Olympic athlete swims length of Loch Lomond as he is named 'King of the Lakes' after record-breaking feat
Olympic swimmer Hector Pardoe made a big splash through the night as he swam the entire length of Loch Lomond to raise funds and awareness around pollution of the country's natural waters.
Hector, who has twice represented Team GB at the Olympics in Marathon Open Water Swimming, took on the Three Lakes Challenge for Surfers Against Sewage last week by swimming all three of the UK's largest lakes in just 24 hours.
Setting off at midnight on Friday, August 1, he swam the loch in pitch black, before going on to swim Windermere and Lake Bala.
Upon completion the opening leg of the lung-bursting challenge on Loch Lomond, Hector was congratulated by Dumbarton MP Douglas McAllister and Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie, who threw their support behind the campaign.
After meeting Hector at the finishing line in Balloch, Mr McAllister said: 'I was delighted to meet Hector and congratulate him as he completed the first leg of his three lakes challenge in Balloch.
'After raising the issue of water pollution in our shores and on our beaches in Parliament, Surfers Against Sewage contacted me to invite me along to Loch Lomond to meet Hector at the finish line.
'An absolutely incredible feat and I'm so proud that he chose my constituency of West Dunbartonshire to complete the first leg of this gruelling challenge.'
Hector first set off from Ardlui at midnight, completing the swim in seven hours and 46 minutes after battling freezing, pitch-black waters, all to demand cleaner and safer water.
After Loch Lomond, Hector swam Lake Windermere in England, and finally, Lake Bala (Llyn Tegid) in Wales where he finished with some world records, and having raised vital funds and awareness in the fight against sewage pollution.
Across the UK, rivers and lakes are being polluted by sewage. In 2024 alone, water companies dumped raw sewage into rivers and seas nearly 600,000 times – all while paying out £1.2 billion to shareholders.
'The UK Government is currently undergoing a major review into how our water industry is run in the most significant reform since privatisation', Mr McAllister added.
'I'm committed to continuing to advocate for Scottish Government action to clean up our rivers and our beaches.'
The full swim was double the length of the English Channel and covered 34.5 miles of open water. Hector completed the challenge in under 22 hours, earning him the moniker of 'King of the Lakes'.
The campaign is inspired by the 3 Peaks Challenge, whereby participants climb the three largest mountains of England, Scotland, and Wales in just 24 hours.
Hector is aiming to raise £15,000 for Surfers Against Sewage to support the vital work they do to fight for clean water.
To donate to Hector's effort, click here.
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