Gutsy charity swimmers brighten gloomy weather conditions at aQuellé Midmar Mile
10 February 2023 – Gloomy weather did nothing to dampen the spirits of the swimmers taking on the aQuellé Midmar Mile Charity Challenge over the last two days.
A total of 22 swimmers completed the gruelling 16-Mile Challenge, swimming eight miles on Thursday and eight more on Friday, while there were 231 entrants in the 8-Mile Challenge split over the two days, who raised millions of rand in the process.
Once again completing the 16 miles in the quickest time was Reino von Wielligh, who will also be gunning...
Ageless Pengelly achieves 50th aQuellé Midmar Mile finish
11 February 2023 – There was much celebration on the edge of the dam as Mike Pengelly crossed the finish line of the aQuellé Midmar Mile for the 50th time on Saturday.
It was a memorable day for the 76-year-old who has swum every edition of the world's now-largest open-water swimming event. The scene at the finish was very different to how it looked back in 1974 though. But the camaraderie has not changed.
"It was quite nice actually," said Pengelly, who swam in a group of friends who also competed in the first event 50 years...
Van Rouwendaal wins maiden aQuellé Midmar Mile as Buck claims back-to-back victories
12 February 2023 – World 10km champion Sharon van Rouwendaal lived up to her billing as the pre-race favourite while Connor Buck claimed a second straight men's title at the aQuellé Midmar Mile on Sunday.
The Netherlands' Van Rouwendaal, who was visiting South Africa for the first time to take part in the world's largest open-water swimming event dominated the women's race from the start. While she had four-time champion Ashley Twichell of the USA on her feet for much of the race, Van Rouwendaal had plenty...
Organisers of the aQuellé Midmar Mile have announced that Early Bird entries for the iconic race open today, 27 September 2023.
Celebrating its 51st edition in 2024, the aQuellé Midmar Mile will return to the famous KwaZulu-Natal dam from 8-11 February where thousands of swimmers of all ages and abilities will take to the water for another world-class event.
As in previous years, the first two days will be dedicated to those swimmers raising money for charity in the 8 and 16-mile events. An incredible total of R4 million was raised for a variety of official race charities in...
Planning for 2024 event well underway
8 November 2023 – Race Director of the aQuellé Midmar Mile Wayne Riddin has said he was honoured to be named Coach of the Year at the KwaZulu-Natal Sports Awards but what made the accolade even sweeter was sharing the stage with his swimmers.
Four-time race winner at the aQuellé Midmar Mile and two-time Paralympian Alani Ferreira was named Sportswoman of the Year with a disability for a fifth time along with para-surfer Tracy McKay, while former Pietermaritzburg-based swimmer Matt Sates, who trained under Riddin, was named Sportsman of the Year at the ceremony...
5 December 2023 – South African Para surfer Similo Dlamini will be among the thousands of swimmers who return to Midmar Dam from 8-11 February next year for the 2024 aQuellé Midmar Mile.
Dlamini, who has a congenital condition that means her right leg is shorter than the left and she needs to use a prosthetic leg, has twice competed in the ISA World Para Surfing Championship. But each February she makes sure she’s back at the renowned KwaZulu-Natal dam to take part in the world’s largest open water swimming event.
“It's becoming one of my annual 'retreats',” reckons the KwaMashu-born...
12 January 2024 – The 2024 aQuellé Midmar Mile will once again play a massive role in raising millions of rands for charities this February.
Thousands of swimmers are already working hard to raise funds for the various charitable organisations they will be representing at the 8-11 February event.
Among them is a group of development swimmers who will be representing the Chad le Clos Foundation. Le Clos himself recently met with the group at Seals Swimming Club in Pietermaritzburg to conduct a training clinic.
“It’s very special for me,” said the four-time Olympic medallist. “Since we’ve opened...
18 January 2024 – Organisers of the aQuellé Midmar Mile have confirmed that Australian Nick Sloman will head up the international field taking part in this year’s race.
The 2019 men’s champion will head back to the famous KwaZulu-Natal race after the World Aquatics Championships in Doha and has set his sights not only on regaining the title, but on breaking seven-time winner Chad Ho’s 2016 course record of 17 minutes.
It’s a case of unfinished business as the last time Sloman competed at the aQuellé Midmar Mile, he finished just one second off the record.
“The Midmar for me is basically just...
21 January 2024 – The final seeding swim for the 2024 aQuellé Midmar Mile took place on Saturday and Sunday with a record number of swimmers converging on Prime View Adventure & Leisure in Midrand to compete.
Various distance races were spread across two days at the popular venue with 17-year-old Matthew Caldwell emerging victorious over 1.5km, 3km and 5km.
The Johannesburg swimmer finished the 1.5km in 17 minutes 33, three seconds ahead of veteran Reino von Wielligh (17.36), with Claudio Domiter (18.18) crossing the finish in third place.
“It was a good swim. I also swam 3km earlier [today]...
Thousands expected at KZN dam
25 January 2024 – Swimmers eager to dive into the challenge of next month’s aQuellé Midmar Mile have been given an extra week to get their pre-entries in.
Race Director Wayne Riddin confirmed that the pre-entry deadline has been extended from 25 January to midnight on 31 January.
“As the interest and excitement surrounding the aQuellé Midmar Mile continue to build, we want to ensure that every swimmer has the opportunity to join us at the dam next month,” said Riddin.
