Forty-two participants pushed themselves in the inaugural Copper Island Swim. (Photo contributed)

Forty-two participants pushed themselves in the inaugural Copper Island Swim. (Photo contributed)

Shuswap Lake site of inaugural Copper Island Swim

Participants pushed themselves to complete the 2.7-kilometre open-water race

Forty-two participants pushed their abilities in the water during the first-annual Copper Island Swim on Sept. 7.

Front runners competed in the approximately 2.7-kilometre swim from Shuswap Lake Provincial Park to Copper Island and back in about half an hour.

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Eighteen-year-old Chantel Jeffrey, an accomplished long-distance swimmer, had the fastest time at 30 minutes and seven tenths of a second. She was followed by Ethan Skofteby, 16, who has also competed as a swimmer at the national level; his time was 33 minutes, 57 seconds. Emily Epp was first in the general category as Skofteby and Jeffrey entered as youths; her time was 35:50.9.

All of the 42 participants completed the gruelling swim with times ranging out to over an hour and a half.

The ages of swimmers ranged from 15 to 72.

The Kamloops Triathlon Club, which organized the event, hopes to make it an annual institution on Shuswap Lake.

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