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Three Time Olympian Steph Horner Wins Double at Barbados Open Water Festival

1/28/2020

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Steph Horner and Kristina Evelyn at Barbados Open Water Festival
Three time Olympian Steph Horner of Canada with Festival organizer, Kristina Evelyn
​When the curtain came down on the eighth Barbados Open Water Festival last weekend it was the Canadians who had claimed the lion share of medals in the four races. Stephanie Horner, a Pan Am Medalist and three-time Olympian was victorious in both the 1.5K race and the 10K race. Horner, the first Canadian female to win an Open Water World Cup event, hopes to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  If successful Horner will become the first Canadian to swim at four Olympic Games.
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The 8th Barbados Open Water Festival kicked off Nov 6 with about 150 swimmers at practice swims at various venues. The races and charity swim started Nov 9 with the 1.5K race.  The first race day was overcast with thick black clouds looming and news of a severe thunderstorm only 20 miles away in the north of the island. Luckily at Carlisle Bay the race continued albeit through a torrential downpour which began as soon as the horn sounded for the start of the race. Thunder was audible in the distance as the three hundred and ninety five swimmers crossed the finish line. The following day the sun came out and an absolutely gorgeous day ensued with excellent conditions for the three hundred plus swimmers in the three Sunday races (3.3K, 5K, 10K).

In addition to Horner attending, a large group of young competitive open water swimmers hailing from all over Canada, led by Mark Perry, Canadian National Open Water Coach, were present at the Festival.  Days ahead of the event the talented young swimmers could be seen training at the local Aquatic Centre and in the magnificent Bay, their red and white Canadian swim caps always highly visible.  The Perry group had many successes in the races entered (1.5, 5 &10K races): Eric Brown won the 1.5K, Catherine Minic the 5K and Drew Edwards was the winner of the 10K marathon swim.  Several others from the group earned second and third place finishes.  Ashley Hogg of the UK was able to break through the Canadian domination in the Men’s 5K and grab that title from the Canadian group.

Barbados was well represented in all of the races with a one-two finish in the 3.3K and several age group placings in all races. Adara Stoddard and Toni Walrond of Barbados brought it home with first and second place finishes in the 3.3K. Canadian Zack Hebert-Jarema was the male winner in that race.


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The hundreds of recreational swimmers that attended from around the world were thrilled with the presence of two marathon-swimming legends Cameron Bellamy and Jaimie Monahan.  Both are more comfortable with much longer swims but enjoyed jumping in and trying the shorter races much to the delight of other competitors. Many wrote on social media about swimming with the two well known swimmers – such as this comment on Cameron Bellamy’s page: “It really was an honour and a memory I’ll cherish to have been able to swim alongside you.  Continue to inspire.”
Cameron Bellamy and Jaimie Monahan pose with Beth Schiller at Barbados Open Water Festival
Cameron Bellamy (left) with Beth Schiller & Jaimie Monahan (Right)
It’s been a landmark year for open water swimming in Barbados. The Barbados Aquatic Sports Association (BASA) successfully hosted two major regional meets both with open water swimming races, a local charity took to the sea to raise funds through a well subscribed open water relay race and most recently a local and traditionally “pool swimmers club” for juniors hosted a highly popular open water meet. In the midst of all this, endurance athlete extraordinaire Cameron Bellamy used the island’s waters as his training ground throughout the year and then swam an unprecedented 151K from Barbados to St Lucia in September to complete the longest channel swim ever.
The Barbados Open Water Festival hosted passionate open water swimmers from around the globe and was the finale for what just may be the most outstanding year of open water swimming in the island’s history. Looking forward the future seems bright with this year’s momentum and the growing number of young open water swimmers on the island. The 1.5K race at the Festival boasted 31 swimmers in the under 12 age group and many other young swimmers took part in the Fun Swim. 

​The 2020 Barbados Open Water Festival is scheduled for November 4-8. Enter now!
This story is also available here:
https://swimswam.com/three-time-olympian-steph-horner-wins-double-at-barbados-open-water-festival/
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Cameron Bellamy: The Impossible Row Across the Drake Passage

11/19/2019

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Photo courtesy of Colin O'Brady
Cameron Bellamy, endurance athlete extraordinaire, recently known for his unprecedented open water swimming accomplishments is currently preparing for another “world first”. He will be part of a six-member team that will row 600 to 800 miles over twenty-one days across the notorious Drake Passage: a body of water thought to have the roughest and coldest waters on earth. The expedition has been dubbed “The Impossible Row”.

In the last few years Cameron Bellamy’s name has become synonymous with ultra-marathon swimming. Just two months ago the South African completed the longest channel swim ever when he swam a gruelling 151k from Barbados to St Lucia in 56 hours.  Last year he completed the final swim of the “Oceans Seven” – the seven toughest channel swims on earth and became the first person ever to swim 90K around the island of Barbados.
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The upcoming rowing expedition planned for December will be led by Colin O’Brady, former professional triathlete turned explorer and known for his world first crossing of Antarctica last year and Fiann Paul, a career ocean rower and Captain of the boat.  Paul was not only the first person to row four oceans but also the first person to simultaneously hold records for the fastest row across all four major oceans. The other three members of the team are Andrew Towne, John Petersen and Jamie Douglas-Hamilton. 
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Photo courtesy of Colin O'Brady
​Many in the marathon swimming world are unaware that Bellamy was a passionate flat-water rower at high school and university and actually represented South Africa at the World U23 Rowing Championships (2003) and World Student Games (2004).  Years later, in 2014, Bellamy rowed with a team, that included Douglas-Hamilton, across the Indian Ocean, from Geraldton, Australia to the Seychelles.  The 57 day, 6270km journey was arduous and not without mishaps such as a run-in with pirates, a near-collision with a blue whale and a ferocious storm.  The row across the Indian Ocean was named the longest ocean row by a team as well as the fastest crossing of the Ocean by rowing. 

