British Olympic open water swimmer Hector Pardoe has set a new record time for the 10.5 mile (16.9km) crossing of Lake Windermere in Cumbria’s Lake District National Park, in England.
The 22-year-old, who finished tenth in the 10km event at the World Championships this summer, completed his latest challenge in three hours, 40 minutes and 28 seconds.
It knocked more than seven minutes off the previous landmark time (3:48.04) set by Justin Palfrey in 1997 and subject to official ratification Pardoe’s time will be the new world record mark.
“We did it!” he wrote on social media. “Thanks everyone for the support.
“Next bucket list swim… English Channel.”
Pardoe was swimming to raise funds for the Lake District Foundation and spread greater awareness about the increasing concerns around water pollution at home and abroad.
He recently returned from Paris where the swimmer was unable to take part in the Olympic Open Water Test Event after conditions in the Seine were deemed unsafe due to contaminants.
“I’ve experienced first hand the implications polluted water has on our ability to swim in open water, most recently with the cancellation of the Paris Olympic test event in the river Seine,” said Pardoe.
“Therefore I am extremely passionate about proactively fighting to conserve the environment in which we Live, Breath and SWIM.
“I will be completing the swim in support of the Lake District Foundation to aid in clean up programmes and prevention solutions across all the lakes in the district.”
To donate to Pardoe’s campaign, CLICK HERE.
