Lincoln College is hoping to make a splash as it sponsors the 4th annual Lincolnshire Open Water County Championship.
This new partnership with Lincolnshire County Swimming Association comes ahead of the event on 15th June at Activities Away, South Hykeham, organised by the Lincolnshire Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and Swim England.
Seen as a springboard for swimmers who want to compete at a regional and national level, this year it’s estimated there will be more than 100 swimmers of all ages and abilities taking part.
Lincoln College Deputy Principal, Matt Vaughan, said: “Lincoln College is committed to giving back to the local community and contributing to the growth of sport of all kinds within the county. We’re pleased to be sponsoring the championship and building on the success of the previous three years.
“At Lincoln College, we are always keen to promote active participation in sport and anything that benefits people’s well-being, so we’re thrilled to be able to be involved with something that is so ambitious and significant.”
Lincolnshire has a history of producing great distance and open water swimmers. In 1996, Paul Palmer from Lincoln became the only British swimmer to gain an Olympic medal (silver) in Atlanta.
Jack Burnell from Lincolnshire also won a silver medal in the 10km race at the European Open Water Swimming Championships and competed in the Olympics in Rio back in 2016.
One of the aims of this championship is to spot and promote talent in Lincolnshire.
The annual Lincolnshire Open Water County Championship attracts some of the top swimmers in the region and is open to age groups 11 to 17 years and 18+.
Lincolnshire County Swimming’s Open Water Officer, Suzy Hegg, said: “Open water swimming is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK, and Lincolnshire is committed to developing swimmers to compete in and out of the pool.
“We have added a new para-swimming category this year as we want this event to be as inclusive as possible. In addition, there is a new trophy for Top Club – sponsored by Lincoln College.
“Last year’s event was a record year for the championships. We had 103 competitors. The competitors came from nine separate clubs around the county. The youngest was 11 and the oldest 71.
“The county championship’s aim is to provide a springboard to other competitions, and we achieved that goal. Following the event 23 went on to regional championships and five qualified for English National Open Water Championships.
“The 2025 Lincolnshire open water competition is a week before the regionals, so this provides the perfect platform and vital practice ahead of this event.
“We are hopeful for an even bigger event this year and we are targeting over 100 of the best swimmers from the county.
“With the help of our sponsor Lincoln College, we hope to significantly raise the profile of open water swimming in Lincolnshire.”