The Drake Passage, named after Sir Francis Drake, an English sea captain and explorer refers to the body of water between Cape Horn, on the southern tip of South America and Antarctica. Sir Francis discovered the route while circumnavigating the globe between 1577 and 1580, thereby discovering that ships could sail between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  It’s the meeting of these oceans in the Passage that causes enormous eddies to be created which will present a huge challenge for the daring rowing crew.

In the old days of wooden sail boats, no modern navigation technology or weather forecasts the Passage earned the title of “a sailors’ graveyard”.  The opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 was literally a saving grace as it greatly reduced the number of boats needing to round Cape Horn and face the treacherous surrounding waters.  

When Bellamy and the rest of the team set out on December 9, taking advantage of the Antarctic summer, their aim will be to become the first to successfully row a boat only utilizing human power across the Passage. Back in 1988, American Ned Gillette and a three-person crew completed a hybrid crossing from Cape Horn to the outer islands of the Antarctic peninsula by rowing with the aid of a sailing mast.  The crossing was featured in a 1989 issue of National Geographic. 

The plan for the six men on “The Impossible Row” is to row twenty-four hours a day, in 90-minute shifts, for an estimated 21 days.  As recently stated by O’Brady and reported by the New York Times the craft will be a typical ocean rowing boat, 25 feet long and about four feet wide. There will be some custom elements for the cold, like reinforced hatches and extra sealing. However, the quarters will be confined. At any given time, three men will be rowing with two oars each and the others will be in the tiny cabins sleeping. They expect to use 90-minute shifts for the entirety of the crossing so effectively will be operating on limited sleep.

Says O’Brady who has conquered the Seven Summits and is quoted in the New York Times: “Drake Passage is infamous in the world of maritime travel, with the competing currents from the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern Oceans.  Waves could surpass thirty feet and there could be icebergs. The biggest risk is fully capsizing and having your boat sink. In the worst storms, we will put out a sea anchor essentially a parachute; the currents fill up the parachute, and basically hold the boat in place. We jam ourselves into the cabins, which are watertight. The boat could flip and roll, but not sink … hopefully.”

The expedition will be documented in real time by Discovery Channel who will follow the rowers in a 120-foot boat and film the expedition for a documentary. They will not offer support, food or fuel and are only nearby for Antarctica permitting requirements, filming and emergency situations. The live content will be featured on Discovery.com/theimpossiblefirst website with a feature-length documentary to follow in 2020.

As in all of his adventures Bellamy’s aim will be to raise funds for the Ubunye Challenge, a charity he founded which supports early childhood education in South Africa and Zimbabwe. 
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​Canadian Olympian Steph Horner to Swim in Barbados Open Water Festival

10/11/2019

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Amazing News! Steph Horner will be among a large Canadian contingent expected for the 8th Barbados Open Water Festival to be hosted in Carlisle Bay in early November.  Organizers are delighted that the three time Olympian who is a prospect for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is currently in training at the High Performance Centre in Victoria, Canada will make her first appearance at the Festival this year. She will swim in the 1.5K and the 10K races. 
 
Steph has represented Canada on multiple occasions including: 2008, 2012, & 2016 Olympic Games, two World Championships, two World University Games, Pan Pacific Games and Pan American Games (1 Silver, 1 Bronze). The former Canadian record holder (200m) can also claim to be the first Canadian female to win an Open Water World Cup Event and the first Canadian Swimmer to have competed in the Olympics in both pool and open water disciplines.  
 
The list of Canadian Olympians who have attended the Festival grows steadily each year, many having attended with the Freestyle Experience group led by Olympian Katie Brambley.  To date: Samantha Cheverton, Tera Van Bielen, Andrea Smith, Jen Button and Martha McCabe. Andy Ritchie, a finalist in the 1976 Olympics (400IM) will have his first trip to the island this November. American Olympians Alex Meyer and Ashley Whitney as well as our home girl Olympian Lani Cabrera have also competed in the Festival.  
 
In this the "Year of the Canadians”, Mark Perry, Swimming Canada's Distance/Open Water Coach will accompany twenty-four open water swimmers hailing from all across Canada. The highly experienced Brit, Perry, previously worked for British Swimming (2006-2014). During his tenure Team GB won three medals at the 2008 Olympics, with David Davies and Keri-Anne Payne capturing Silver in the men’s and women’s 10 K marathon and Cassandra Patten taking Bronze. Perry has already experienced the Barbados Festival, having visited in 2017 as an observer. Pictured below in a Rick Pelletier photo at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.
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Joining the Canadians will be recreational swimmers of all ages and abilities from about twenty countries from across the globe as well as our special guests this year – Cameron Bellamy (Longest Channel Swim Ever) and Jamie Monahan (Marathon swimmer and Queen of Ice Swimming!) - pictured left and right below. 
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The 8th Barbados Open Water Festival is scheduled for Nov 6-10, 2019.  Guided practice swims at three different venues (Nov 6,7,8) - informal swims of approx 2K each.  Races: Nov 9-10. 1.5K, 3.3K, 5K and 10K plus 1.5K Fun Swim in support of the Variety Club.
​ENTER NOW.
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The Cameron Bellamy Swim – Through the Eyes of the Crew

9/30/2019

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Cameron Bellamy Barbados to St Lucia Swim 2019
It’s exceedingly difficult to capture the essence of an incredible ultra-endurance feat such as the unprecedented Cameron Bellamy Swim from Barbados to St Lucia.  It’s an accomplishment beyond most people’s comprehension – how could it be possible to swim through 3 days and 2 nights? Cameron “Cam” Bellamy did it and was watched, every stroke of the way, by an awestruck support crew.  
 
