On Sunday 4th July, 30 young people from five of Plymouth’s primary schools donned wet suits and set off on a courageous one mile journey; the blue mile. They were supported and cheered on by their parents, Mount Batten Centre, Plymouth City Council Lifelong Learning team and Playing for Success Staff.
Pupils from Pennycross Primary, Mayflower Community School, Marlborough Primary, Glen Park and Lipson Vale Primary have been training for the event throughout the past two months.
Plymouth City Council’s Playing for Success Centre, Brainwaves, provided training sessions for 45 young people at The Mount Batten Outdoor Centre throughout May and June this year as an additional to their regular Playing for Success programme. Most of them had never been in kayak prior to this programme and several had not ventured into the sea. Alongside of the Kayaking tuition, the youngsters also topped up their numeracy skills, learning maths and science through the use of tide-tables, numbers games and experiments with ‘uplift’ and model boats.
The aim of the project, which was supported through PfS, Allsortz and Sport Relief funding, was to offer Plymouth Youngsters an opportunity to have fun together exploring their local seaside, raising their confidence and creating some positive memories through outdoor adventure and participation in the Blue Mile Event. Playing for Success offers regular programmes of learning outside of the classroom and aims to motivate pupils through the exploration of their environment using sports and activities as a starting point for engagement in lifelong learning.
All of the pupils have been presented with Blue Mile bags, T shirts and Certificates at celebration assemblies in their own schools.
Quotes
“At PfS we believe that introducing young people to water sports at an early point in their lives can lead them to lifelong habits and hobbies which are both healthy and exciting. We are absolutely delighted to have been able to offer these young people, the opportunity to participate in such a prestigious local event “Alison Lowman (PfS Plymouth Manager)
“We have seen these children growing in confidence throughout the Playing for Success , Blue Mile programme and this has had a really positive effect upon their work and motivation in the classroom” Di Harding (Deputy Head teacher from Pennycross Primary School)
“Before the Blue Mile I was scared to go in the sea but now I can’t wait to do it again. I want to go even further. My mum will be really proud of me.” Paige Brown, Marlborough Primary School Pupil.
The various category winners for The Blue Mile 2010 have now been announced as follows:
SWIM PRIZE WINNERS:
Under 20’s Female (First) – Natalie Steele (20mins, 41secs)
Under 20’s Male (First) - Thomas Wood (30mins, 20secs)
Seniors Female (First) - Kerry Blewett (24mins, 04secs)
Seniors Female (Second) - Lindsey Walke (28mins, 05secs)
Seniors Female (Third) - Rebecca Mingo (28mins, 06secs)
Seniors Male (First) - James Edmonds (20mins, 24secs)
Seniors Male (Second) - Steve Ferguson (20mins, 37secs)
Seniors Male (Third) - Darren Walker (21mins, 10secs)
V40’s Female (First) - Penny Allan (30m, 24secs)
V40’s Male (First) - Andy Saluter (22mins, 05secs)
V50’s Female (First) - Marian Moriarty (38mins, 55secs)
V50’s Male (First) - Jeremy Waller (27mins, 19secs)
V60’s Female (First) - Sue Lee (39mins, 58secs)
V60’s Male (First) - Andy Blonden (36mins, 59secs)
KAYAK SOLO PRIZE WINNERS:
Under 20’s Male (First) - Thomas Wood (17mins, 57secs)
Seniors Female (First) - Natasha Barker (16mins, 19secs)
Seniors Female (Second) - Helen Reinardy (17mins, 08secs)
Seniors Female (Third) - Marie Hannam (17mins, 35secs)
Seniors Male (First) - Miles Johansen (13mins, 51secs)
Seniors Male (Second) - James Edmonds (14mins, 06secs)
Seniors Male (Third) - Matt Jackson (14mins, 43secs)
V40’s Female (First) - Penny Allan (14mins, 06secs)
V40’s Male (First) - Andy Saulter (14mins, 21secs)
SUP PRIZE WINNERS:
Under 20’s Male (First) - Thomas Wood (19mins, 50secs)
Seniors Female (First) - Sarah Outen (19mins, 19secs)
Seniors Female (Second) - Marie Hannam (23mins, 04secs)
Seniors Female (Third) - Helen Reinardy (23mins, 11secs)
Seniors Male (First) - James Edmonds (15mins, 35secs)
Seniors Male (Second) - Miles Johansen (15mins, 48secs)
Seniors Male (Third) - Duncan Bye (17mins, 21secs)
V40’s Female (First) - Penny Allan (19mins, 45secs)
V40’s Male (First) - Andy Saulter (16mins, 30secs)
TRIPLE CHALLENGE PRIZE WINNERS:
Under 20’s Male (First) - Thomas Wood (Score – 58)
Seniors Female (First) - Marie Hannam (Score – 144)
Seniors Female (Second) - Helen Reinardy (Score – 151)
Seniors Male (First) - James Edmonds (Score – 4)
Seniors Male (Second) - Miles Johansen (Score – 26)
Seniors Male (Third) - Matt Jackson (Score – 119)
V40’s Female (First) - Penny Allan (Score 51)
V40’s Male (First) - Andy Saulter (Score 12)
Thousands of people attend the first Blue Mile event which took place in the waterside City of Plymouth over the weekend of the 3rd-4th July
BBC Presenter and Ocean Ambassador, Paul Rose took on the one mile open water challenge along with over 600 people who took to the water during the sunny weekend.
