14 swimmers and 18 kms for a great cause;
almost $NZ29,000 /$AU22,000 raised to
fight diabetes and obesity plus for medical research
For the 7th year, the Rotary Club of Papeete-Tahiti, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Moorea, organized its great challenge in order to raise money for their diabesity programme which fights diabetes and obesity.
The multiple goals of this project are to:
- increase the awareness to the diabesity programme
- raise money, thanks to generous sponsors who offer money and involve their staff in the swim
- and reinforce the PR image of Rotary by showing a dynamic sporting image of Rotary and Rotarians.
Last year and for the next two years, half of the money raised will be donated to medical research for diabetes in Polynesia.
It is neither a competition, nor a race. It is a challenge to swim 18 km in the deep blue between the two islands.
We were again lucky to have excellent media cover; two TV reports on the news, newspaper excerpts and two radio programmes about this incredible swim which has been done annually since 2004.
Participants could either swim in relay or do the complete swim on 26 November 2011. Four opted to do the complete swim, and ten swimmers chose the relay. The security fleet of 12 boats included the fire brigade, gendarmerie, professional divers, life guards, a doctor and nurses.
The weather conditions were very bad and some swimmers were seasick! The swim started at 5.30am from the marina, and it lasted five and half hours. At the arrival into the Moorea lagoon, all of the swimmers were back in the water, so that all could swim together to the shore, accompanied by two traditional Polynesian outriggers.
There was a colourful welcome ceremony with flowers, champagne, local fruit, and a lunch for swimmers with the organisers and Rotarians.
It’s a beautiful swim, despite the physical challenge of very bad weather conditions and the rough sea, that thankfully did not result in any unwanted encounters (such as sharks or jelly fish).
On 12 December there was a cocktail party for swimmers, partners, sponsors and the media.
It was a great way to thank and recognize everyone for their commitment to this sporting Rotary challenge.
This was another opportunity to push our own limits while we swam and raised a great deal of money for a worthy cause and achieved huge media coverage about Rotary in action.
Submitted by: Cathy Gourbault-Lawrence, Co-Project Director 7th Tahiti-Moorea Swim
