Lt-Governor Sir Fabian Malbon and Lady Malbon at yesterday afternoon’s start of the Swimarathon at Beau Sejour. In a new feature for this year, St Sampson’s High and Le Murier pupils had already got the fund-raising going in the morning with Swimarathon At Large. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0853817)

GUERNSEY’S Swimarathon got off to a flying start yesterday with more than £2,000 raised before the Lt-Governor even sounded the starting horn at Beau Sejour.

It was the first year of Swimarathon At Large, a warm-up morning for the main event.

It was held at St Sampson’s High School and nearly 200 students from there and co-located Le Murier dived into the pool from 9am to raise money for the Lions Club, the Round Table and the Cheshire Home.

Lions president Tim Falla said he was pleased with how the event had gone.

‘It’s good we have £2,000 raised and we haven’t even started yet,’ he said.

The students managed to swim 27km in three hours.

Sir Fabian Malbon started the 33rd Swimarathon at Beau Sejour at 2pm.

He was impressed by how enthusiastic the first swimmers were.

‘It’s a brilliant event and it raises so much money,’ he said. ‘Everyone is working together to organise the event and raise money for a good cause.’

While he is not swimming again this year, he hoped to in the future.