Cam departed from St Peters Bay in Barbados at 8:18 am on Friday September 13 and touched a rocky outcrop in the scenic Moule a Chique area near Vieux Fort at 5:13 pm on Sunday September 15.  He swam a distance of 150K.  He was in the water for 56 hours and 55 minutes.  
 
He had put in the training, nine months of solid swimming and built on his 2018 foundation when he had trained to swim 90K around Barbados. Over the months in 2019 he increased his training hours to 60 hours of swimming weekly. The water literally became his office.
 
Of course, in addition to the training there was other planning and preparations that go into an independent solo marathon swim. In this case even more so being that the swim was initially planned for the Florida Straits and then changed to Barbados to St Lucia in the latter part of August.  This left only a few weeks to assemble new crew, secure a support boat and boat captain, fulfill all requirements by authorities on both islands, ship in needed items, hire medics and study the currents to ascertain start and finish points among numerous other details. Even when all was planned, unexpected weather caused the departure date to be moved forward by two days, which played havoc with some of the logistics.
 
Life on the support boat for three days was a highly unique and a truly unforgettable experience. In some ways it’s difficult to describe after the fact but one factor that is clear is the significant role of support crew in an independent solo swim, especially very long swims such as this.  The support boat was aptly named “Imagine”, the perfect name really as the story that unfolded over three days at sea was well beyond our imagination!  
Cameron Bellamy swim Barbados to St Lucia Sept 2019
Most stories of long swims focus only on the swimmer: their time to complete, their physical condition at the end of the swim, their time, what they drank and ate, their experience, what they did or didn’t think about as they swam but insight into the support crew, their functions and experiences is an integral yet rarely shared part of the tale. 
 
Many ask if it became boring for those sitting on the boat moving at idle speed for three days.  Quite the opposite really, because every minute of every hour the swimmer has to be watched from the boat by an Observer, accompanied by at least one kayak, given food and drink every half hour and every other hour a support swimmer is allowed to jump in and swim alongside the swimmer. 
 
The Observer on duty was responsible for keeping the swimmer in their sight, noting wind speeds, latitude and longitude, stroke rate (number of strokes swimmer took per minute), sea/air temperatures and any other notable points, every half hour, for the duration of the swim.
Cameron Bellamy Barbados to St Lucia Swim 2019

As with all endurance feats the nutrition of the athlete is of utmost importance. Rehydrating as well as replenishing with complex carbohydrates and really just putting back in those burned calories. Even with drinking at least 200 ml every half-hour and eating every hour Cam lost a significant amount of weight during the swim. His diet consisted of chocolate bars, bananas, yogurts, waffles, smoothies, GU gels, nut butters and of course several helpings of good home-cooked Barbadian macaroni pie. For his liquid intake: Carbo Pro & Water mix, Powerade, coke and water.  Additionally, Listerine mouthwash was used regularly to keep removing the salt water from his mouth and Vaseline applied to try to protect his mouth, lips and tongue from the effects of salt water.
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Cam received his food/drink from one of the swim boards at the back of the support catamaran, where he was not allowed to touch the boat but rather came near and treaded water while being handed food or thrown his drink in a closed cup attached to a string. The feeding sessions kept the boat captains busy as every half hour they were required to manoeuvre the boat to a position where he could access the boat while keeping him on his swim route. Luckily the two boat pilots were very experienced and did a stellar job not only with feeding but continually assessing the conditions and tweaking the route to ensure Cam arrived at the planned destination in the south of St Lucia. 
 
The crew took turns with kayaking often in two-hour shifts, day and night, feeding and support swimming as well as documenting the trip with numerous video clips and photos. The crew became tired too, many suffering from sleep deprivation and several with seasickness but everyone was completely focused on Cam and his end goal. Generally, it all went like clockwork and was a shining example of what excellent teamwork can accomplish. 

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Through it all Cam just kept swimming. On the boat meals were served, people slept in shifts, played backgammon, watched sunsets, made fun of each other, kayaked, observed, enjoyed full moons and beautiful sunrises and still he swam.  Eat, drink, swim and repeat every half hour and every hour day and night. 
 
There were a plethora of memorable moments on the boat, too many to recount but a few highlights are likely etched in the memories of the crew for a lifetime.  
 
​As dusk approached on the first evening the sea became very flat and as the sun disappeared, an enormous moon rose casting a wondrous beam of moonlight across the tranquil ocean. At one point looking back from the boat Cam was caught swimming along in water lit by the moon-beam with two kayakers on either side.  It was a remarkable sight. Kayaking that night was surreal. Sitting atop thousands of feet of incredibly still water in the vast open sea; the moonlight was mesmerizing and the setting so serene, just the slap of a swimmer’s arms hitting the water and two kayaks silently gliding on either side.  
 
