Come on just a few more metres!
The mild weather continued on into the middle of November with temperatures reaching 17c on Sunday. Consequently the usually dreaded and near freezing water at the Fojtka reservoir nestling below the Jizerske mountains was not to be and the official water temperature was measured at 7.2c. But don’t think this meant that it would be easy to tackle the longest 1km race or even the shortest 100m !
Although the sky was grey and overcast it wasn’t enough to psyche out even the most hesitant swimmer and therefore when the call “To the water” went up prior to the start of the 1km 22 swimmers went stampeding towards the start buoys like a herd of young male water buffalo who had just spotted a female for the first time! Luckily there was at least 100m to be swum before the first turn buoy whch was navigated safely by all. An L shaped course with 3 turn buoys took in almost the entire length of the reservoir and on the long near 400m straight to the second turn buoy the 22 were well strung out in a magnificent pelaton formation. Turning back towards home and a tremendous duel was developing up front as Vlastimil Zaoral (the younger) of Spartak Prerov went stroke for stroke with Milan Stencl of PK Zabreh. By the latter stages of the race they were well clear of the field and had only each other for company. Eventually Stencl prevailed by just 4 seconds from the consistent yet unlucky Zaoral. It was a mixed day for Prerov as Vlastimil Zaoral (the older) retired when in the leading group, proving just how tough winter swimming can be. Miroslav Nezhyba cheered up his team mates though as he took third place. Only one woman tackled the maximum trip and it was none other than the indefatigable Vlasta Cudanova who still managed to beat two of the men to the line.
Start! "I must be first at the turn buoy!"
The 750m was also a highly competitive race with 29 starters. It was a more conventional triangular shaped course which was great for spectators as the final few hundred metres were swum along the bank. As a race for first place this was really just a formality as Denisa Haltmarova of PK Zabreh was soon in front and in splendid isolation as she built a huge lead that was almost 2m 30 seconds by the finish, Haltmarova clocking in at just 12m 35 for the 750m. The Pole Leszek Nazemiec representing PK Nachod battled on strongly to claim a clear second place by over 1 minute from the tough veteran Bedrich Hanus of Fides Brno who finished third in 16m 10.
Three more shorter races and all too soon it was time to leave the beautiful setting of the Fojtka reservoir and after a fabulous prize giving with gifts for everyone inevitably the conversation began to veer towards next week and how tough will the 1km be at the Cechovice pond near Prostejov. Who knows? But one thing is certain and that is that by the first weekend in December when the action arrives in Plzen the water will be cold and the 1km will be very tough indeed so for those hovering around the 22 minute time limit Cechovice could be the last chance to tackle the 1km, for a while at least.
Amphibian like winter swimmers approach the finish.
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