Back in 1974, when the dam was almost a decade into supplying water for the surrounding industries and municipalities, it was about to become a brand. The story goes that Buthie and his Seals Club team were short of funds for a polo ball and a fund-raising one-mile dash would solve the team’s shortfall. In those years with petrol rationing, the alternative swim in Buffalo River Mile in East London would eat up several valuable fuel tokens for a road trip. Midmar Dam was much closer and much more appealing.
And so it was that at 40 years old, and water-polo fit, Buthie launched - quite by chance - the largest open water swimming event in the world , what became known as the aQuelle Midmar Mile. On that Sunday in February ’74, 153 male swimmers took the plunge.
A year later the entries had doubled, women were allowed to compete and Buthie had spawned a legendary race that over the decades has grown to a field of 15 000 swimmers, children, world-class swimmers, disabled athletes, Olympic medalists, amateurs, professionals, families, and company teams. And Mike ‘Buthie’ Arbuthnot is at the start every year.
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