The days were very warm but the second day was a scorcher with air temps hitting 33 degrees C for several hours. Not unexpected as September is one of the hottest months in the Caribbean. On the second day the air temp was very warm from shortly after sunrise.  Cam had been swimming for 24 hours. It was hot in the shade on the boat and on the water the heat was blistering. Even though the water depth was in the thousands of feet the top layer was warm to the touch – like a bath-tub of warm water. The heat caused Cam several hours of visible discomfort and the crew was substantially worried that he may not be able to make it till sundown and cooler temperatures – but he fought through it and plodded on, having extra ice in his drinks and putting ice and cold water on his head. 
 
On that second night when dusk was approaching and the Barbados coastline had faded away a most stunning sunset ensued. Impressive hues of bright reds and oranges filled the sky and their reflection on the water created an illusion almost as if the water was on fire. The crew and Cam were spellbound, sheer beauty all around us and nothing but distant horizons in every direction. Then nightfall came and swimming through the long hours of darkness of a second night in the water. 
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And just like that the conditions changed on that second night, a squall blew through after nightfall, the sea became choppy, swells started rolling through, the boat began rocking and items flew off all the table tops throughout the boat. Kayaking in the dark that night was somewhat unnerving as the sea was choppy with white caps and small swells moving through perpendicular to our travelling direction. 
 
Sunrise on Sunday was a defining moment – looming in the distance was the outline of the cliffs of the southern tip of St Lucia. When Cam was told St. Lucia was visible he stopped swimming and popped his head up as high as he could and seeing the land on the horizon set out with renewed vigour towards Vieux Fort.

Approaching the southern tip of St Lucia and the planned beach to complete the swim after 55 hours was another extraordinary moment. Cam was directed by the kayakers towards the beach, where a welcome party including his mother and the Prime Minister were patiently waiting, but a strong adverse current was encountered and forward progression was impeded. Even the kayakers were finding it difficult to stay the course. That plan was quickly abandoned and Plan B was hatched: head for the next beach! But the next beach wasn’t even in sight, apparently it was around a headland and probably about 2-3K away. 
 
Aligned with Cam and the boats at this point and as far as the eye could see were majestic cliffs rising out of the water and providing a wonderful backdrop for an ending to this epic swim. The decision was made to swim over to the nearest rocky outcrop and “touch St Lucia” to end the swim. Somehow Cam dug deep, even after 56+ hours of swimming and made it to the land. 

Cameron Bellamy became the first person ever to swim nonstop from Barbados to St Lucia:  150K in 56 hours and 55 minutes. He survived heat, jellyfish stings, two sleepless nights, sunburn, a horrific case of “salt mouth” which left his lips hugely swollen and cracked, extreme fatigue and very sore shoulders. 


It was phenomenal. There are literally no words to adequately describe the exceptional story of Cam’s Caribbean swim. Cam you are an extraordinary human being and your support crew feels privileged to have been able to witness this astounding feat firsthand. Your “out of this world determination”, your dedication to the training required, your humility and your charitable efforts are hugely inspiring.
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Read Cam's personal account and see video HERE

Cameron used this swim to raise funds for causes close to his heart: namely the Ubunye Challenge (southern Africa), the AC Graham Development Centre in Barbados, a facility providing educational and therapy support to special needs children, and the United Through Sport charity in St Lucia, aimed at teaching children and youth to swim. For more information and to donate, please go to: 
https://ubunye.web.app/

Copyright © 2019 by Barbados Open Water Festival
#SwimAroundBarbados #BarbadosOpenWaterFestival #CameronsCaribbeanSwim #UbunyeChallenge

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​Cameron Bellamy’s 100 Mile Swim: Barbados to St Lucia – Longest Channel Swim Ever

9/10/2019

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Cameron Bellamy. Swim Around Barbados Start. Nov 2018.
South African ultra-endurance athlete, Cameron Bellamy owns an exceptional sporting resume.  He has completed the Oceans Seven swims, rowed across the Indian Ocean and swam around the island of Barbados.  Now, after months of arduous training where he logged innumerable hours swimming every week, he is in the final days of preparation for an extreme endurance test: a 100-mile Swim across the open ocean from Barbados to St Lucia.  Bellamy's inspiration for these epic adventures is derived from his desire to raise funds for the Ubunye Challenge, a charity that provides access to education for children living in poor rural areas of South Africa and Zimbabwe. Local charities in Barbados and St. Lucia are expected to benefit from the upcoming channel swim. 
 
The initial plan for 2019 was to attempt a swim from Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida.  Cameron put in the rigorous training, spent considerable time researching the past attempts, secured a support boat and assembled a global support crew to join him on the swim.  However, in late August, the permission required for the support boat to enter Cuban waters was denied by the US Government, based on the more stringent regulations enacted in June 2019. 
 
Despite this extremely disappointing setback, Cameron, who hasn’t given up on his Cuba swim dream, continued his “crazy” swim schedule including two recent 24-hour training swims and devised an incredible alternate plan.  Plan B: pioneering a new swim route between Barbados and St. Lucia – this will be the longest channel swim ever. The distance is about 100 miles or 160K, a comparable distance to the Cuba Swim but in Bellamy’s words: “Its trickier than the Florida Straits in myriad ways.” 
Cameron Bellamy completes North Channel swim. 2016
Cameron Bellamy. End of North Channel swim. 2016.
In November 2018, Bellamy, completed the highly complex circumnavigation of the island of Barbados, swimming a gruelling 60 miles around the jagged coastline in 40 hours and 43 minutes.  Earlier in 2018, Bellamy, a World Record holder in ocean rowing, had earned the Oceans Seven title for swimming the world’s seven toughest channels.  
 
