The action began before 8am on Saturday 13 February when Terence Parkin, the most successful athlete in the history of the Deaflympics, set off on an epic record attempt aimed at raising funds for the Saint Vincent School for the Deaf.
A member of the Eight-Mile Club, which raises money for charity, Parkin began his day from the finish, swimming to the start for the beginning of event number one. From that point he joined in the race on his way to swimming 16 miles over the course of the weekend.