The combination of sport and environment proves to be a real success with the Blue Mile now set to become an annual race for the environment.
Over eight thousand people attended the inaugural Blue Mile – Race for the Environment, which started at the historical Mayflower steps, Plymouth’s most famous landmark. The event saw over 641 people take to the water to swim, paddle and walk for the environment during the weekend, including a host of celebrities and blue ambassadors, who are passionate advocates for the environment.
The day kicked off with the junior one mile swim in Plymouth’s outdoor Lido, where seven year old Charlie Hyland completed the mile in 59m:03:00s. The fastest junior swim was Matthew Rose (15) who set a remarkable time of 18m:03s:09 the fastest over the weekend. This was followed by the first swim wave of the day in the open sea, with Henry Tenby (68), our oldest finisher completing the course in 58m:14:00s.
A whole host of celebrities took part in the Blue Mile, with T4’s Matt & Darren (formerly Max and Ob from Channel 4’s flagship soap Hollyoaks) taking on the kayak challenge , BBC Presenter and renowned ocean ambassador, Paul Rose (swim); Everest climber and Pole to Pole explorer, James Hooper (swim), and Blue Bath 2 London adventurers, Dave Cornthwaite and Sarah Outen who tackled the Stand up Paddle (SUP).
The open water Blue Mile swim event was won by James Edmonds (24) who completed the mile course in a fast 20m: 24s, James also won the Blue³ Triple Challenge as the fasted across all three disciplines (Swim, SUP, Kayak) . The Corporate Blue Mile Team event was won by Wolferstans Solicitors.
This was the first Blue Mile event to take place in the UK, with the format of mixing mass participation on the water with an experiential and educational village designed to actively engage people with our marine environment. The Organiser’s of the Blue Mile, Sport Environment are now looking to take the concept further to create a world-class format that uses the power of sport to create social and environmental change.
Monica Dolan, Sponsored Events Manager WWF-UK, Official Charity Partner of The Blue Mile
“This fantastic event showed how much people enjoy our seas and care about protecting our blue environment. We are delighted that so many took to the water to swim, kayak or stand up paddle their own Blue Mile, and in doing so raised important funds for WWF’s conservation work. A big thank you to everyone who took part, and joined WWF in supporting our seas.”
Jane Chafer, Director of Marketing, University of Plymouth
“The Blue Mile was a fantastic event to be a part of, and a great promotion of Plymouth as a major marine and maritime city. We had a tremendous response from visitors to the Marine Institute stand, and people really engaged with the technology and equipment that was on show. I hope that the event can go from strength to strength and that we can go on to develop the educational aspects along with the aquatic sports participation.”
Conrad Humphrey’s, Managing Director of Sport Environment
“I was delighted at the public response to the first ever Blue Mile, an event designed to fuse sport with a public engagement programme focused on our blue environment. There were so many elements to the weekend that made me smile. This was not just an event for elite athletes; we had people from all walks of life who took on the challenge of completing a mile and raising valuable support for WWF-UK to continue their work for clean and healthy seas.”
A Full update and results will be posted tomorrow and sent out to all competitors, thank you to everyone who took part this year and made the event such a fantastic success. Thank you also to our sponsors and exhibitors who helped create a wonderful buzz in the event village and lastly thank you to WWF-UK for your valuable work protecting our coast and seas.
