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Alpine Aqualand Swimmers Cross The Pacific Ocean

Friday 12 November 2010, 11:20AM

By Lakes Leisure Limited

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QUEENSTOWN

Alpine Aqualand has kicked off ‘Challenge Canada’ in conjunction with the Hyde Creek Recreation Centre in British Columbia, Canada who will swim ‘Challenge New Zealand’.

Swimmers from both countries will be swimming 14,600 lengths of their respective pools in a bid to cover the 365km required to complete the challenge. Alex Calwell, Alpine Aqualand’s Aquatics Manager said the challenge has been designed so 1 lap of the pool will equal one ocean kilometre making the 14,600km distance between New Zealand and Canada achievable.

“It’s a fun concept and great to be working with the Hyde Creek Recreation Centre to give our swimmers something to focus on as they get fit in the pool, but goals have got to be achievable and asking swimmers to cover the actual 14,600km between Canada and New Zealand, even in the pool, was a little unrealistic.

“The 365km distance will certainly still be a challenge, and I am expecting swimmers to still be working on this well into 2011. It will be great to watch people tracking their progress on our big map in the pool and we have plenty of spot prizes to give away to our Challenge Canada swimmers,” Alex said.

The challenge kicked off November 1 but interested people can join in anytime and start clocking up their own Pacific Ocean kilometres.