Introducing Lake Boga Bank 2 Bank
Back Story
Every year since 2014, Dad and I have swam across the lake once a year after Australia Day Weekend. It began as a challenge for us to be able to say we have successfully swam the length of Lake Boga, measuring just short of 3.5km. Each year, we have gained more and more people to join us in our swim including paddlers and a boat crew to ensure we completed the swim successfully and safely. Each year, as our number of swimmers has grown, the idea of turning our casual ‘challenge’ into an event became more and more appealing.
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Coming from a swimming background, Dad has always been a role model for myself and other local swimmers and a huge support for this event and the previous ‘2020 Swan Hill 24-Hour Swimathon.’ Together we have bonded over swimming for years and years and this is just one way that we were able to introduce something different and stimulating rather than laps and laps following a black line on the bottom of the pool.
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We now want to take our challenge publicly and share this with the wider community as we challenge as many people as possible to swim ‘Bank 2 Bank’ across Lake Boga.
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- Arls
2021. The first inaugural Lake Boga Bank 2 Bank
2021 saw over 60 swimmers each with their individual paddler, take on the Bank 2 Bank with Troy Bauerle and Janessa Fitzgerald our first male and female finishers respectively. See the results and records page for more results.
2023 Trailblazer Finalist.
Lake Boga Bank 2 Bank was showcased to the nation during the 2023 ABC Trailblazer Summit in Canberra. As a rural event which aims to raise awareness for mental health in the local community, Arlie was given the opportunity to meet ABC staff, government officials and the opportunity to spread the word about the event. At the conclusion of the trip, Arlie gave a short speech to 120 politicians, ministers, department representatives and ABC staff about B2B and what we need for it to grow.It is an important community event which we all wish to see grow year to year so we are all very excited to see what opportunities will come out of this experience! We are extremely grateful for the ABC for this opportunity for Bank 2 Bank to grow.