History of the swim

Swim races have formed part of the Regatta from the early 1900s.

Old programs suggest that men's and women's sprint races were held in the harbour.

Back then the rules stated that modest outfits must be worn!

The Sandsend to Whitby swim was originally a three mile swim, starting infront of the carpark at the bottom of Lythe Bank, with swimmers making their way along the shore, through the pier ends and up the steps to the Bandstand.

Today there is a lot of traffic in and out of the harbour so the swim has been adapted to a two-mile swim finishing on the beach just before the piers.

The original swim folded in the 1980s due to a lack of interest.

After founding the Whitby Wild Swimmers and seeing a resurgence of sea swimming, Ceri and Ally decided to try and reinstate the swim.

Thier idea was met with entertainment from some 'You'll never get that off the ground' but with incredible support from both the Regatta Committee and the local community - they managed to pull it off, and in 2023 the first Sandsend to Whitby swim in over four decades took place.