Georgie wins world title... with a little help from her friends

A talented swimmer and triathlete has thanked the staff at the Dolphin Centre for helping her clinch another world title.

Georgie Rutherford, 33, from Darlington won the recent World Oceanwoman Championship title, in Spain. The event saw her swim 5.5km in choppy seas around Benidorm.

She said: “I did not expect to win but I am absolutely delighted as this has been my goal all year.
“A lot of training has gone into this and it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Dolphin Centre’s team and facilities.
“The Dolphin Centre has been a huge part of my life from learning to swim to training and now winning three world titles! I was in a bad road accident last year and was injured so badly I couldn’t race and lost some of my sponsors but the staff at the Dolphin Centre stuck with me and helped me train and stay motivated. I am so grateful.”

Nick Wallis, the council’s cabinet member for leisure and local environment, said: “We are all very proud of Georgie and her achievements. I am delighted that the Dolphin Centre, which is celebrating 35 years, has helped play such an important role in her success and wish her all the best for the future.”

Georgie, pictured above with the council's Head of Culture Mike Crawshaw, learnt to swim at the Dolphin Centre in 1988 age four and continued to swim throughout school competing in galas for both Cockerton Primary School and Hummersknott School.
She started triathlons when she went to university and won her first world title just seven years later.
She is preparing for her next race, the World Trail Running Championships in December.