’Polar plunge’ near disaster
PA Dunedin! The annual “polar plunge”! at St Clair Beach. Dunedin.! nearly ended in tragedy yes-1 terday when three swimmers! were caught in a bad rip and! had to be rescued by the surf! patrol. The swim is an annual: event organised by the Sti Clair Surf Life-saving Club and Radio Otago on the Sun-! day nearest the shortest day! of the year. A bail rip, which had de-j veloped at the beach, caused the club concern and about, an hour after the swim began surf club members in the! water were advising people) not to go in above their knees. One of the swimmers was: close to exhaustion when) rescued and his rescuers said that if they had got to him two or three minutes later he would have drowned. The man was in the water: for about half an hour before) swimmers battling heavy seas could reach him and tow him to shore. The other two; were rescued a short distance] from the beach. Club officials said that the rip was the worst seen at StL Clair for some years. Thereb was also a bad undertow! and several persons were) swept off their feet. The official count of those! entered in the swim was 893. hut officials expected the!
| number to rise when all [those who entered the waterj [were issued with their “Polar; 'Plunge” certificates. The club was overwhelmed i with the response to the , I swim. A club spokesman said , I last evening that they were ) [considering claiming a world . :record. j Two girls were among the; ;hardy souls who took to the)) I water for the Taylor’s Mis-), ! take mid-winter surf race yesterday. , j Two New Brighton club), | members finished in the first) [three in the men’s section,! I John Dimock winning the!, eVent from Mark Sullivan). I (North Beach), with Stephen) ! Ward third. j Jill Clarke (North Beach)! 'won the women’s section) from Joanne Ray (North! I Beach). A mid-winter swimming; race at Sumner on Saturday! I was won by Darrell Lathan,[ • who beat about 70 competitors to win the first prize, a! heater. ;, ! I
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Press, 26 June 1978, Page 6
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355’Polar plunge’ near disaster Press, 26 June 1978, Page 6
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