Page 44 - RADC Bulletin 2018

OVERSEAS ASSIGNMENTS
Bay2Bay Swim Challenge – Cyprus
SSgt T Protheroe RADC
It was a beautiful sunny morning in Cyprus and an early start for all on race day, Friday 13th July. Not a great date for an open water swimming challenge but oversubscribed none the less as it’s an extremely popular event in the Cyprus calendar and is always well orchestrated.
After initial registration we were marked up and sent to the holding area. Shortly after, we made our way down to the water’s edge to receive the safety brief and file off into our ability pens. Maj Price in the elite, Sgt Firby and myself in intermediate and Ms Lowe in the recreational categories.
The air horn signalled the start of the race and we all moved into the sea in a rather ungainly fashion over the stones. The first leg can only be described as people soup, with everyone heading for the same spot
and fighting for the swimming space to get there. With those in the elite category (red swim caps) leading the pack it was every person for themselves in the melee. Some of the more sensible ones held back a bit
to avoid the jostling of the main pack, and avoid hard contact with elbows and feet. After rounding the first buoy it evened out and became quite pleasant. It couldn’t have been closer between Sgt Firby and myself; we were neck and neck the whole way and made it in a very respectful time of 42 mins. Jane has only recently learnt to swim front crawl and still had the courage to enter this competition and successfully completed the course!
Once out of the water we were all presented with a finisher’s t-shirt and a sausage & bacon roll. With both Sgt Firby
and myself leaving BFC this summer it was a great last event for us to leave on.
Team Teeth consisting of Sgt Stacey Firby, Maj Richard Price, Ms Jane Lowe and SSgt Tracey Protheroe
The route
42 RADC BULLETIN 2018
The melee at the start
Richard Price 18th Tracey Protheroe 68th Stacey Firby 69th Jane Lowe 179th
36:21:6 42:45:2 42:58:8 1:06:30