180 swimmers dived into the wild Westeinderplassen yesterday during the ninth Poel crossing. The strong wind and high waves made the crossing from Leimuiden to the Watertoren in Aalsmeer challenging to say the least.
Swimmers cross Westeinderplassen – NH News
70 of the 180 participants went for the full crossing: a trip of 6 kilometers. The rest also had a considerable challenge of 500 meters and 1, 2 or 3 kilometers. Ras-Aalsmeer riders Jan Weijers and Hans van der Meer tell them to go for that last distance if NH speaks to them in advance in the bus to the start.
“We have a buoy behind us for safety and I think it will overtake us with this wind,” predicts Hans. “There is wind force 4/5, Jan knows. The men find that quite tough, but they are well trained. “Last time I swam over it for an hour and I want to do that again, but will I make it you should ask me later,” he says.
additional meters
Organizer Adrie Berk of ZSC Oceanus knows that the end of the crossing is the toughest with these conditions. “The wind comes from Leimuiden to Aalsmeer, so the waves are the highest there. You then have a crosswind and are driven to the side, so you swim extra meters,” he explains.
More participants are concerned about the strong wind. Reporter Celine Sulsters also pointed out the monstrous catfish that swim around in the Westeinderplassen. Some fish can grow up to 2 meters in length.
“Now I’m over that fear”
“Well, I’ve been swimming here for 60 years and I’ve never come across one,” Adrie assures her. Participant Daniëlle admits that she was afraid of underwater monsters at the beginning of her career. “But now I’m over that fear!”
Indeed, the swimmers did not encounter catfish in the end, but the wind did play tricks on six of them. They were fished out of the water by boats that carried them all the way. “The rescue brigade is present in various places and we have first aid on and next to the water,” says Adrie. “
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In addition, we have canoeists securing one side and 23 boats securing the other side. The skippers wear a yellow vest, so they know they can give them a warning if they really need help.”
Exhausted
The 6 km crossing was eventually won by Bart Sommeling from Amsterdam. He swam the trip in 1 hour and 23 minutes. Jan also goes home satisfied. “But I had the idea that I was drinking the entire Westeinderplassen,” he says exhausted afterwards.