Open water swim to create breast cancer awareness in KK

The first open water swim event in Sabah organised by the Kinabalu Pink Ribbon will kick off Sept 16 at Tanjung Aru beach.

This is part of the association’s breast cancer awareness initiative to highlight the challenges faced by breast cancer patients and survivors in Sabah.

Open water swimming promotes a deep connection to the natural environment and contributes to mental and physical wellness which is one of key elements to recovering from a devastating illness such as breast cancer.

The idea to organise the event was mooted by Rainty Tioh, a breast cancer survivor and participant of several open water swim races, to target a different group of sports enthusiasts while continuing to raise awareness for the association.

Having swum in some of the most challenging sea conditions, Rainty sees open water swimming as a natural boost to increasing a person’s selfconfidence and strength which is beneficial for overall health and wellness.

Three recces were conducted by members of Kinabalu Pink Ribbon with the assistance of open water swimmers, kayakers, stand-up paddlers and a rescue boat to map out the swim route.

The venue, sponsored by Tanjung Aru Eco-Development (TAED), will see close to a hundred participants swimming the 2.5km and 5km route starting at the beach fronting Prince Philip Park, with a shorter 500m route for open water swim newbies.

Many of the participants are youngsters who are experienced pool swimmers eager to test their mettle in the open sea.

A large crowd of spectators and supporters are expected to be there to cheer them on and for a unique send-off, members of the Malaysia Mermaid Club will be swimming alongside the participants at the starting line dressed in their finest mermaid costumes.

Kayaks, SUPs (stand up paddleboard) and safety boats will be on the water to escort the participants along the route and provide assistance when needed.

First aid and emergency response personnel from the fire department, KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital, Kinabalu Life Saving Society and Kinabalu Yacht Club will also be on stand-by throughout the event.

Various activities have been organised for a fun day out at the beach.

There will be a car boot sale with food and beverage offerings and Pink Ribbon merchandise as well as booths to educate the public on breast self-check and life saving techniques.

The event hopes to promote open water swimming as a fun activity for competitive swimmers as well as enthusiastic newcomers while supporting a worthy cause.