The world record time for bog snorkelling was smashed today.
The 26th World Bog Snorkelling Championships saw around 110 competitors take to the “water” at the Waen Rhydd Bog.
And last year’s record time for swimming two lengths of a 55m trench was shattered by more than six seconds.
Dan Morgan’s time of 90.66 seconds, set by the Brecon man last year, was destroyed by Andrew Holmes, from Halifax in West Yorkshire. Morgan could only finish third as the top three finishers all broke last year’s record.
It means the record time for the madcap sport has fallen by almost 14 seconds in the last two years.
Lindsay Ketteringham, chairman of championship organiser Green Events, said the speed of competitors through the brackish waters was down mainly to technique.
“It’s definitely down to technique in there, to be able to snorkel when you cannot see where you are going, and you don’t want to be taking a mouthful of the water. And you have to be good with flippers because there is no recognised swimming strokes allowed.”
Run by a team of volunteers, the annual competition is part of a roster of eccentric events held throughout the year at Llanwrtyd Wells, the UK’s smallest town, in Powys, Wales.
It also hosts the Man Versus Horse Marathon and a bog snorkelling triathlon.
The same two trenches, home to fish and insects, including the harmless but nasty-sounding water scorpions, are used every year, and Mr Ketteringham said conditions had been decent this year, with nothing worse than a few showers.