An art teacher from Lydiard Millicent is celebrating an unlikely first world title victory – clinched on his debut in the niche sport of bog snorkelling.
Neil Rutter, 33, who teaches at Swindon’s St Joseph's Catholic College, fulfilled a 13-year dream in competing in the annual world championship, held in the Waen Rhydd peat bog near Llanwrtyd Wells in mid Wales since 1985.
In it, contestants swim a total distance of around 110m through the marshy environment, wearing a mask, snorkel and flippers, with the lowest time winning the coveted prize.
Neil said: “Going way back, about 13 years ago when I was at university, a group of friends and I were having a laugh and saying we’ve got to do it.
“It’s just this completely daft, silly thing. I guess it’s ‘marsh ado about nothing’.”
Finally, the time arrived, when one of his mates had a birthday which coincided with the August Bank Holiday event, and a camping trip with a sporting bent was planned.
The victory, in a discipline in which he had never previously competed, came as a surprise. Neil said: “You don’t turn up to these things expecting to come away and it win it, it was just a bit of a laugh.
“They guy who won it last year was stood at the end looking annoyed as he saw his time tumble.”
The timed trial was the centrepiece of a day of unusual sporting endeavours, alongside wife carrying, husband dragging and trench running.
Naturally, Neil is reluctant to give away the key to his 1’26 winning time – though more open to sharing his new-found skill for coining boggy puns.
He said: “I don’t want to muddy the water too much by giving away my technique.
“You have to use a non-conventional stroke – you can’t have arms above the water, so most people go for some kind of doggy paddle attempt.
“I was speaking to the timekeeper before the event, and I saw this guy who did a sort of dolphin kick. I asked whether you were allowed to get away with that, he said yes, so I thought that’s what I’m doing then.”
After a few celebratory ciders, thoughts turned to next year and the possibility of reclaiming his title.
Neil said: “I may be talked into it if the others are up for a reprisal. There’s about four seconds between me and the world record, so maybe I’ll cut myself a trench somewhere and get training in the interim.”
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