The “Swim Around Barbados” was a highly significant, defining moment in the life of athlete extraordinaire, Cameron Bellamy.  The fourth longest non-stop, unassisted sea swim ever was completed under imperfect conditions including fourteen plus hours of adverse currents, detours due to large swells, a powerful squall and frequent backwash from cliffs.   But Bellamy, a man who exemplifies the very definition of perseverance, drew on his steely resolve, maintained an uncanny focus and similar stroke rate throughout and with his sheer determination defeated the unforgiving seas after almost two days of swimming.  This outstanding success announced the arrival of a serious contender for conquering the world’s longest and most difficult open water swims.  

The start of the Barbados to St Lucia swim is tentatively scheduled for September 15 and is dependent on a suitable “weather window” - a period of at least three days when favourable conditions are predicted.  The swim could take between fifty and sixty hours to complete and real time tracking will be available online.
 
In addition to his outstanding swimming accomplishments, Cameron was part of a team of six who rowed from Geraldton, Australia to the Seychelles in 2014. For the 57-day, 6270 km journey he received two Guinness World Records for the longest distance rowed by a team in the Indian Ocean and the fastest ever crossing.
 
When Cameron confronts this incredibly challenging Caribbean-crossing he will do so in support of the Ubunye Challenge’s Southern African projects as well as local educational causes in Barbados and St. Lucia. 
 
Follow the swim on Cameron’s athlete page: https://www.facebook.com/CamUbunye/
For further details on this epic adventure contact Kristina Evelyn at:  kevelyn@caribsurf.com
Cameron Bellamy swims around island of Barbados
Finish of incredible swim around Barbados. 90K. 41 hours. 2018.
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About the Ubunye Challenge
Founded in 2011 by South African Cameron Bellamy, the charity focuses primarily on the provision of early childhood education in poor and isolated areas in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Cameron grew up in a privileged suburb in Cape Town and often saw children his own age not attending school. This had a profound effect on him and led to the birth of the Ubunye Challenge years later. 
 
Over the past eight years, the Ubunye Challenge, together with partners Ubunye Foundation and Vimba, has assisted in creating 16 new early childhood development sites in the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa. These sites now teach 350 children on a daily basis. Ubunye is currently fundraising to supply these 16 sites with access to the internet to assist with technology and computerized learning. 
 
In Zimbabwe the Ubunye Challenge has constructed classroom blocks at Mapere Primary School, a severely over-populated school in the disadvantaged area of Concession and is currently funding a very ambitious project to build the first A-level school, Mwenje Secondary School, in the same area. This year Mwenje enrolled 100 students in forms 1 and 2. Ubunye has recently fundraised the amount needed for the construction of the 3rdand 4thForm classroom blocks which will enrol students in early 2020.

The Ubunye Challenge additionally assists local Caribbean educational causes. Cameron has spent considerable time in the Caribbean while swim training and competing. He feels very close to the region and passionate about assisting in the education of its youth. 

 
Follow the Ubunye Challenge on Facebook.
Visit the Ubunye Challenge website. ​
Cameron Bellamy visit a school supported by Ubunye Challenge
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Destination: Barbados Open Water Festival

7/27/2019

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It’s been on the bucket list for a while and you have decided this is your year, to take the plunge, literally, into the crystal waters of Carlisle Bay for the Barbados Open Water Festival! What awaits you on this tiny coral island, a mere dot on most world maps? For starters, spectacular beaches and warm waters with ideal open water swim conditions on the west, southwest and some south coast locations.  Après Swim the possibilities are endless.
 
The focal point of the Festival is the magnificent Carlisle Bay, located on the south west coast a stones throw from the capital city of Bridgetown and close to many south coast hotels. Swimmers rave about the Bay; here is one of the many we have received over the years: “Think pinch yourself perfect conditions. Crystal clear waters, sandy seabed studded with starfish, dazzling groups of tropical fish darting around in front of us and at least half a dozen turtles looking up from below, bemused by our ungainly thrashing about in comparison to their effortless grace. Back on dry land, the morning’s racing was quickly giving way to a full-on Caribbean beach party and we were given a warm, genuine welcome – as long as one didn’t mind too much the locals bragging about how they get to swim the same bay every weekend. Thanks for a truly unforgettable day.”  British Swimmer. 
Swim venue: Barbados Open Water Festival: Carlisle Bay
The Festival – Nov 6-10, 2019, 
Five days of swimming available, swim one or swim all five. Three days of practice swims (2K) with highly social dinners afterwards and two days of friendly competition (1.5K, 1.5K Just for Fun, 3.3K, 5K, 10K).  The Fun race supports the Variety Club of Barbados (Children's Charity) Beach finish for all races. Finisher Medals and Winner Medals for multiple age groups. Refreshment provided on finish line (there is a feeding boat for 10K swimmers). Home base is Copacabana Beach Bar, all races start and end in front of Bar and food and drink is on sale all weekend. See some of the 2018 photos here.

Barbados Open Water Festival
Barbados Open Water Festival
Safety is a top priority: There is an Ambulance with two paramedics and two emergency care doctors on site for all races. Ambulance/paramedics also attend the practice swims. Numerous kayakers & paddlers are in the water monitoring swimmers plus our escort boat, a police boat and a coast guard boat in Bay. The venue is located two minutes away from main hospital. In the weeks ahead of the event we provide answers to FAQ's by email!  Click here to see detailed: ​Agenda ​and view one of our 2018 videos below.

