Swimming
If water’s your element, then your swimming abilities will be well catered for in the RAF. Swimming is a major RAF sport, whether you do it to keep fit or you like to compete. Four disciplines are on offer – swimming, water polo, diving and open water swimming – and training, fixtures and overseas tours are planned all year round. Many RAF stations have pools and all bases have access to local community facilities.
Most activities take place at RAF Cranwell, the Service’s designated Home of Sport. All male and female squads are professionally coached and it pays off – the RAF men’s water polo team have taken the Inter-Service trophy for four years running. The men’s and ladies’ swimming teams – and both the men’s and ladies’ diving teams – came second in the 2008 Inter-Service championships.
To go the extra mile and get really serious about long distance – you could try swimming the English Channel in the biennial Inter-Service race.
