Daring athletes needed for swimming feat

Daring athletes will swim 11 and 5.5 kilometres in two races organised by the Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club in aid of Inspire.

Taking place on August 21, the longer of the two races will see participants swimming from Marfa to Ħondoq ir-Rummien and back. The other swimmers will leave from Ras il-Ħanżir to Comino and finally to Marfa.

The organisers said that since the challenge required stamina and physical endurance, applicants should satisfy a number of prerequisites to take part.

For the Malta-Gozo-Malta swim, participants should have already completed last year's Gozo-Malta Open Water Swimming Challenge in less than two hours and 15 minutes.

For the Gozo-Malta feat, applicants must have participated in either one of the two two-kilometre or four-kilometre events in this year's Open Water Swimming Series.

Foreigners must hand in a signed letter from a qualified coach, swimming club or national federation together with their application form and declare they have been training in long-distance swimming and for how long.

The swimmers themselves will raise funds by asking family, partners and colleagues to support their effort. The public can contribute by visiting www.simplygiving.org.mt or www.inspire.org.mt or by sending a text message to 5061 8926 to donate €6.99 or 5061 9215 to donate €11.65.

For more information call Alexia Sammut on 2189 0000 or send an e-mail to alexia.sammut@inspire.org.mt.