Stay tuned to the website/twitter for news on where next for the Blue Mile and please send us your feedback on the event to conrad.humphreys(at)sportenvironment.com Here’s a couple of quotes already in:
“Hi all, just wanted to say a BIG thankyou for the fabulous Blue Mile Event, it was brilliant and I had an absolutley wonderful time. I swam in the Slow Wave, it has been 30 plus years since I last competed and had set this event as a personal challenge and I DID IT . Everybody was magnificent, competitors and Blue Mile staff, medics,everyone ,just great, I cannot find all the words to say what a brilliant time I had. I wear my Blue Mile t-shirt with great pride, I earnt it ” Sarah
“I just wanted to say a HUGE thankyou to you all for giving us the opportunity to be here at The Blue Mile!! We have had a fantastic time, and have made so many contacts with other exhibitors and people attending the event. It’s been so chilled and so organised, we all feel lovely and relaxed and I just want to carry on for another few days!! Good luck with everything, and let us know if you are doing similar events, absoloutely brilliant w/e!!” Anne
The City of Plymouth today hosted the start of the inaugural Blue Mile – Race for the Environment as thousands people came down to the historical Barbican to witness the first ever Blue Mile. The event, designed to engage people actively with our blue environment saw hundreds of people take to the water to swim, paddle and walk a mile and raise vital funds for WWF-UK.
Seven year old Charlie Hyland set the pace with a 1 mile swim in Plymouth’s Lido and fellow junior swimmer, Matthew Rose posted and astonishing time of 18m minutes to cover the 32 length course. Down on the main Blue Mile Course, the first swim wave got away at 0900, with the conditions ideal for Plymouth’s first mass-participation open water swim.
Plymouth, a City by the Sea really came alive today, with colour, passion and excitement as all ages took on the tough 1 mile challenge. The remarkable course which started from the Mayflower Steps, shined a warm glow on the City’s waterfront, perhaps proving the point that people are extremely positive about the City, despite its tired and crumbling infrastructure.
Conrad Humphreys “Today was I hope the beginning of a new opportunity to bring life back to the waterfront. Whilst it will take time for the economic regeneration of the area to be completed, perhaps the first steps to change the culture of this badly run down area of the City have been laid today. We hoped to create and event that would be a beacon to the country and show case not only our City but also the vital part our marine and coastal environment plays to it economy, I think everyone involved today to make this event happen should be really proud of its beginning.”
T4’s Matt & Darren (formerly Max and Ob from Channel 4’s flagship soap Hollyoaks) have signed up to take part in The Blue Mile-Race for the Environment. WWF is the official charity partner for this amazing event taking place in Plymouth, UK on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 July 2010.
This first ever unique race is designed to encourage people to complete a mile in, or next to, our wonderful marine environment, and hopes to raise awareness of the threats facing our world’s oceans and the need to protect our seas.
“Supporting a charity you really believe in can be done in many ways,” said Matt. “Darren and I love our challenges and kayaking The Blue Mile in support of WWF’s marine work is our latest duel. We need to look after our planet, not only the ground we walk on but the seas that surround us. Marine life may not always been seen, but should certainly never be forgotten.”
Darren added, “Supporting WWF, by taking part in The Blue Mile to promote the wonders of our seas and the need to protect all that is in them, is a fun way to learn more about our marine environment. What better way to do this than to get out there in the water and take part in the task of kayaking for a mile, it’s a great way to take action for our seas, as well as beat your best mate at another challenge!”
The UK is blessed with 20,000km of coastline, and diverse marine life and habitats ranging from deep sea corals to harbour porpoises. However our seas are facing increasing pressures, and now, with the threat of climate change, it is more important than ever that we protect our marine biodiversity. By completing a Blue Mile, businesses, schools, and individuals can show they care about our oceans and help raise crucial funding to support WWF’s conservation projects.
The course (1,609 metres) will be marked by buoys at regular intervals. It starts and finishes at Plymouth’s historic Mayflower Steps.
Natasha Barker, Senior Marine Policy Officer at WWF-UK said: “The Blue Mile is a fun event which aims to educate and inspire people to value our marine environment. WWF is delighted that Matt & Darren are going to take part in the race and we wish them, and all the other hundred’s of contestants the best of luck!”
Divers will take to the sea off Plymouth for an underwater litter pick ahead of the Blue Mile swim, paddle and sail this coming weekend.
Members of the Plymouth Sound British Sub Aqua Club expect to find litter including shopping trolleys, old flip-flops and bottles. Their unsavoury haul will go on display as part of a campaign to urge people to look after the marine environment.
The event will take place on Friday 02nd July ahead of the Blue Mile weekend, which will see hundreds take to the water to tackle the course by swimming, paddle-boarding or kayaking on July 2 and 3. The team will carry out a reconnaissance of the area on Wednesday, June 30.
