Novice Banstead swimmer joining icy Hyde Park plunge (From Your Local Guardian)

Novice Banstead swimmer joining icy Hyde Park plunge

1:07pm Wednesday 31st December 2008

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A novice Banstead swimmer is following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather by braving the cold for a festive dip.

Bobby Baxter, 50, spent his Christmas Day swimming in the bitter water in Hyde Park and plans to do the same again for New Year’s Day.

He joined other members of the Serpentine Swimming Club for their annual 100 yard swim, a race won by his great-grandfather over a century ago.

Bobby, who has recently become a grandfather himself, joined the club after the medal won by his ancestor was passed down the family to him.

He said: “Before I joined, I thought there must have been a lot of medals given out, but now I realise there’s just one every year. It’s really quite special.”

His great-grandfather Arthur Hester won the award in 1889, when he was 28 years old, completing the swim across the Serpentine lake in the fastest time.

Swimmers have been competing there since 1864, although the challenge changed its name to the Peter Pan Race in 1904 after the author J.M Barrie presented them with a cup.

Bobby, of Prestbury Crescent, Woodmansterne, said: “I have been practising but I am not actually a very good swimmer. I only learned to do the front crawl this year.

“So I’m not going to be winning the race any time soon, but completing it is satisfaction enough for me. I’m going to try and do a mile this year as a personal target.”

He added: “It wasn’t too cold on Christmas Day actually, but the way the weather is going is could be freezing at New Year. “I’m looking forward to it - its going to be very refreshing.”

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