Thank you to the staff who were brilliant on the day & I'm very grateful that the event could go ahead despite Covid-19! There was less atmosphere than previous years but that was good really as there were less spectators so it felt safe being able to social distance.

The first thing I struggled with in the water was the acclimatisation as there was no chance to get in & do this properly before starting (because of social distancing). The second problem in the water was the last section of the 2.5km route after coming out of the river section as it was difficult to see the orange triangular buoy & a number of us were confused where to go & had to ask one of the safety people in the kayaks. Having a buoy half way along would have helped. Having swum at Hever before I knew that the water would be murky & shallow although I was surprised to hit a couple of large branches under the water. The water was really cold this year compared to other lakes I have been swimming in recently.

Once out of the water, the distance to the bag drop was a problem for me as I really feel the cold & it was windy. I understand it was where it was for social distancing but a lot further than previous years & I was very keen to get dressed & warm. I was rescued by a St John's ambulance lady who saw me struggling & took me off to the warm first aid tent.

Overall I enjoyed the event but found it much tougher in the water than usual - the main thing I think was the drop in water temperature! Thanks again - hope to be back again another year!