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A shipwreck in the sea can be a tourist attraction as well a part of sea swimming activities. A surf club in Mangaluru is organising a national-level sea swimming competition around the shipwreck on January 26.
Being organised by Mangalore Surf Club (MSC), this sea swimming competition titled ‘DenDen Swim 2.0’ will bring several swimmers across the country to Mangaluru to showcase their talent.
DenDen was a dry cargo ship that was stranded along the Mangaluru coast and sank in 2007. Over the years, surf enthusiasts, stand-up paddlers and triathlon and sea swimmers have been frequenting DenDen shipwreck to witness the ship up close making it a tourist attraction for many.
The contest director, Rishabhraj Shetty, said the event has received 214 registrations this year. This is more than double that of last year. The first edition of ‘DenDen Swim’ was conducted on January 26, 2024.
A file picture of ‘DenDen Swim’ contest that was conducted on January 26, 2024. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
He said ‘DenDen Swim’ is a movement aimed at fostering sea safety awareness. This is centred around building trust in water safety through an elite lifeguard team.
Whether a beginner seeking to test the waters or an experienced swimmer chasing personal bests, ‘DenDen Swim’ provides a platform for all, he said.
‘DenDen Swim’ consists of seven individual events catering to the requirements of people born before 2014 in different categories covering different distances. There will also be a 250-metre fun swim for children born after 2015, he said.
Stating that one round around the DenDen shipwreck is 1.5 km, he said expert swimmers are competing in 3 km (two rounds) and 6 km (four rounds) categories.
Mithun Bhat Kakunje, former President of MSC, said the event also aims at positioning Mangaluru as the ultimate destination for open water events. It is also aimed at promoting tourism potential of coastal Karnataka. He said he is not aware of swimming contests being conducted around shipwrecks in the country.
Chirag Shambu, President of MSC, said the participants will be provided with certificate of participation and finisher medals. Tow floats are mandatory for the event for greater open water visibility, he said.
Yash Sinojia, who is part of the team of life guards, said lifeguards will be stationed on boats and stand-up paddle boards at multiple locations along the course for immediate rescue, if required.
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