COMMONWEALTH Games finalist Anne Bochmann will help launch the world’s biggest fundraising swim – the Swimathon Weekend – in Harrogate next month.

Leeds-based swimmer Bochmann will be joined by Harrogate’s Pride of Britain winner, the swimmer Danielle Bailey, and GB senior ironman Bill Hitchcock at The Hydro Swimming Pool in Harrogate for the launch on Thursday, January 5.

Now in its 25th year, Swimathon has joined forces with British Swimming’s and the BBC’s Big Splash, Marie Curie Cancer Care and Sport Relief to stage the world’s biggest charity swim.

Participants can swim the Big Splash Mile for Sport Relief or the 2.5 kilometre and 5k distance challenges for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The event will take place in 645 pools throughout the UK from April 27 to 29.

Swimmers can register to take part in a Swimathon Weekend challenge at swimathon.org

Pools participating include York’s Yearsley Pool, Energise in Acomb, York, and Water World at Monks Cross, plus Beverley Leisure Complex and Driffield Leisure Centre in East Yorkshire.

The Harrogate Hydro will also host an event, as will Ripon Grammar School and Whitby Leisure Centre.