The Otter Half-Mile open water handicap was held yesterday evening at Henley Sailing Club. The Sailing Club proved excellent hosts as usual providing boats and safety crew along with a wonderful barbeque and soup ready for the swimmers as soon as they got out the water. The water itself was possibly a steaming 20 degrees so lovely to swim in and the warm setting sun made for a perfect evening on the river side. Tremendous thanks to Roger Sharply for organising this event again.

There was a good turn out with 30 swimmers plus many guests joining for the barbeque. It was very good to see some water polo ladies and men at this combined club event. The race itselfwas slightly slower than recent years with very little current assistance resulting in a longer timed race which allowed some of the later starters to catch up the earlier swimmers, the top three all started towards the end of the start list, about four minutes after the first swimmer.

Well done in particular to the winner, Nico Barber. The top three were: 1. Nico Barber (start time 3:45), finish time 14:27, Pip Bennett (4:15), 14:38, and Lex Higlett (4:00), 14:41.