The Trygfonden Copenhagen Swim welcomes all kinds of participants, and we love it, when you share your stories with us. Most recently, Rita Hauge and Morten Basse have agreed to share their amazing story with us and with you.
By: Caroline Kleemann, event manager, Danish Swimming Federation. Photo: Private
When Rita met Morten four years ago, she dragged him all over Denmark, when she participated in different open water events – including ‘Limfjordskrydseren’ and Trygfonden Copenhagen Swim.
After a few years standing on the side-lines, Morten (as an old sportsman) thought that he could swim the TrygFonden Copenhagen Swim as well.
Together, Rita and Morten spent the following year improving their technique and physique, and in 2019 Morten participated and completed the Trygfonden Copenhagen Swim for the first time – in only 57 minutes.
Morten and Rita had also signed up for the Trygfonden Copenhagen Swim in 2020, and if the pandemic hadn’t put a stop to that, Morten’s diagnosis in June 2020 would have. He was diagnosed with a tumour near his brainstem, which nearly killed him in October 2021.
For unexplained reasons, Morten is still alive - but he will spend the rest of his life being brain-damaged and won’t be able to swim anymore, even though he’s physically feeling better today.
Despite that Morten and Rita are not giving up. They want to make the most of life – and so this year Rita will try to swim around Christiansborg with Morten in an inflatable kayak towed with a line tied around her waist. Just because Morten can't swim himself, he shouldn't miss out on another swim in the canals, they feel.
With the help from friends and acquaintances, they hope to succeed in their mission so that they can both be a part of this year’s swimming festival once again. That is what we call dedication and not at least love!
Thanks to Rita and Morten for sharing their amazing story - give them a huge LIKE and lots of cheer for their joint trip around Christiansborg in 2022!
2022 is the fifth time that Inken Frellesen swims around The Danish Parliament Christiansborg. She is looking forward to it and is crossing her fingers in hope of good weather and good health, so that she can reach her goal.
At Danish Swimming Federation, we are experiencing a growing interest from companies that want to participate in the Trygfonden Copenhagen Swim as a company activity. “It strengthens the team spirit and gives good energy – at the event as well as in the daily life at the office” says Jens Bjørn Andersen, CEO of DSV.