Patsy, 88, wins oldest castle swimmer award for second time
Repeat Castle Swim swimmer Patsy Self has taken home the Bill Green award as the oldest person in the water for a second time.
Ms Self said that she had completed the swim many times, and remembered when there was no slipway at Castle Cornet so all participants had to clamber over the rocks before swimming across Havelet Bay.
On Sunday Ms Self was one of more than 700 people to take part in the popular charity swim.
The 88-year-old estimated she had been doing it since she was 12 years old, and had only missed a few years.
This year she was encouraged to participate by her niece Penny Sarchet.
‘I knew Bill Green from when I was at the swimming club. I now swim mostly at Pembroke with the [swimming group] Mermaids,’ said Ms Self.
‘I did a trial run with Penny the Sunday before the Castle Swim so that I could make sure I was still up for it.’
She said that she tried to swim in the winter when she could.
‘I did it because not only is it for charity but also it’s a bit of fun and a challenge. I knew I could handle the time swimming, but it was whether my body was up for it.’
Ms Self said that because she had been recognised for being the oldest swimmer, everybody now knew her age.
She previously received the trophy in 2017.
The Bill Green Memorial Trophy has been awarded every year since 1996, and was presented to Ms Self by Guernsey Swimming Club president Chris Butt and Bill Green’s daughter Maggie Talbot-Cull.
Swim organiser Kevin Penney said that this year’s event had seen its largest-ever attendance with the most money raised, which will be equally split between Channel Islands Air Search, Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association and the St Peter Port Lifeboat.
Mr Penney said: ‘The passion that Guernsey people have for this historic event shows through these donations. Furthermore, the GSC would like to publicly thank all of our water safety support volunteers.’
