The Serpentine is the venue for the Olympic 10km Marathon Swim and the swim leg of the triathlon at the 2012 London Olympics.

Both races of supreme endurance will be watched by upwards to 100,000 fans and spectators in the centre of London within the grounds of the famous Hyde Park.

The Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park has enjoyed a colorful history after it was created by Queen Caroline in 1730. The Olympic course will be held in the eastern half of the lake to the east of the Serpentine Bridge which marks the boundary between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens and drains out by an underground flow to the River Thames. The Serpentine’s names comes from its snakelike, curving shape and is home of the highly respected Serpentine Swimming Club.

Sam Greetham, a representative of British Swimming and nominee for the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year, not only helped design the Olympic 10km Marathon Swim course within a rowing basin at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but he also is prepared the design of the open water course on the Serpentine for the 2012 London Olympics.

“It’s an unbelievable honor – not just for myself, but also for the town of Scarborough and for the sport I love,” explained the always humble and thoughtful Sam to the Scarborough Evening News.

With an eye for detail, an utmost concern for the athletes and a keen sense of the global interest in open water swimming, Sam is open water swimming’s equivalent of a movie set designer:

He sets the stage and then lets the stars showcase their talents.

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