Pool sprinter to open water swimmer

Isle of Wight Marlins Swimming Club were delighted to award their ‘Most Improved Swimmer’ cup to Ruth Carroll for her outstanding achievements in open water swimming last year. A highly successful competitive swimmer in the pool, Ruth overcame her fear of the sea and cold water and trained all through last year’s harsh winter to take part in the Cold Water Championships at Tooting Bec Lido, swimming in a water temperature of just over 3 degrees centigrade without a wetsuit! Ruth then went on to take part in the Pier to Pier swim from Sandown to Shanklin in August achieving an amazing time of just under 44 minutes. This proved to be perfect preparation for a cross Solent swim attempt from Southsea to Ryde which she successfully completed in an amazing 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Ruth was delighted to receive the award “It is a great honour. I have to express my thanks to my swimming friends for all their support and particular thanks to Rebecca Wills for getting me into open water swimming. Without her, I would not have contemplated ‘swimming’ in the sea at all. And, to Ian Butler for all his coaching and patience in helping me overcome my fear of cold, deep, open water and swimming at night. I am now looking forward to new challenges in 2012”.