Thousands turned out for the first ever Great Salford Swim – a mile long route through the Quays.

The day began with a clash of the titans – Germany's 5k open water world champion, Thomas Lurz and, Britain's 2012 Olympic hopeful Tom Allen fought it out in the elite men’s race.

Lurz edged ahead to win in 16mins 44secs, with Allen finishing just two seconds later. British world champion triathlete Alistair Brownlee came home in tenth place.

Another former pro, Britain’s 2004 Olympic medallist Steve Parry, 32, competed to raise money for the Christie hospital in Withington.

The swimmer, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2009, said: “It’s absolutely amazing to see over 2,000 people turn up on a Sunday.

“The Christie are a fantastic charity. I had testicular cancer last year and the treatment you get is unbelievable. I’m sure there are a lot of other people raising money for great charities today.”

After the heavyweight races there were ten group swims for people of all abilities – in total 1,485 crossed the finish line – many raising cash for chairty - and many more watched from the dock.

Megan Jones, 23, a paramedic student from Taunton Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, has been training for the event for nine months and completed the distance in 42 minutes.

She said: “We wanted to set a personal goal and then train to complete it.

“I did front crawl all the way. It was interesting looking at the bottom – you could see bricks and hula hoops and all sorts.”

Dawn Holmes, 45, from Rochdale Road, Middleton, raised almost £3,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society.

She said: “Just after Christmas I saw a programme about the Great North Swim on the telly, and thought it was time I did something. I was a bit full of turkey and hung over at the time.

“Up until then I had never swum a mile, never worn a wet suit, never raised money for charity – and here I am.”

Eddie Shotton, 16, of Ellesmere Road, Chorlton, swam in the race, with mum Marie, 51, and dad Pete, 54. He went to the Great North Swim in 2009 and said: “I really liked the event last year. They run it well and its exciting to do.

“I’m in better shape than I was last year, but I’ve not done much training for this. I swam on the holidays but not outdoors. It seems cold at first but once you get going its alright.”

A team of SCUBA diving instructors from Orca Divers in Chorlton carried out an underwater safety inspection of the starting area ahead of the swim.

The route took the swimmers from No 9 Dock, near the Lowry, through Mariners Canal and finished in Dock 8 beside the Watersports Centre.

It is thought the total sponsorship money raised is more than £50,000.

MEN reporter Mike Keegan tested the water ahead of the race:

THE only ‘Salford Docks’ I've been in before are the woolly kind you put on your feet.

So when I was asked – told – I’d be taking the plunge for a half-hour lesson with Olympic medalist Cassie Patten I was a little nervous.

Not because my swimming experience centres around 25 years of intermittent breaststroke in hotel pools. Not even because those limited skills would be placed under the watchful eye of one of the world's best. No, it was because the thought of swimming in Salford Quays conjured up images of discarded shopping trolleys and underwater brushes with all manner of unwanted household items.

I need not have worried. As I walked down the lowered platform into the water (you need to gradually acclimatise, apparently) it became clear that it was, well, pretty clear.

And once the shock of the 15C water wore off it was actually quite refreshing.

Then it was off on a tour of Dock 8. “For a warm up swim to the far orange buoy,” said Cassie. A 'warm up'? It was about 200 metres.

After I stuttered and spluttered my way there Cassie asked if I swam much. I think she knew the answer. She then gave me tips on breast-stroke (pretend your arms are scooping a cake bowl and kick your feet when they come back together) and a few exercises.

“It's much better than swimming in a pool – there's a sense of freedom,” said Cassie.

I found it hard to disagree, but I think I'll stick to the kind of pools where you can relax with a beer.

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