The history of competitive water sports in southern Africa
Masters swimming
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Masters swimming is a special class of competitive swimming for swimmers 25 years or older (Canada and the USA allow adults 18 and over and have an 18-24 age group, while Australia allows adults 20 and over and has a 20-24 age group). They compete within age groups of five years, with a swimmer's age group in a certain year determined by his/her age on the last day of that year. In the USA, Master Swimming officially started May 2, 1970 after Captain Ransom J. Arthur, M.D., a San Diego navy doctor convinced John Spannuth, President of the Coaches Association to hold the first National Masters Swimming Championships in his Amarillo Aquatic Club pool. Ransom felt that if the incentive was appealing, it would give older swimmers (ex-competitors and beginners) a goal for keeping physically fit. Dr. Arthur's mission of encouraging adults to improve fitness through swimming has grown over the years into a nationwide organization of over 42,000 adult swimmers. Competitions for masters in swimming, usually swimmers who had finished competing in regular competitions, appeared more and more during the years 1970-1980 in some other countries, such as Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan and New Zealand. After some time, international competitions for Masters were also began to be organized, which in turn created interest in establishing a World Championships in swimming for Masters. The first attempt to formalise international masters swimming was made at the inaugural Age Group Aquatic Competition in Toronto, Canada in 1978, which was followed by casual meetings of national representatives in Sydney, Australia 1981 and Portland, USA 1982. FINA soon took over control of Masters swimming, and the first FINA Masters Swimming Committee Meeting was held in Palo Alto, USA, on May 11 - 14 1987, and since then Masters has become an important part of the FINA Programme. |
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FINA organizes the FINA World Masters Championships since 1986, but 2 editions were held in the pre-FINA era:
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The website of Masters swimming in South Africa describes is history : SOUTH AFRICAN MASTERS SWIMMING (SAMS) was founded in 1985. SAMS is an associate member of SWIMMING SOUTH AFRICA (SSA), the national controlling body. SSA is a member of FINA (FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DE NATATION), the controlling body of swimming world wide, which was founded in 1908. There are currently 9 Regional administrative bodies affiliated to SAMS. There are currently 18 registered Masters Swimming Clubs in South Africa that are affiliated to the Regional body in their geographical area. Masters Swimming world wide is a Club based system. At every level of competition swimmers compete for their Clubs and not a Region or Country. As of March 2009 there were 656 registered Masters Swimmers in South Africa. In South Africa Masters swimming is very active, with numerous active clubs, and a number of masters world record holders. See their website for a list of affiliated clubs. The SA Masters Nationals is in Hillcrest, Pretoria in March 2010. |
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| Masters Swimmer and Cape Long Distance Swimming Association member Tony Sellmeyer has written the definitive book on open water swimming in South Africa. It is titled "OPEN WATER SWIMMING IN SOUTH AFRICA". If you cannot find a copy on the shelves you can contact:
SHIRLEY FINKEL-HALL LEAP COMMUNICATIONS Cell: 083-756-6684 Tel: (021) 785-3683 Fax: 086 611 4364 shirley@leapcommunications.co.za www.leapcommunications.co.za |
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Algoa Bay's Bell BuoyIn 1797 Lt William McPherson Rice charted a submerged reef approximately 1½ nautical miles off shore, north of Cape Recife. He named it Dispatch Rock and noted that it lies only 3m below the surface at low tide. This rock was a peril to many a ship and in 1838 a lit marker buoy was anchored over the reef, but it was soon washed away. In 1843 another buoy was placed and an official notification was placed in then Government Gazette naming it Roman Rock. Today an East Cardinal marker buoy warns ships to pass on the eastern side. At night a flashing light marks the location of the reef. There is of course a bell on this buoy to warn ships when fog rolls into Algoa Bay, hence the name Bell Buoy. This reef is also known as Roman Rocks due to the large number of red roman fish that are found here. Bell Bouy is an extensive reef and very popular amongst divers due to its close proximity to Hobie Beach. The large reef made up of gullies and pinnacles which are teeming with fish, soft corals, feather stars, starfish, sea fans and anemones (characteristic of the Cape). The current co-ords for the buoy are 33o58.897 S 25o41.916 E The Bell Buoy crossing (Hobie Beach to Bell Buoy and back) was achieved for the first time in 2009 by Eastern Cape solo swimmer Kyle Main. On the back of Kyle's 2009 double crossing, the Nelson Mandela Bay Bell Buoy Challenge has been established as an open water ocean swim of 7km from the cities prestine blue flag Hobie Beach to the Nautical Bell Buoy, situated some 2.5km off shore and 3.5km from Hobie Beach, and back. Main, who has built a reputation on attempting long-distance solo open-water swims, found himself among a school of about 200 dolphins during his Bell Buoy swim. "Dolphins are par for the course for long swims in the bay. The swim was slightly tougher than expected, especially due to the currents around the bell buoy and on the way back. The wind was also not in my favour, being offshore (a westerly) at the time and I suspect an easterly would have been slightly easier." Kyle Main http://www.bellbuoychallenge.co.za/ |
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Cape Town Masters Swimming Club on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=6147172660&topic=4910#!/group.php?gid=4746173421 |
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