RealSwim Adventures coming to Epic in 2015

In January 2015 former competitive pool swimmer Dan Abel will be bringing his open water swim philosophy to the Epic Swim in the form of RealSwim Adventures Epic Taupo.

Abel is an open water convert having competed in the Ocean Swim Series since 2003, a swim guide for SwimTrek in Europe and in 2013 swam New Zealand’s Cook Strait.

He runs his own adult focused open water coaching brand www.fitandabel.com in the United Kingdom and in New Zealand and has brought his own sportive style of open water swimming to New Zealand through RealSwim Adventures.

“At the end of my college swimming career I was fairly burnt out, 12 years of two a day practices and 25 hours training a week had severely dulled my enthusiasm for the water,” said Abel. “Luckily I stumbled into open water swimming and that helped get the spark going again, in a slightly different way.

“I think a lot of serious pool swimmers reach a point where they hang up their suits and never return to swim, this is sad. They’ve lost something they were once very passionate about. For me open water swimming provides a new swimming challenge.

“Gone is the total focus on competition and performance. Now there is an experiential focus in the ever changing dynamic of the open water environment. It’s not about just racing, more a personal experience, a challenge and a darn good time.”

The small group of RealSwim participants from New Zealand and around the globe arrive in Taupo on the Wednesday slightly earlier than other Epic competitors.

On Thursday they take to Lake Taupo for a supported sportive swim. Having fun and enjoying the beauty of Lake Taupo swimming away from the Epic racing course.

This all builds toward the Epic Swim races on the Saturday creating a total open water swim experience.

RealSwim groups are limited to 12 swimmers “to ensure the ability to safely supervise our swimmers at all times but just as importantly to allow for a manageable social experience where everyone has a chance to get to know other swimmers well and share their swim experience as a part of the RealSwim journey.

“The eating, socialising and talking about swimming takes just as much priority as the ‘doing’ in the RealSwim world.”

You can read more about the RealSwim Adventures at www.realswimadventures.com or you can contact them at info@realswimadventures.com. Or why not get yourself along to Epic Swim in January 2015 and find out what all the fuss over open water swimming is about?