Apres Swim....
After the swimming leave time to explore the island and its amazing attractions.  There is a plethora of possibilities, here is a taste:
  • Visit the rustic east coast & soak up the scenery or enjoy an authentic local beach house experience at Bath Beach House.
  • Make your way to the Animal Flower Cave located in the scenic cliffs of the northern tip of the island. 
  • Relax on a Catamaran cruise with lunch and snorkelling
  • Explore the underground caverns of Harrisons Cave or the underwater world with Atlantis Submarines. 
  • Explore the trails with EBIKE Island Adventures or stroll around exquisite tropical  gardens like Andromeda or Hunte's Gardens. 
  • Wander around Bridgetown, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, check out the parliament buildings, the Synagogue, the Cathedral,  the Screw Dock and many others.
  • Learn about the art of Rum making and the island's long association with Rum.
  • Visit one of the numerous historic buildings: Nicholas Abbey, Morgan Lewis Mill, George Washington House, Sunbury House are just a few.
  • Have a look at the house where Rihanna grew up!
  • Take a "behind the scenes" off road tour with Island Safari
  • Pick up unique island souvenirs from Best of Barbados, a chain of family-owned gift shops!
Barbados Open Water Festival: Harrisons Cave, Barbados
Barbados Open Water Festival: Parliament Buildings
Where to eat?
"No other Caribbean country can match Barbados for the choice and quality of places to eat out." Fred Mawer, a destination expert with the UK Telegraph.

​We agree with him. Something for every pocket and every palate. From fast food at 
Chefette to fine dining by the sea, pictured below is the Lone Star Restaurant on west coast of island.  See some of our recommended places HERE
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Barbados Open Water Festival: Dining in Barbados
Haven't booked your stay yet?
Have a look at our Partner Hotels for preferred rates, be sure to use the code when booking!

Rent a Car
Need a rental car while on island - check out the special rates for swimmers from 
ANSA Rentals. Tell them you are coming for Festival!

                                                              More info about Barbados, check out these sites
                         www.myguidebarbados.com     www.totallybarbados.com     www.visitbarbados.org

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                   Leave the wetsuit at home and prepare for five days of "Fun and Fabulous" !
ENTER the 2019 Barbados Open Water Festival
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Always extremely grateful for the support of wonderful sponsors:
​BTMI, TDC, Chefette Restaurants, Vorgee, BHTA, CGM Gallagher, Ernst & Young, ANSA Rentals, Powerade and Dasani.
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Open Water Festival Partners with Chefette Restaurants to Host Stars.

7/11/2019

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​Jaimie Monahan and Cameron Bellamy, both superstars of the open water swimming world will attend the 8th annual Barbados Open Water Festival to be hosted in Carlisle Bay in November.  With just four months to go, the Festival planning has moved into high gear and organizers are thankful for the timely and critical support via a strengthened partnership with long time partner Chefette Restaurants.
Jaimie Monahan to attend Barbados Open Water Festival 2019
Photo courtesy of Jaimie Monahan.
Jaimie Monahan, a renowned ultra-marathon and ice swimmer, will make her first appearance at the Festival in 2019. The New Yorker is globally known as a “Queen of Cold Water Swimming” but can't wait to get a swim in the warmer waters of Barbados:
"I keep looking at photos of the water there and am getting way too excited – it’s still months away!"
 
Jaimie’s endless list of outstanding achievements includes: first to accomplish the Ice Sevens, numerous marathon swims including a 92K double Manhattan island swim, six marathon swims on six continents in sixteen days, winner of the inaugural International Winter Swimming Association’s World Cup and seven-time US National Winter Swimming champ. ​
Cameron Bellamy to attend Barbados Open Water Festival 2019
Cameron Bellamy is practically a household name in Barbados! His phenomenal 2018 included completion of his six-year journey to swimming seven of the toughest channels in the world, earning himself a title held by only 10 other people: Oceans Seven swimmer.  Then, he created history by completing a highly complex circumnavigation of Barbados, swimming a gruelling 96K around the jagged coastline. In November 2019 the endurance athlete extraordinaire will return to Barbados for the 8th annual Festival following his planned Cuba-Florida swim attempt.  This will be his most daunting challenge to date, an attempt to swim 103 miles from Havana, Cuba to Key West in September 2019. An incredible and almost unimaginable undertaking!
 
Over the life of the event the Festival has welcomed swimmers of all ages and abilities from more than thirty-five countries.  From recreational to elite, pool swimmers to channel swimmers, world champions and Olympians, from as far away as Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa and Singapore. Every year the swimmers arrive from different countries but all with a shared passion for open water swimming and heart-warming camaraderie ensues. In 2019 many returning regulars are expected from the UK, Canada, USA and Trinidad.  Recently the Pan Canadian Provincial Open Water Swim Team has confirmed they will attend in 2019 with twenty-four swimmers accompanied by the Canadian Distance Open Water Coach Mark Perry. 

Co-Director for the event Kristina Evelyn lauded Chefette for their valued and longstanding contribution to the event which over many years has included prizes for winning swimmers, shade tents on the beach and branded items as giveaways dating back to the first Festival in 2013. In 2019 with Chefette’s support swimmers will receive unique redesigned commemorative finisher medals for all races completed and winner medals in multiple age categories. 
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2019 Finisher Medals
Advertising Manager, Lisa Carter thanked the organizers for the opportunity to partner with them and said “In pursuit of our philosophy to give back to the community, one of our mandates is “Promoting of active lifestyles” whereby we encourage our customers, especially the kids, to participate in as many sporting and social activities as possible to foster more balanced lifestyles. Hence Chefette’s support to the Barbados Open Water Festival. 
 
