More than 22,000 people yesterday participated in this year’s mass swimming event at Nantou County’s Sun Moon Lake.
Participants in the Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival entered the water early in the morning to swim the about 3km from one pier of the large, picturesque lake to another.
Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) also donned a cap and goggles to join the swimmers in crossing the lake.
Photo: Liu Pin-chuan, Taipei Times
“This is Nantou’s most famous activity,” Ma said at the opening ceremony of the event, which he also described as the “most Taiwanese” and “most iconic.”
Ma said he first participated in the annual swimming event in 2002 when he was 52 years old.
Now 74, he said it was a “pity” that the Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival only happens once a year, adding that it could be held a second time annually in June or July.
Nantou County Commissioner Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) said this year’s crossing was the 42nd time it had been held.
She said that 22,606 people from 38 countries, including 179 people with disabilities, swam in this year’s event.
Addressing media reports that this would be the last time Ma swam in the event, Hsu said that Ma would be invited to attend as a “distinguished guest” or take on another special role.
Hsu said she would also invite President William Lai (賴清德) and Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) to participate.
Starting from Chaowu Pier (朝霧) on the northern part of the lake, the swimmers traversed the calm waters under bright sunshine to Ita Thao Pier (伊達邵), about 3km to the south.
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