Club chairman John Parlour said members always tried to highlight the environmental impact humans can cause under the waves. He said: “A lot of the bits and pieces we expect to find can cause damage by trapping fish and sea birds.”
The club has also been involved in clearing broken or illegally set fishing nets, which can continue to catch and kill fish and birds. But Mr Parlour said the exercise was designed to raise awareness, not to clear the area ahead of the event. He said: “I don’t think any of these items would cause any problems for swimmers. This is about encouraging people to take more responsibility, and to think about their actions.”
But Mr Parlour said overall, the area had got much better. He said: “Things still get dropped in to the Sound, but over the last 10 years, the water quality has massively improved because of the sewage treatment works that have taken place, and projects.
“I can think of a number of incidents over the past few years where we have seen pods of dolphins in the Sound, and that’s something we hadn’t seen for a long time. Now, people will even eat shellfish caught in that area, whereas in the past, they might not have been so keen.”
Triple round-the-world sailor Conrad Humphreys, who is organising The Blue Mile, hopes the display of the litter they find will make people think twice before discarding rubbish into the sea.
“It’s quite thought-provoking to help people understand the shores and the marine environment, and to know that a lot of this stuff doesn’t just disappear when it’s thrown into the water.”
During the weekend of The Blue Mile – Race for the Environment, the National Marine Aquarium has been granted the opportunity to screen the award winning documentary, The End of the Line, based on the critically acclaimed book by Sunday Times investigative journalist Charles Clover.
The End of the Line, is the first major feature documentary film revealing the impact of overfishing on our oceans. The film examines the imminent extinction of Bluefin tuna, brought on by increasing western demand for sushi; the impact on marine life resulting in huge overpopulation of jellyfish; and the profound implications of a future world with no fish that would bring certain mass starvation.
As part of a new series of inspirational lectures that are taking place during the weekend of The Blue Mile, The End of the Line will feature two distinguished guest speakers: BBC Science Presenter, Paul Rose and Senior Marine Policy Officer for WWF-UK, Natasha Barker who will be speaking about their experiences relating to our UK marine environments.
Tickets for the event will be free and are available by registering your interest direct by email to Sarah.watts@national-aquarium.co.uk by 21st June.
Natasha Barker, Senior Marine Policy Officer WWF-UK
“Overfishing is the single, biggest immediate threat to our oceans, and the film highlights some of the most conspicuous examples of excessive exploitation of marine resources, such as the decimation of bluefin tuna stocks in the Mediterranean. But it is important to note that there are many within the fishing and seafood sectors working hard to fish responsibly and supply consumers with healthy seafood that is good for the oceans, and WWF is committed to working openly with these proactive, progressive players.”
Dr David Gibson, Managing Director of National Marine Aquarium, said ‘We are very concerned with the European Common Fisheries quota system which results in the needless death of many tens of thousands of fish – and will be lobbying the new coalition in order to readdress it. By showing this film we are announcing that we determined to pursue the highest authority to protect our native fish’.
Conrad Humphreys, Managing Director Sport Environment
“We have put together a programme over the weekend of The Blue Mile that has something for everyone. We want people to not only enjoy the activity on the water but to be inspired to change the things they really care about. The End of the Line is a remarkable film and I hope that it will challenge the way we think about sustainable seafood.”
British Duo successfully complete The BLUE Bath2London paddle across the UK for World Oceans Day
British Adventurers Dave Cornthwaite and Sarah Outen have successfully completed their Blue Bath2London challenge, becoming the first to Stand Up Paddle (SUP) between Bath and London. They completed their journey across England arriving at Tower Bridge today, 8th June, to coincide with World Oceans Day.
The duo who between them have set world records by rowing or paddling across oceans and continents, paired up for the week-long endurance challenge, Stand Up Paddling the 150 mile long route navigating 114 locks on the way.
Cornthwaite, who once skateboarded across Australia and also paddled the length of The Murray River, Australia’s longest river, and Outen, who rowed solo across the Indian Ocean last year, measured their trip in Blue Miles, which are miles travelled on or beside the water. The dynamic duo are both Ambassadors of The Blue Mile – Race for the Environment, the UK’s newest mass-participation event which encourages participants to swim, paddle or walk for our seas. They were planning for 100’s of paddlers to join them for sections of the trip aiming to amass a total of 1000 Blue Miles before they reached their finish line at Tower Bridge.
Speaking from London at the end of the challenge, Cornthwaite said “Between us, Sarah and I have crossed oceans and travelled along some of the world’s longest rivers, so to experience a Blue environment much closer to home and to share that with so many other paddlers, cyclists and walkers has been a privilege. Wherever we are our seas, lakes and rivers are all interconnected, and after 150 miles to arrive at Tower Bridge on World Ocean’s Day is the icing on the cake.”