Evelyn noted that without corporate support and backing by agencies such as the Tourism Development Corporation and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. the Festival may not have survived. The event has grown with every year and currently attracts several hundred visitors to the island every November.  
 
The offerings remain the same as in 2018 with three days of practice swims and four races (1.5K, 3.3K, 5K and 10K).  Highlights will include professional timing by Sportstats, live steel pan music on the beach and numerous random prizes.  The event is scheduled for November 6-10.
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Variety Club Open Water Day a Huge Success!

6/26/2019

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Cameron Bellamy at Variety Club Swim Barbados
​Every June the Variety Club of Barbados hosts their annual “Row for Charity” in the tranquil Carlisle Bay on the south east coast of the island. It’s a tremendous effort by the local charity with over 30 kayak teams made up of 12 members each competing in team relays.  In 2018 the Variety Club incorporated an open water swimming event into the schedule and this past weekend the Swim event attracted over 100 swimmers who participated in a relay race on four member teams. The weather wasn’t fully cooperative with intermittent rain showers during the day but this did nothing to dampen the spirits of competitors especially the numerous junior swimmers who supported the swim race.
 
The Guest of Honor at the event was Cameron Bellamy, who created history when he swam around the island last November. Cameron is currently in Barbados training towards his planned Cuba to Florida swim attempt in September. Cameron formed an association with Variety Club during his many visits ahead of the Swim Around Barbados and his charity: Ubunye Challenge donated funds to the Variety Club in the end of 2018. On the weekend young swimmers were thrilled with his presence as he started the swim race, then jumped in a kayak to monitor the swimmers on the course and handed out prizes to the winning teams. Much to the delight of spectators he then joined the “Coral Crew” kayak team comprised of several open water swimmers and contributed to their third place position with an epic finish. 
Variety Club Barbados swim
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Saltwater Swimmers and Cameron Bellamy
Variety Club barbados swim
​Kudos to the many local companies who sponsored teams in the swim and kayak races.  It’s a significant day on the Bajan “healthy lifestyle” calendar with many kayak teams practicing together in the weeks leading up to the event. The iMart teams once again won both their Swim Relay and Kayak Relay races and managed to hold on to the Challenge Trophy for the 4th year in a row.  The Maria Holder Memorial Trust Team, who came first in the Royal Rowers Race, has promised to end iMart’s reign in 2020.
 
On the swim side the 400 m course allowed many young open water swimmers the opportunity to experience an open water swimming race on a relatively short course. Local sea swimming club Saltwater Swimmers had a huge contingent for the swim relays.  Their large numbers earned them the “Heart of Variety” prize. For the second year running they entered the most teams in the Variety Swim Relay with a whopping eighteen four member teams. 

Well done to all swimmers, kayakers, spectators, sponsors and volunteers for supporting this very worthy cause. The importance of the incredible work done by the Variety Club in Barbados cannot be overstated. 

Of course, its also exceeding difficult in a small island to raise funds for charity so this makes their dedication and contribution to the local community even more impressive. Variety the Children’s Charity in Barbados is one of more than 50 ‘tents’ throughout the world, including Australia, France, Israel, USA, United Kingdom, New Zealand and South Africa.  The Barbados branch was registered in 1984 but worldwide the he Charity has been active for 80 years. The goal of the charity is to raise funds for sick, disadvantaged and disabled children in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. Learn more about the amazing work done by the Variety Club in Barbados and how you can help here: www.varietybarbados.org

Cameron Bellamy & winners at charity swim in Barbados
Cameron Bellamy & winners at charity swim in Barbados
Cameron Bellamy and winning swimmers in Barbados
Cameron Bellamy & winners at charity swim in Barbados
Cameron Bellamy in Charity Kayak race Barbados
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Cameron Bellamy & winners at charity swim in Barbados
Cameron Bellamy & winners at charity swim in Barbados
Every year, entry to the Barbados Open Water Festival 1.5K “Just For Fun” Swim supports the Variety Club.  This swim is not timed and swimmers can utilize swim aids. In 2019 BOWF is scheduled for Nov 6-10.  Other races include: 1.5K, 3.3K, 5K and 10K. 
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The Fun Swim takes place during the annual festival and will be held on November 9th in 2019.  Learn more about BOWF here: BOWF website
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Open Water Swimmer Extraordinaire, Jaimie Monahan, for Barbados Open Water Festival 2019

6/6/2019

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​Its with great pleasure that the Barbados Open Water Festival announces that Jaimie Monahan, renowned ultra-marathon and ice swimmer will attend the 8th Festival in November 2019.  The New Yorker is globally known as a Queen of Cold Water swimming but can't wait to get a swim in the warmer waters of Barbados: "I keep looking at photos of the water there and am getting way too excited - its still 5 months away!"

Jaimie’s endless list of outstanding achievements includes: first to accomplish the Ice Sevens, numerous marathon swims including a 92K double Manhattan island swim, six marathon swims on six continents in sixteen days, winner of the inaugural International Winter Swimming Association’s World Cup and seven time US National Winter Swimming champ. Jaimie, who has attended at least seventy-five major events over the past fifteen years is known for “pioneering new swim routes” and “setting course records in some of the world’s most beautiful and iconic locations”.  
Jaimie Monahan ice swimmer for Barbados Festival 2019
This seasoned marathon swimmer learned about the sport of winter swimming five years ago and was intrigued. From the frozen lakes of Siberia to the Perito Moreno Glacier of Argentina to Antarctica, Norway and Iceland, Jaimie has dived in and braved extreme water temperatures. ​Ice swimming only became an organized sport in 2009, when Ram Barkai, a world record holder in ice swimming,  founded the International Ice Swimming Association.  Today, this extreme adventure sport has a small but passionate following and is growing in popularity.  Jaimie trains outdoors all year!  Her apparel when ice swimming? A textile swimsuit, silicone cap, ear plugs and goggles! Unbelievable!
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Incredibly this Wonder Woman of the Open Water World, who is well-liked and highly admired by all her peers, boasts an equally impressive resume in her professional life. The Cornell University graduate, who speaks three languages, has held positions at Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and for the past eleven years, Deloitte Consulting.
Jaimie,  swimming around Manhattan will swim in Barbados in November.
2019 Festival swimmers will undoubtedly be elated to learn they will have two swim superstars in the mix in Barbados with Jaimie, our first female guest swimmer signed up and Cameron Bellamy of SwimAroundBarbados and Oceans Seven fame expected to return. 
 
