Long links to river swim earn prizegiving honour

CHRIS HILLOCK/Waikato Times

RIVER FUN: Bud Calder reminisces about competing in the Five Bridges River Swim 65 years ago.

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It's survived a world war and economic recessions and will resurface in Hamilton next month.

The annual Five Bridges River Swim, now into its 71st year, has come a long way, according to the man who will give out the prizes.

Eighty-year-old Bud Calder participated in three races when he was in his teens, during the mid 1940s, and he said there were only about 20 competitors each year back then.

Last year attracted a record number of 102 swimmers who braved the waters wearing wetsuits and swimming caps. Some even covered themselves in grease to stay warm.

But Mr Calder said the cold was no problem for him and his mates, even though they were wearing only woollen togs. "It's not cold when you live in the river," he said.

It might have also helped that he and the other members of the Rovers Swimming Club had a couple of swift beers before and after the race, too.

Mr Calder never won a prize in the event and said he did the swim for fun. He recounted long summer days swimming and diving into the river, punctuated by the odd dead cow floating downstream.

Mr Calder, who will present the awards for the second time, said he couldn't get enough of the water when he was younger, travelling round the Waikato for swimming and diving carnivals.

But the former Fairfield Intermediate teacher's swimming career ended when, while trying an ambitious two-man diving stunt called "the flying mule", he broke his knee.

As he spoke to the Times and looked out over the water there was still a twinkle in his eye.

"It still looks pretty inviting to me," Mr Calder said.

Event co-ordinator Eleanor Pinfold gave Mr Calder the honour of handing out the awards as a nod to the long history of the race.

The Five Bridges River Swim takes place on April 11 at 1pm. Entry costs $20. Download forms at nzmastersswimming.org.nz

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