Outen added “My favourite bits of the planet are the blue bits – the oceans, the rivers, the lakes – so it is great to be ending our journey on World Ocean’s day. We are a maritime nation with thousands of miles of coastline here and overseas territories, so for us to land in London today is a little reminder to Westminster that we need to protect the wonderful wildlife and qualities of our shores and seas right around the world. Water and life are so intrinsically connected that now, more than ever, we need to protect it and all the services and habitat it provides and the wildlife living there.
Our journey has shown how important water is to people – for food, for transport, for enjoyment, for fitness, for homes – it has been wonderful to see this and to be able to encourage more folks out onto the water with us to clock up some blue miles. ”
The Blue Bath 2 London is being supported by Sport Environment and promotes the Blue Climate and Oceans Project, an initiative that works with sports men and women to harnesses the popularity of adventure sports that showcase the natural environment.
Other supporting sponsors include Spaceships Campervans, Starboard, Africa & Asia Venture, Palm Equipment Europe, Cotswold Outdoor, Nakd Wholefoods and the Family Adventure Store.
WWF Ambassador and the man they call the “Human Polarbear”, Lewis Gordon Pugh who recently returned from swimming a mile in a glacial lake on Everest lends his support to all Blue Mile participants and encourages more people to get involved with this year’s race for the environment.
‘Hi, I’m Lewis Pugh and I am supporting the Blue Mile – Race for the Environment which is raising crucial funds for WWF and awareness of marine issues. If I can push myself to the extreme, you can too. No challenge is too hard if you persevere and prepare both mentally and physically. Please take on a Blue Mile and show you care about the marine environment’.
Thousands of people attend the first Blue Mile event which took place in the waterside City of Plymouth over the weekend of the 3rd-4th July
The open water Blue Mile swim event was won by James Edmonds (24) who completed the mile course in a fast 20m: 24s, James also won the Blue³ Triple Challenge as the fasted across all three disciplines (Swim, SUP, Kayak) . The Corporate Blue Mile Team event was won by Wolferstans Solicitors.
Conrad Humphrey’s, Managing Director of Sport Environment
A Full update and results will be posted tomorrow and sent out to all competitors, thank you to everyone who took part this year and made the event such a fantastic success. Thank you also to our sponsors and exhibitors who helped create a wonderful buzz in the event village and lastly thank you to WWF-UK for your valuable work protecting our coast and seas.
“Hi all, just wanted to say a BIG thankyou for the fabulous Blue Mile Event, it was brilliant and I had an absolutley wonderful time. I swam in the Slow Wave, it has been 30 plus years since I last competed and had set this event as a personal challenge and I DID IT 
. Everybody was magnificent, competitors and Blue Mile staff, medics,everyone ,just great, I cannot find all the words to say what a brilliant time I had. I wear my Blue Mile t-shirt with great pride, I earnt it 
The City of Plymouth today hosted the start of the inaugural Blue Mile – Race for the Environment as thousands people came down to the historical Barbican to witness the first ever Blue Mile. The event, designed to engage people actively with our blue environment saw hundreds of people take to the water to swim, paddle and walk a mile and raise vital funds for WWF-UK.
T4’s Matt & Darren (formerly Max and Ob from Channel 4’s flagship soap Hollyoaks) have signed up to take part in The Blue Mile-Race for the Environment. WWF is the official charity partner for this amazing event taking place in Plymouth, UK on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 July 2010.
Members of the Plymouth Sound British Sub Aqua Club expect to find litter including shopping trolleys, old flip-flops and bottles. Their unsavoury haul will go on display as part of a campaign to urge people to look after the marine environment.
During the weekend of The Blue Mile – Race for the Environment, the National Marine Aquarium has been granted the opportunity to screen the award winning documentary, The End of the Line, based on the critically acclaimed book by Sunday Times investigative journalist Charles Clover.
British Duo successfully complete The BLUE Bath2London paddle across the UK for World Oceans Day
Outen added “My favourite bits of the planet are the blue bits – the oceans, the rivers, the lakes – so it is great to be ending our journey on World Ocean’s day. We are a maritime nation with thousands of miles of coastline here and overseas territories, so for us to land in London today is a little reminder to Westminster that we need to protect the wonderful wildlife and qualities of our shores and seas right around the world. Water and life are so intrinsically connected that now, more than ever, we need to protect it and all the services and habitat it provides and the wildlife living there.