"We look forward to welcoming you, Jaimie and all of our swimmers, both first-timers and returning regulars. We can promise superb swimming and heart-warming camaraderie in a fun festive atmosphere but... we definitely can't promise any extreme water temperatures or icy landscapes!"
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Read a recent article about Jaimie here.  
Enter the Barbados Open Water Festival 2019 here: ENTER
Images courtesy of Jaimie Monahan
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Cameron Bellamy to Return to Barbados Festival

5/3/2019

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​Cameron Bellamy had a phenomenal year in 2018. First, he completed his six-year journey to swimming seven of the toughest channels in the world, earning himself the title of Oceans Seven swimmer.  Then, he created history by completing a highly complex circumnavigation of Barbados, swimming a gruelling 96K around the jagged coastline. In November 2019 the endurance athlete extraordinaire will return to Barbados for the 8th annual Festival following his planned Cuba-Florida swim attempt.    
This will be his most daunting challenge to date, an attempt to swim 103 miles from Havana, Cuba to Key West in September 2019. The incredible and almost unimaginable undertaking will require immense dedication, highly intensive training and detailed planning.
 
​If one acknowledges that open water swimming is a non-mainstream sport but one that has enjoyed exponential growth in the last decade then solo marathon swimming - a sub set of open water swimming could be described as a very small world. There are several super stars in ultra marathon swimming but they are largely unrecognized beyond the boundaries of the tight-knit, highly passionate followers of open water swimming.
 
A few have managed to break through and claim the world’s attention. Ross Edgely’s 2018 staged swim around Great Britain, which has been named the longest staged swim ever is one.  The 33-year-old adventurer covered a distance of 1780 miles, swimming up to twelve hours a day and then sleeping on his support boat.  He attracted major sponsorship from Red Bull, which perhaps is a positive sign for the sport as several solo marathon swimmers receive product sponsorship but find financial sponsorship hard to come by.

Frenchman Ben Lecomte attracted attention as well in 2018 with his plan to swim 9,100 km in a staged swim across the Pacific to bring attention to the issue of plastic in the ocean. The awesome effort had to be abandoned after a storm severely damaged his support boat.  On the other hand there are massive efforts by others in recent years such as Sarah Thomas (168 K swim), Chloe McCardel (124K swim) and Cameron’s Barbados swim that didn’t enjoy the level of recognition that they deserved.

Cameron Bellamy: Swim Around Barbados
Cameron Bellamy training in Barbados
Barbadians were certainly fascinated by Cameron Bellamy and his arduous training schedule in island’s waters leading up to his Barbados swim in 2018. Its likely only a handful of people in the world that can swim for twenty-four hours on a stretch. Yet Cameron swam laps of Carlisle Bay for that length of time as a practice swim to gauge how his body would stand up to prolonged exposure to warm salty water.  His successful swim around the island was an achievement of epic proportions and earned him the accolade of the 4th longest solo sea swim ever from the Marathon Swimmers Federation. The fact that he failed in his first attempt but returned a mere 8 weeks later and succeeded made the unbelievable feat even more impressive. Most people cannot imagine someone swimming for 40 hours and 43 minutes, indeed support crew on the boat witnessed the spectacle and still found it difficult to process.
 
Truthfully, this outstanding accomplishment transcended the sport of solo marathon swimming as it really was an extreme test of physical and mental endurance. Thousands of people, both swimmers and non-swimmers tracked the swim live and possibly in disbelief, from all over the world.  At some point swimming technique likely took a second seat to sheer determination to overcome the effects of 40+ hours of repetitive motion, warm salt water and no sleep. Months later, people on the island are still talking about the “man from South Africa that swam for two days and went all the way around the island”.

If you delve deeper into the Cameron Bellamy story you will learn that his athletic endeavours in rowing, cycling and swimming were originally inspired by his highly commendable desire to assist in enabling children in some of the poorest areas of his homeland - South Africa. This led to the birth of the Ubunye Challenge, a well-established charity that has provided hundreds of children with access to early childhood education.  You will also learn that all of his feats to date have been self-funded (yes, he has a day job in cyber-security) with 100% of charity donations going directly to projects on the ground in Africa.

It will be a great privilege for the Barbados Open Water Festival to have this highly talented athlete return to the 8th Festival in November (6-10).
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    Open Water Swim Blog 

    Barbados Open Water Festival,  Open Water Swimming in Barbados and around the world.
    Read: Cameron Bellamy - Barbados to St Lucia Swim
    Read: Cameron Bellamy: Swim Around Barbados! 

    Author

    Kristina Evelyn - Barbadian & Festival organizer. Enjoys promoting open water swimming in Barbados & meeting open water swimmers from all over the world.

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