BOG snorkelling doesn’t sound like much fun.
But a teenager from Kirklees is the best there is.
Laura Smith has been named the world’s best at the weird sport.
The student and part-time lifeguard has just been named the Women’s World Bog Snorkelling champion. in a contest in Wales
The 18-year-old, who will start at Huddersfield University next week, said could couldn’t see a thing as she swam in a bog to take the title.
But she was the quickest over the 110m trench and walked away with the title.
Laura said: “I found out about it through people I play underwater hockey with and my friend was the record holder.
“I gave it a go last year and was the junior champion.
“So I went back again this year and won the women’s title.
“I couldn’t see a thing and it’s not the best swim I’ve ever had.
“You have to swim two lengths of a 55m trench and it’s all just mud.
“It’s quite a competitive and there’s not much actual training you can do for it unless you want to keep swimming in a bog.”
Laura is a part time lifeguard at Batley Baths and is due to start Huddersfield University where she will do an interactive multimedia course.
She plays underwater hockey – also known as Octopush – and is a member of the Great Britain Under 19 Octopush Team.
She also teaches Octopush to children at Batley Sports and Tennis Centre.
But she hopes to continue bog swimming adding: “It’s a good challenge and a bit of fun.”
It is the second time that a woman from Kirklees has taken the bizarre title.
The 2007 world champion was Joanne Pitchforth, from Heckmondwike, who was unable to hold on to her world title this year and was beaten by Laura at the World Bog Snorkelling Championship 2009 at Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales at the weekend.
Snorkellers must swim two lengths of a 60-yard trench dug into a peat bog using a non-recognised swimming stroke.
Each competitor is equipped with a snorkel, flippers and goggles.
Joanne, 40, a mum-of-three, became world champion bog snorkeller two years ago when she broke the record with a time of 1 minute 35 seconds.
She is a schoolteacher by profession and used the long summer holidays to ensure she was in top condition for bog snorkelling, an event she has participated in since 2004.
According to legend the sport of bog snorkelling started in 1976 near Gloucester.
The pubs ran dry after a cricket match causing rowdy fans to go to other villages’ taverns.
A large group of fans swam through a bog for the quickest route to the pub in the next village.
The World Bog Snorkelling Championship, first held in 1985, takes place annually every August Bank Holiday at the Waen Rhydd bog.
