Thomas Lurz wins gold at inagural British Gas Great Salford Swim

News release Sunday 26 September 2010 Thomas Lurz wins gold at inaugural British Gas Great Salford Swim Britain's 2012 Olympic hopeful Tom Allen and Germany's 5k open water world champion produced a real clash of the titans at today's British Gas Great Salford Quays. In perfect conditions the event, which is part of a nationwide five-race series, attracted 2,000 competitors of varying ages and abilities who took on the one mile open water distance in a superb urban setting. In the elite men's event, Allen (winner of the 2009 British Gas Great East Swim) produced another fine swim to go head-to-head with Lurz to a dramatic finish in the shadow of Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium. But it was Lurz, winner of this year's British Gas Great London Swim and one of the world's greatest ever open water swimmers, who just held on to win by the slenderest of margins 16 min 44.91 sec with Allen home in 16:46:46. Third place went to France's Julien Sauvage in 17:01:57 with British junior Jack Burnell fourth in 17:02:34. The foursome had led the field for most of the one mile course, edging ten metres clear by the central section of the race in Mariners Canal. At that stage British world champion triathlete Alistair Brownlee was just behind the leaders but fell further back and came home in 10th place 17:30:38. Lurz said: "I am very pleased to have won another Great Swim. Tom made it very tough for me and kept the pressure on all the way round. But I felt very comfortable and managed to stay just ahead, though I was aware he was right behind me, especially down the closing strait. "It is a fantastic series. The atmosphere is always brilliant and it's always a real pleasure to see so many people enjoying swimming." There was also a ferocious fight in the all British Junior Women's race with Emma Graham winning in 18:48:26 and Jessica Thielman finishing a close second in 18:49:76. Kayleigh Dawson took third place in a time of 18:50:32. However the real heroes of the day were the thousands of swimmers who took part in the mass event, many of whom were raising money for good causes-with more than £50,000 thought to have been raised. For more details visit www.greatswim.org -Ends- For more information or images contact: Caroline Holmes T: 07894 386 688 E: caroline.holmes@nova-international.com