs will all add up to being around the 50 years mark each.

My squad members are: Masters President and champion ocean swimmer, Nick Strong, as well as current Ironman champion Jonathan Herring and former junior swim star Annette Budge who was second last month in an important ocean race. Our team is the 160 age group side.

But, as I train with these guys, I can assure you the over-200 squad is very fast. It features: Paul Viney, Simon Horrell, Christiane Wehmeyer and Tab Froud. Viney, Horrell and Wehmeyer competed brilliantly at world level in Sweden at the last World Masters and this squad is in great shape. The other masters’ team boasts former champion British swim star Steve Castree, as well as former junior sensation Abbey Medeiros and former junior national representative Kim Thomas as well as prominent triathlete Tony Hall.

The Challenge Race is expected to be under way by 8.30am on Saturday — please come along to cheer us on!