Open water swimmers head to Lake Okataina

Rotorua swimmer David Boles is expected to be one of the front-runners at the Lake Okataina Open Water Swim. Photo / File

Swimmers of all ages and abilities will descend on Lake Okataina for a celebration of open water swimming tomorrow.

Swimmers can register on the day with a choice of 400m, 800m, 1.5km, 3km or 6km distances.

Organiser Katrina Allison said the primary aim of the event was to get people swimming and making the most of the "sparkling waters and beautiful surroundings of Lake Okataina".

"Open water swimming is such an up-and-coming sport and it's a tremendous challenge. For us it's not hugely competitive, it's a time to have an experience swimming in the lake without any pressure.

"There are heaps of spot prizes and it's a really family-oriented, fun event. We want to get people swimming and enjoying the sport of swimming."

Allison was hoping for about 100 swimmers. The event is run by Rotorua Rotary and all money raised through entry fees is donated to Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

"Big Brothers, Big Sisters is a mentoring programme and we have adults who volunteer their time to mentor a child who may only have one adult figure in their life. It may be a boy who doesn't have a dad and the mentor will come along and they do things together and develop a relationship.

"It's a charity race and it's a pretty informal race, but we have a lot of people come back to it because Lake Okataina is a fantastic lake to swim in. It's just so pristine, it's beautiful."

Rotorua's David Boles could be the man to beat. The 17-year-old finished the 3.3km I'm Going Long race in 41m 16s at the Rotorua Legend of the Lake event at Tikitapu (Blue Lake) last month. He has also qualified to represent New Zealand at the Oceania Open Water Championships in June.