Llanwrtyd Wells bog snorkelling champ became 'obsessed'

It takes a certain kind of dedication to excel in the field of any sport.

But when that field is actually a 120 yard ditch full of muddy water - as is the case with bog snorkelling - then dedication can often border on obsession.

That's certainly true of Neil Rutter, a two-time cancer survivor, who bagged the title of undefeated world champion for the fifth time last weekend.

He even beat his previous best time of one minute 18 seconds.

Held in the otherwise sleepy market town of Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, the annual World Bog Snorkelling Championships - now in its 36th year - has captured the imagination of competitors from all around the world since it began.

Notorious for having many of its hopefuls wear elaborate fancy dress, word of it even recently reached the offices of top travelogue Lonely Planet - which placed the wild weekender in its top 50 list of 'must-do experiences'.

However, the wacky challenge has been on 39-year-old Neil's radar since he was in university during the early noughties.

"I just thought, 'That sounds mad, I have to give it a try'," said the teacher from Bath.

Nevertheless, it wasn't until 2017 that he actually summoned up the nerve to take part.

"A load of us went camping to Wales and all had a go - unbelievably though, I somehow managed to clock up the fastest time of the day and was awarded the title of world champion.

"So, while the whole experience might have been cold, dark and very claustrophobic, from that moment I was completely hooked."

Indeed, rather than rest on his laurels, Neil said all he could think was: "'Hmm, there must be a record time too. Maybe I can come back next year and beat it?'"

Which is exactly what he did, eventually going on to bring home the world championship trophy five times in total.

The only reason Neil has not won seven times is likely due to the coronavirus pandemic enforcing the event's two-year hiatus in 2020 and 2021.

One year he even competed against his 64-year-old mother, showing her no mercy as he romped home to another triumph.

Although his mum's insistence on keeping her head out of the stagnant water probably did little to help her performance.

"Keeping streamlined is very important," said Neil, adding that conventional strokes like butterfly or front crawl are not permitted.

"Competitors' arms aren't supposed to come out of the water at all, which leads most to do doggy paddle.

"Me? I wear flippers and just use my legs to propel me along - my arms are kept outstretched in front of me the whole time."

The weather also makes a big difference.

"This year it rained, which made the conditions more manageable," Neil said.

"Whereas a dry year results in the bog being much gloopier, making it hard to get up a good speed.

"There's all sorts of flora and fauna in there too, so I'm usually covered in reeds by the time I reach the finish."

Twice a survivor of testicular cancer, this year marks the 20th anniversary of Neil getting the final all-clear.

He said he hoped to spend the next 12 months travelling the UK and undertaking "other possible bog-related challenges" to help raise money for cancer charities.

"One thing I won't be doing though is trying to retain my crown in 2024, I've decide to retire from the bog snorkelling championships at Llanwrtyd while I'm ahead," he added.

"Five times world champ, record time holder at one minute 12 seconds - the whole thing has been great fun.

"And that's how it should be. I don't want to start placing unnecessary pressure on myself.

"Now feels like a good time to bow out, my title intact.

"But I'm not ruling out making a return one weekend in a few years from now."