Thousands splash into Sun Moon Lake swim

TAIPEI -- The annual mass swim across Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County took place Sunday in crisp weather and under blue autumn skies.

The swim, the 29th of its kind since the event was launched in 1983, drew a record number of 27,138 swimmers from home and abroad, including 2,215 foreign nationals from 32 countries, and 266 physically challenged swimmers.
The competitors, who took to the water in stages to prevent overcrowding, swam 3,000 meters from the start line at the lake's Chaowu pier to the finish line at Ita Thao pier.
The last batch of competitors was forced to abandon their effort as the organizers called it off when they saw thick dark clouds gathering over the lake.
The organizers sent out lifeboats at around 3 p.m. Sunday to pick up some 100 swimmers who were attempting the 3,000-meter swim across the lake.
They were the last batch among more than 25,000 people who participated this year in the annual event.
The swimmers were required to enter the water in groups to prevent overcrowding, but when the last group was close to the finishing point at the lake's Chaowu pier at around 2:30 p.m., black clouds began to gather.
The organizers, fearing thunderstorms, called off the swim and sent out the lifeboats.
The event in Nantou County in central Taiwan started in the morning in crisp weather under blue autumn skies, drawing a record number of 27,138 swimmers.
Premier Wu Den-yih, who initiated the event when he was magistrate of Nantou County in central Taiwan, fired the starting gun.
“Go for it! You're creating history by joining this swim!” Wu said to the competitors.
President Ma Ying-jeou, who could not be there because he was visiting the outlying island of Matsu, greeted the swimmers via teleconferencing.