“The new entry procedure allows us to keep the entries open longer. And by extending the pre-entry...
As the Africa Cup of Nations heads into the Round of 16 this weekend, former AFCON champion Mark Fish isn’t focused entirely on football.
The 1996 winner is still making time for his swimming training ahead of next month’s aQuellé Midmar Mile.
“Training is going well,” he explained. “I am in San Pedro in the Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup of Nations… so training as much and wherever I can. I have a small swimming pool here where I swim in the mornings and walk on the beach and swim in the ocean, so training is what it is.”
The former Bafana Bafana star is in the Ivory Coast as part...
Gail Bristow
29 January 2024 – Two swimmers are aiming to finish the aQuellé Midmar Mile for an incredible 50th time when the event takes place at the famous KwaZulu-Natal dam next month.
Both Gail Bristow and Martin Godfrey have completed the world’s largest open water event 49 times and are on track to reach their half-centuries this year.
“Right now, it’s what’s driving me to train as much and as hard as I can,” said Godfrey. “I think that my emotions may run away with me when I exit the water at the finish. My wife will be there and I know that my late dad, who was there when I swam...
Two-time defending Midmar champ predicts record-breaking swim from Sloman
31 January 2024 – As thousands of swimmers put the finishing touch to their preparations for the aQuellé MIdmar Mile, one man on the other side of the world is wishing he was headed back to the shores of the KwaZulu-Natal dam next weekend.
That’s two-time defending men’s champion Connor Buck, who since his second straight victory last year has started studying at Princeton University in the USA and will not make it back to defend his title.
“I haven’t missed a Midmar Mile since I was 11 and it’s always been a such positive...
Photo of Ryno Markgraaff: Action Photo SA
For many years, the Albertyn family have cleaned up when it comes to dominating the various age group categories at the aQuellé Midmar Mile. But there’s a new name that keeps popping up at the top of race results, and this year could see the Markgraaffs giving the Albertyns a run for their money.
At the final seeding event ahead of this year’s aQuellé Midmar Mile, which took place at Prime View Adventure & Leisure in Midrand, Ryno Markgraaff claimed top honours in the 41-50 age group with his brother, Henk, coming in second. Meanwhile, Henk’s...
5 February 2024 – The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa has announced its active participation in the 51st edition of the aQuellé Midmar Mile, the world's largest open water swimming event, scheduled for 8-11 February.
This iconic event, renowned for showcasing dedication and strong will, holds a special place in the heart of the foundation, as Princess Charlene herself has successfully conquered its challenges in the past.
Representing the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa in the 51st Charity Challenge are respected athletes: Terence Parkin, Mhlengi Gwala,...
Tommy Gibson
6 February 2024 – If ever there was a swimmer who embodied the adage that age is just a number, it would have to be Tommy Gibson.
The Benoni resident only started swimming training at the age of 71 and this weekend will see him competing in his third aQuellé Midmar Mile.
“I started running at 63 and about three years ago I developed a back problem. Somebody suggested why don’t I try swimming, so I swapped over to swimming and just absolutely love it,” explained Gibson, who even had a special aQuellé Midmar Mile design tattooed on his calf after his first race.
The now 73-year-old...
7 February 2024 – All eyes will be on Australian Nick Sloman when he dives in for the men’s elite race at the aQuellé Midmar Mile on Sunday.
Fresh from a fifth-place finish in the 10km event at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, the 2019 Midmar champion has made his intentions clear – he’s out to break Chad Ho’s 2016 record of 17 minutes flat, having just missed the mark by one second five years ago.
But, aiming to give him a run for his money is young Bedfordview swimmer Matthew Caldwell, who recently took top honours in the final Midmar seeding event at Prime View Adventure & Leisure...
8 February 2024 – Over 200 intrepid swimmers kicked off their arduous 8 and 16-mile Charity Challenges at the aQuellé Midmar Mile this morning.
Among those setting off on the mission to raise money for the official race charities was Jason Raath who has completed the 8-mile challenge eight times and decided to do something a little different this year.
The 48-year-old financial advisor will swim eight miles across Thursday and Friday and then another eight on Saturday and Sunday, but for the last two days, he’ll be running between the finish and start on opposite sides of Midmar Dam in a cow...
Millions raised as aQuellé Midmar Mile Charity Challenge delivers inspiring start to the weekend’s action
9 February 2024 – There were plenty of tired bodies on the shore of Midmar Dam in KwaZulu-Natal and the 8-mile and 16-mile aQuellé Midmar Mile Charity Challenge came to an end on Friday.
At the same time, millions of rands have already been raised, while more continues to come in. Leading the charge in terms of fundraising once again this year was Capetonian Joanne Barnard, who was swimming in the colours of children’s cancer charity CHOC.
“This year I got up to R180,000 which is very special,”...
10 February 2024 – Thousands of swimmers were greeted by some tricky conditions on the first day of racing at the aQuellé Midmar Mile in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.
They nevertheless braved the choppy water to make their way across the dam with Nathan Hendricks and Alani Ferreira emerging as the men’s and women’s winners in the visually impaired category.
Hendricks reached the finish in a time of 24 minutes 20 seconds along with his guide swimmer Reece Zowitzky while Ferreira completed her swim in 26:30 with guide Mikaela Goelst.
“That was the roughest Midmar I’ve ever done. The waves were literally...
